Mstislav Rostropovich

Mstislav Rostropovich
Мстислав Леопольдович Ростропович
Born	Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (1927-03-27)27 March 1927 Baku, Azerbaijani SSR, Soviet Union
Died	27 April 2007(2007-04-27) (aged 80) Moscow, Russia
Nationality	Soviet, American, Russian, Swiss
Occupations	Cellist conductor teacher political activist
Spouse	Galina Vishnevskaya ​ (m. 1955)​
Children	3; including Elena Rostropovich

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich^[a] (27 March 1927 – 27 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enlarged the cello repertoire more than any cellist before or since. He inspired and premiered over 100 pieces,^{[citation needed]} forming long-standing friendships and artistic partnerships with composers including Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Henri Dutilleux, Witold Lutosławski, Olivier Messiaen, Luciano Berio, Krzysztof Penderecki, Alfred Schnittke, Norbert Moret, Andreas Makris, Leonard Bernstein, Aram Khachaturian, and Benjamin Britten.

Rostropovich was internationally recognized as a staunch advocate of human rights, and was awarded the 1974 Award of the International League of Human Rights. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya and had two daughters, Olga and Elena Rostropovich. He received numerous accolades, including a Polar Music Prize.
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