Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

1955

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Film

 

 

Vocal

 

Leonid Desyatnikov is a Russian composer who was born on February 16, 1955, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a composer and his mother a pianist. Desyatnikov began studying music at a young age, and by the time he was a teenager, he had already composed several works. Desyatnikov studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he was a student of Yuri Kholopov and Edison Denisov. He graduated in 1978 and began working as a composer and music teacher. In the early years of his career, Desyatnikov composed mainly for the theater, writing music for productions at the Moscow Art Theater and the Bolshoi Theater. Desyatnikov's breakthrough as a composer came in the 1990s, when he began to gain international recognition for his work. One of his most famous works from this period is "The Leaden Echo," a song cycle based on poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins. The piece was premiered in 1990 and has since been performed by many of the world's leading singers and ensembles. Desyatnikov's music is known for its eclectic style, which draws on a wide range of influences, including classical, folk, and popular music. He is particularly interested in the music of the Russian avant-garde, and many of his works incorporate elements of this style. One of Desyatnikov's most famous works is "Russian Seasons," a ballet that was premiered by the New York City Ballet in 2006. The piece is set to music by Desyatnikov and features choreography by Alexei Ratmansky. "Russian Seasons" is a celebration of Russian culture, with each of its 12 sections representing a different month of the year and a different aspect of Russian life. Desyatnikov has also written several operas, including "The Children of Rosenthal," which was premiered in 2005. The opera is based on a play by Hanoch Levin and tells the story of a Jewish family living in Israel. The piece is notable for its use of Jewish folk music and its exploration of themes of identity and belonging. In addition to his work as a composer, Desyatnikov is also a respected musicologist and has written extensively on the music of the Russian avant-garde. He has published several books on the subject, including "The Music of the Russian Avant-Garde, 1908-1929" and "The Russian Avant-Garde and the Revolution." Desyatnikov's music has been performed by many of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the State Prize of the Russian Federation and the Golden Mask Award for Best Opera. In conclusion, Leonid Desyatnikov is a highly respected composer and musicologist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. His eclectic style and interest in the music of the Russian avant-garde have made him a unique voice in contemporary music, and his works continue to be performed and celebrated around the world.

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