Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter (1915-1997), Ukrainian pianist, considered one of the finest pianists of the 20th century. Richter was acclaimed for his virtuosity, imaginative interpretations, and musical sensitivity. He was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. At the age of 15, Richter became rehearsal conductor for the Odesa opera and ballet companies. Primarily a self-taught pianist, he gave his first recital in Odesa (Odessa) in 1934. He studied at the State Conservatory in Moscow from 1937 to 1944, and in 1945 he won the prestigious Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) state musical competition. Richter became known outside the USSR through recordings, which he began making in the 1950s.

Richter first performed outside the USSR in China in 1957. He made his American debut in 1960 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Richter’s only other American tours occurred in 1965 and 1970, as he preferred to play nearer to home. Richter performed less frequently than most professional pianists, partly out of stage fright and partly out of a strong dislike for travel. In his unusually large repertoire, he showed particular affinity for works by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven and works by modern Russian composers, especially the sonatas of Sergey Prokofiev.