Rare royal honour for Russian conductor
mainThe Queen has awarded an honorary CBE to Gennady Rozhdestvensky, 82, doyen of Russian music, in recognition of his services to the art and to international relations. Gennady was the first Soviet-era conductor to be made music director of western orchestras, among them the BBCSO.
But he never let himself be a tool of the regime and courageously performed such non-conformist voices as Alfred Schnittke, in defiance of the apparat. His best work was done in Russia, but his spells abroad made him many friends and won wider recognition for Russian music.
The award was presented in Moscow by HRH Princess Anne.
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