Maestro Alexander Zhurbin

Composer | Pianist | Cellist | Author

Biography

One of the few remaining students of Dmitri Shostakovich, and described by The New York Times as a “reincarnation of Leonard Bernstein,” Maestro Alexander Zhurbin is a New York–based composer originally from Eastern Europe. He is a Certified Gold composer, having sold more than three million copies of his groundbreaking rock opera Orpheus and Eurydice, and has composed more than 400 works, including ten symphonies, eight operas, sixty-five film scores, concertos, and numerous chamber works. His remarkable career spans more than six decades, encompassing symphonic music, opera, ballet, musical theater, and film.

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1945, Zhurbin studied cello at the Tashkent Conservatory and composition at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow. He completed his doctoral studies at the Leningrad Conservatory in 1973, focusing on the symphonies of Gustav Mahler. His musical education included studies and consultations with some of the most distinguished figures in Soviet classical music, including Dmitri Shostakovich, Aram Khachaturian, Nikolai Peiko, and Sergei Slonimsky.

In 1975, Zhurbin made musical history with Orpheus and Eurydice, widely recognized as the first Soviet rock opera. The groundbreaking production became a cultural phenomenon, achieving more than 3,000 performances and selling over three million copies. His theatrical compositions have since been presented internationally, including productions at the Bolshoi Theatre and the Leningrad National Opera. In the United States, his musical How It Was Done in Odessa enjoyed a sold-out eight-week run at Philadelphia’s historic Walnut Street Theatre.

Alongside his achievements in musical theater, Zhurbin has developed an extensive orchestral and chamber music repertoire. His ten symphonies range from intimate instrumental works to large-scale compositions featuring soloists and chorus. Notable works include Sinfonia Bizzarra (Symphony No. 5), Cosplay Symphony (Symphony No. 8), and Divine Tragedy (Symphony No. 10). His instrumental catalog includes concertos for violin, viola, cello, piano, and other instruments, as well as string quartets, sonatas, and numerous chamber works. His compositions have been performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Columbia University in New York.

Zhurbin has received numerous international honors, including the Ovation Award for “Living Legend,” the title of Honored Artist of Russia, the Orders of Honor of Russia and Uzbekistan, and Silver Medals at the Global Music Awards in 2024 and 2025. His 80th birthday in 2025 was celebrated through performances and special events across six international cities. Also an accomplished author and cultural commentator, Zhurbin has published eleven books. He continues to compose actively, creating new orchestral, chamber, and theatrical works while remaining an influential presence in the international contemporary classical music community.