Nikolai Kapustin

Born in 1937, Ukrainian pianist and composer Nikolai Kapustin is mostly known for his jazz-influenced piano compositions, but he also composed chamber music and concertos for other instruments. As a teenager in 1953, Kapustin discovered jazz and incorporated it into his musical studies with the support of his music teacher. This early influence permeated his compositional style, which combines the harmonic and melodic characteristics of jazz with the formal concepts of the Baroque and Classical periods.