Beniamin Basner

When he was 6, V.Basner began to play the violin, which became his favourite musical instrument, and in 1949 he graduated from Leningrad music academy as a violinist.

His first compositions he created when he was 15. In 1955 V.Basner became a prize winner on the International Composer’s Contest in Warsaw for The Second String Quartet. This was the beginning of his creative activity. As a student he met D.D.Shostakovich, whose advise helped V.Basner to establish himself as a professional composer. Soon his relationship with the great musician grew into a deep personal friendship.