Leokadiya Kashperova facts for kids

Leokadiya Aleksandrovna Kashperova (Russian: Леокадия Александровна Кашперова; 1872–1940) was a talented Russian pianist and Romantic composer. She was also a piano teacher, and one of her students was the famous composer Igor Stravinsky.

Early Life and Musical Training

Leokadiya Kashperova was born in 1872. She loved music from a young age. She studied hard and graduated in 1895 from the St Petersburg Conservatoire. For her graduation, she conducted her own large musical piece called a cantata, named Orvasi.

A Gifted Composer

After graduating, Leokadiya Kashperova became a very active composer. She wrote many different types of music. Her works included a full symphony, a piano concerto (a piece for piano and orchestra), and music for choirs. She also composed chamber music (music for small groups of instruments), piano solos, and art songs (songs for a singer and piano).

Her music was well-received by the public and critics. For example, a newspaper called The Russian Musical Gazette wrote in 1912 that her composing skills were a "most welcome phenomenon" in St Petersburg's music scene. Another newspaper, The Times from London, noted in 1907 that her music showed "decided talent." They also mentioned that her music was "very attractive" because it was tuneful, graceful, and had a "Russian fitfulness of mood."

In January 1910, Kashperova even recorded seven piano rolls. These rolls were for a special type of player piano called a Welte-Mignon. Six of the pieces she recorded were by another composer, Mily Balakirev. The seventh roll featured her own piano compositions.

Life Changes and Later Years

In 1916, Leokadiya Kashperova married one of her piano students, Sergei Andropov. He was a member of the Bolshevik Party, a political group that became very important in Russia.

Around 1917, there was a lot of political change and unrest in Russia. This meant Leokadiya had to leave her musical life in Saint Petersburg. It is believed she went into hiding with her husband's family in Rostov-on-Don.

Later, she moved to Moscow after the Bolsheviks formed the Soviet state. She did not perform much in public after this time. She mostly gave piano recitals of music that was considered acceptable by the new government. Sadly, her own Romantic compositions were not usually included in these performances. However, it is thought that she continued to compose new music in private, even if it wasn't performed publicly. Leokadiya Kashperova passed away in 1940.