On this day: 31

Leopold Rostropovich Died 1942

Leopold Rostropovich was born to a family that had loved and played music for generations, but had produced no professional players until Leopold. He began studying the piano, but soon naturally gravitated to the cello. He gave his first public performance when he was 12. He studied with Wierzbilowicz at St. Petersburg Conservatory and to earn extra money, he started giving lessons to younger children when he was only 15.

Other items on this day in history

• Ignacio Cervantes
• Franz Liszt
• André Navarra