Brussilovsky, Yevgeni Grigoryevich
BRUSSILOVSKY, YEVGENI GRIGORYEVICH
BRUSSILOVSKY, YEVGENI GRIGORYEVICH (1905–1981), Soviet composer. Born in Rostov-on-Don, he revealed his musical talent during performances while on military service. He studied in Moscow and then moved to Leningrad, where he played the piano in cinemas. From 1926 he studied composition at the conservatory with M.O. Steinberg. His first two symphonies, performed in 1931 and 1932, won instant acclaim. In 1933 he settled in Kazakhstan and began collecting Kazakh folk music as a member of the local Music Research Institute. Brussilovsky's first opera, Kyz-Zhibek (1934), initiated the development of a Kazakh national opera; it was followed by Zhalbyr (1935), Zolotoye zerno (1940), Dudaray (1953), and other operas and ballets. He was artistic director of the Kazakh Music Theater (1934–38), and taught at the Alma-Ata conservatory. In 1970 he settled in Moscow. Brussilovsky composed nine operas, three ballets, nine symphonies, instrumental concertos, cantatas, and other works. He was awarded the Badge of Honor (1936), the title People's Artist of the Kazakh S.S.R. (1936), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1945, 1956), and the State Prize of the U.S.S.R., the Order of Lenin (1959), and the State Prize of the Kazakh S.S.R. (1967).
bibliography:
B. Yerzakovich, Brussilovsky (1950); A. Kelberg, Brussilovsky (1959). add. bibliography: B. Yerzakovich and B. Brusilovsky, in: Kompozitory Kazakhstana (1982), 221–42.
[Michael Goldstein /
Marina Rizarev (2nd ed.)]