Composer
The Russian State Award laureate
Born in 1955
Desyatnikov is a 1978 graduate of Leningrad State Conservatory named after N. Rimsky-Korsakov, student of B. Arapov in composition and B. Tishchenko in instrumentation. He is member of the Union of Composers, author of numerous instrumental, choir and orchestra compositions, vocal cycles, and pieces for musical theater. He created a chamber opera “The Poor Liza” (1976) after N. Karamzin’s story; operas for children “The Vitamin of Growth” (1985), “Nobody wanted to sing” (1982), and opera composition “Tzar Demyan” (2001) after the subject of a Russian folk drama; opera “Rozental’s Children” by V. Sorokin’s libretto, staging of which in 2004 at the Bolshoi Theater caused huge interest of public and critics. Since 1996, Desyatnikov closely cooperates with Guidon Kremer as a composer (“Wie der Alte Leiermann...,” a chamber version of the “Sketches to the Dawn”). Desyatnikov performs as harmonist of Astor Piazzolla. He authored sound tracks for the feature films “The Dawn” (producer A. Zeldovich, 1990), “Lost in Siberia” (producer A. Mitta, 1991), “A Touch” (producer A. Mktrchan, 1992), “ A Sickle and a Hammer” (producer S. Livnev, 1993), “Moscow Nights” (producer V. Todorovsky, 1993), “Mania of Giselle” (producer A. Uchitel, 1994), “The Caucasian Prisoner” (producer S. Bodrov, 1996), “The One Who Cares More” (producer A. Karpykov, 1996), “Moscow” (producer A. Zeldovich, 2000), “His Wife’s Diary” (producer A. Uchitel, 2000), “Oligarch” (producer P. Lungin, 2002) and others. Since 2002, Desyatnikov cooperates with the Alexandrinsky Theater. He created musical accompaniment to Fokin’s performances “Inspector General” (2002), “The Living Corpse” (2006), "The Marriage" by N.V.Gogol (2008).
In 2006, he wrote music for the official ceremony dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the Russian theater.