Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov

Biography

Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov (29 May 1936 – 4 February 2019) was a Soviet composer. He composed symphonies, symphonic poems, as well as works for chamber orchestra, small ensembles and solo instruments.

Outside his native country he is best known as a composer of music for such films as War and Peace, the 1966–67 film directed by Sergei Bondarchuk, Ivan's Childhood and Andrei Rublev for Andrei Tarkovsky. He has composed for some 40 films in total. Tarkovsky is said to have been so impressed by Ovchinnikov that he stated: "I cannot imagine a better composer for myself than Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov."

Ovchinnikov also had a successful career as a touring conductor from the 1970s. He has recorded for Melodiya, the Soviet record company. His Symphony No. 2 was released on the Melodiya label. Ovchinnikov was named a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1986.