Gavriil Romanovsky

Gavriil Romanovsky

b. 1873 (Voronezh) · d. 1942 (Karabas)

Gavriil Romanovsky (3 April 1873 – 20 January 1942) was a Russian pianist and music teacher. He was born in Voronezh and began studying music there with V. G. Rostropovich, the piano teacher at the Voronezh Boys’ Gymnasium and grandfather of Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1904, Romanovsky graduated from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied piano with Anna Yesipova.

Romanovsky began giving concerts in 1907 and became particularly known as one of the first performers of Alexander Scriabin’s works. In 1917, he took part in Vsevolod Meyerhold’s production of Mikhail Lermontov’s drama Masquerade at the Alexandrinsky Theatre, performing Alexander Glazunov’s music written for the production. He was also a regular participant in chamber concerts organized by Alexander Siloti.

Having begun teaching before the revolution, Romanovsky later taught from 1925 at the Alexander Scriabin Music College. In 1929, that institution merged with the Rubinstein Brothers Music College to form the music college affiliated with the Moscow Conservatory. His pupils included the noted choral conductor Vladislav Sokolov.

In 1931 Romanovsky returned to Voronezh, where he taught at a music school while continuing to perform. He died in Karabas, in the Karaganda Region, on 20 January 1942.

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