Dmitry Smolsky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dmitry Smolski
Smolsky in 2016
Background information
Born	(1937-07-25)July 25, 1937 Minsk, Soviet Union
Died	September 29, 2017(2017-09-29) (aged 80)
Genres	Stage works, symphonic works, orchestral works, instrumental concerts, instrumental chamber music, vocal music, pop songs, choral works, music for theater performances, music for films
Occupation(s)	Composer, Professor, Honored Artist of Belorussian SSR (1975), laureate of the State Prize of BSSR (1980), National Artist of the Republic of Belarus (1987), laureate of the Order of Francysk Skaryna (2013)
Years active	1949–2017

Dmitry Smolski (born July 25, 1937 – died September 29, 2017) was a famous composer from Belarus. He was known for creating many different types of music. He was also a professor and received several important awards for his work. Dmitry Smolski was the father of Victor Smolski, a well-known guitarist in the German band Rage.

His Early Life and Musical Start

Dmitry Smolski was born in Minsk on July 25, 1937. His father, Bronislaw Smolski, was a famous music expert in Belarus. Growing up, Dmitry was always surrounded by music. This helped him show his musical talent very early. He even had his first music published when he was just 12 years old!

When he was seven, Dmitry started taking regular music lessons. He learned to play the violin. He studied at the Moscow Central Music School. Later, he went to the Music School of Belarusian State Conservatory. There, he also began learning how to compose music. His teacher was the famous Belarusian composer Evgeniy Tikotski.

In 1955, Smolski started studying at the Moscow Conservatory. However, he had to return to Minsk a year later due to health reasons. He finished his studies at the Belarusian State Conservatory in 1960. He then did more advanced studies at the Moscow Conservatory until 1967.

A Career in Music

Dmitry Smolski was not just a composer; he was also a dedicated teacher. From 1962 until 2014, he taught composition. He worked at the Belarusian State Academy of Music for more than 50 years. During this time, he taught many students who became famous composers themselves. These students went on to win national awards and shape modern Belarusian music.

A Belarusian film called "10 Revelations of Dmitry Smolski" tells the story of his life. It shows the important events in his career.

His Unique Musical Style

Dmitry Smolski's musical journey began in the late 1950s. He became a very important figure in modern music. He was one of the composers who started a new style in Belarusian music. This happened in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He brought a fresh way of thinking about composing.

Smolski was very talented and skilled in new composing methods. He was interested in the exciting new music styles from Europe in the 1960s. This helped him create music that was very well-made. People who listened to his music often talked about his special "Smolski’s tone." This means his music had a unique sound that was all his own.

Dmitry Smolski was brave enough to create music that was different from what was popular at the time. He wrote a unique symphony called "Oktofoniya" in 1967. He also composed a special piece for voices and instruments called "Song of Hiroshima" in 1965. This piece was based on poems by Japanese poets.

His music often explored deep feelings and human experiences. Each of his 15 symphonies shows different dramatic or emotional sides of human life. His music could be serious, sad, or even have a touch of humor. Sometimes, this humor turned into a more sarcastic style in his later works.

Besides his grand symphonies, Smolski also wrote operas. These include "Hoary Legend" and "Francis Skaryna". He also created large pieces for voices and orchestra called oratorios. These were "My Motherland" and "Poet". He wrote concertos for different instruments like piano, violin, cello, and cymbals. He also composed many pieces for smaller groups of instruments and for singers.

Smolski's music was played successfully in many countries. These include Germany, France, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and the USA. A CD with his symphonies was even named the best in a CD contest in the USA in 1992.

Dmitry Smolsky passed away on September 29, 2017.

Awards and Recognition

Dmitry Smolski received many important awards and honors throughout his life:

• Belarusian Lenin Komsomol Prize (1972)
• Honored Artist of Belarus (1975)
• State Prize of the Republic of Belarus (1980)
• Professor (1986)
• National Artist of the Republic of Belarus (1987)
• Special Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus (2003)
• Cup "Pride of the Nation" (2012)
• Order of Francysk Skaryna (2013)

Important Works

Dmitry Smolski created a wide variety of musical works. Here are some of the main types:

Stage works: He wrote operas like "Hoary Legend" (1978) and "Francis Skaryna" (1988).

Symphonic works: He composed 15 symphonies. Some of his notable symphonies include Oktofoniya (1967), Symphony №8 (1992), and Symphony №10 "Ten revelations" (1996). His last symphony was №15 (2014).

Orchestral works: These include pieces for a full orchestra, such as Festive Overture (1963) and Symphonic Picture (1974).

Instrumental concerts: He wrote concertos for solo instruments with an orchestra. These include pieces for piano, violin, cello, and cymbals.

Instrumental chamber music: These are pieces for smaller groups of instruments. He wrote sonatas for piano and for flute and piano. He also composed music for violin and piano, and a String quartet (1983).

Vocal music: Smolski created many vocal cycles, which are groups of songs. These were often based on poems by famous writers like Federico García Lorca, Fyodor Tyutchev, Marina Tsvetaeva, Anna Akhmatova, and Boris Pasternak.

Pop Songs: He also wrote more than thirty popular songs.

Choral works: These are pieces for choirs, such as "The Partisan Triptych" (1971) and "My Motherland” (1979).

Music for theater performances: He composed music for plays, including "Konstantin Zaslonov" (1967) and "The Thief" (1973).

Music for films: Smolski also wrote music for movies, such as "Rechitskaya lyrical" (1966) and "The Legend about Minsk" (1967).