Aram Khachaturian

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Soviet Armenian composer and conductor, renowned for integrating Armenian folk melodies into classical symphonic structures.Born in Tbilisi, Georgia; moved to Moscow in 1921; studied at Gnessin Institute and Moscow Conservatory; composed iconic works like 'Sabre Dance' and 'Spartacus'; faced censorship during 1948 Zhdanov Doctrine; awarded multiple Stalin Prizes and Lenin Prize.
  • Khachaturian was denounced in 1948 under the Zhdanov Doctrine for 'formalism,' alongside Shostakovich and Prokofiev, leading to a temporary ban on his music.
  • His brother Levon was executed during Stalin's Great Purge in 1937, a trauma that deeply affected him.
  • Despite Soviet censorship, his ballet 'Gayane' (1942) became internationally famous, especially its electrifying 'Sabre Dance.'
  • He suffered a prolonged illness before his death in 1978, with conflicting reports suggesting heart failure or complications from cancer.