Born on September 25, 1906, in Saint Petersburg and trained (1919-25) at the city's conservatory, Shostakovich first attracted international attention with the premiere of his First Symphony (1926). His music is distinguished principally by its rhythmic vitality and its rich melodies, which are frequently reminiscent of the gypsy tunes popular in eastern Europe. Most of his large works are composed in traditional forms, and his mature harmonic style is usually simple and direct. His technical mastery of the orchestra is particularly notable.

Shostakovich's first opera, The Nose (1929), modeled on the expressionistic and atonal techniques of such Western composers as the German Paul Hindemith and the Austrian Alban Berg, was well received by the critics and public but was censored by Communist party officials as bourgeois and decadent. 

His next opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934; revised as Katerina Ismailova, 1963), again received both popular and critical acclaim, but party publications condemned the opera as counterrevolutionary. Such attacks led him to promise to reformulate his artistic ideas.

Shostakovich's 15 string quartets (1935-74) have won increasing respect as a major contribution to the literature. Among his other works are the Concerto No. 1 (1933), the Fifteenth Symphony (1971), ballet music, songs, and scores for motion pictures.