Mstislav Rostropovich

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mstislav-rostropovich

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Mstislav Rostropovich born?March 27, 1927
2. When did Mstislav Rostropovich die?April 27, 2007 (age 80)
3. Where was Mstislav Rostropovich born?Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
4. What is the family?Married to soprano Galina Vishnevskaya; father of Olga and Elena Rostropovich
5. What made Mstislav Rostropovich a special cellist?He had a powerful tone, deep lyricism, and could interpret music in a very deep way. He also helped many composers write new pieces for cello.
6. Why did he help create new songs?He wanted to expand the cello’s repertoire and inspire composers to write music that was emotionally resonant.

Virtuoso: An individual with outstanding technical ability in a particular art or field, especially music.
Dissident: A person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state.
Artistic Freedom: The right of artists to express themselves without censorship or fear of reprisal.
Repertoire Expansion: The process of significantly increasing the number of musical pieces available for an instrument or ensemble.