Bakaleinikov, the son of a noted clarinetist, was from a large musical family who lived in poverty. His elder brother was flautist, composer and conductor Nikolai Bakaleinikov, his younger brothers, both composers, were Mikhail Bakaleinikoff and Constantin Bakaleinikoff. Bakaleinikov entered the Moscow Conservatory at the age of nine, studying with Jan Hřímalý. After his graduation in 1907, he quickly gained a reputation as a gifted violist and chamber musician playing with the Russian Musical Society in Moscow, the Mecklenburg Quartet of Saint Petersburg, and later with the Stradivari Quartet in Moscow. He was conductor of the Theatre of Musical Drama in Saint Petersburg, and at the Music Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre. Simultaneously, Bakaleinikov was Professor of Viola at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and at the Moscow Conservatory. As Professor of Viola, Bakaleinikov was a pioneer in promoting artistic standards for the instrument. Among his students were, in particular, Vadim Borisovsky who succeeded him as Professor of Viola at the Conservatory. In 1925–1926, Bakaleinikov, together with his wife, singer and actress Julia Fatova, went to the United States with the Moscow Art Theater Music Studio on a highly successful tour. At the invitation of the conductor Fritz Reiner, Bakaleinikov was appointed assistant conductor and principal violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1937, following the lead of his two younger brothers, he moved to Hollywood to work in film. He was also associate conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. During this time, Bakaleinikov began conducting lessons with seven-year-old Lorin Maazel. In 1938, Bakaleinikov again accepted an invitation from Reiner, then principal conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, to be his assistant. The Maazel family followed Bakaleinikov to Pittsburgh so that the young conductor could continue working with his teacher. Between Reiner's departure from Pittsburgh in 1948 and the arrival of his successor William Steinberg in 1952, Bakaleinikov served as musical director of the Orchestra. Affectionately known as "Bak," he possessed a delightful sense of humor and loved to tell stories. Bakaleinikov wrote Elementary Rules of Conducting for Orchestra, Band and Chorus, a memoir Записки музыканта , and composed a concerto for viola as well as chamber works. Bakaleinikov was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR in 1924.
