Mstislav Rostropovich Celebrates 80th Birthday

Mar 27, 06:50 PM

Current Headlines: MOSCOW. March 27 (Interfax) - The renowned Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich is celebrating his 80th birthday on March 27.

Musical celebrities will give a concert at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses in honor of the legendary musician. The concert will be followed by an anniversary dinner to be attended by performers, statesmen, students of Rostropovich and his wife, the opera singer Galina Vishnevskaya, and the couple's numerous friends and colleagues.

Rostropovich was born on March 27 1927 in Baku into the family of a musician. At 15 he began to give classes at a music school in Orenburg and at 16 he enrolled for studies at the Moscow Conservatory.

At age 18 Rostropovich won his first prize at a national competition of young musicians, and was then switched from the first to the fifth-year course at the conservatory. His brilliant concert career began immediately after he graduated.

On February 26, President Vladimir Putin awarded an Order of Merit for the Fatherland, first degree, to Rostropovich. This state award was conferred on the great musician "in recognition of his great contribution to the development of the world's musical art and his artistic activities of many years," the Kremlin press service said.

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