Azari Ivanov was a Soviet composer, publisher, and teacher. He was born in Kazan on December 10, 1895, and died in Repino on July 13, 1956.
Ivanov studied piano at the Eastern Musical Technical School in Kazan with Konstantin Korbut. In 1928 he graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory, where he studied composition with Vasily Kalafati and Maximilian Steinberg. From 1928 to 1931 he taught at a music technical school in Chkalov and headed its academic department. Beginning in 1931, he taught music theory and led the orchestral department at the First Leningrad Music School; he later taught theory at several music institutions in Leningrad.
From 1945 to 1953, Ivanov was chief editor of the Leningrad branch of the State Music Publishing House. He wrote instructional books, including A Guide to Playing the Accordion and Beginning Bayan Course. He also compiled popular sheet-music collections, including Russian Songs and the Bayanist’s Album, and made many arrangements and transcriptions for bayan.
His works include a sonata (1927), variations (1926), a ballet suite (1952), marches, three dances, five Kazakh songs for piano trio, and Little Pieces (1950). He also arranged folk songs and dances.