Mitya

About the Book

This is a story (MITYA), about a great man. It is fiction based on fact, historical fiction as it were. It tells of the formative times of the Russian composer Dmitri (MITYA) Dmitrievich SHOSTAKOVICH He lived from 1906 through 1975. He lived through a revolution, a civil war and two World Wars. He is best known for his 15 symphonies, but he wrote all kinds of music: movie music, piano music, orchestral music, Operas, and even music for animated films. All in all he produced over 147 different pieces. Each year more and more of his work is being recorded. His work is full of WONDER. This is an attempt to relive his story with admiration and gratitude. It is intended as a tribute to a creative genius and suffering soul.

About the Author

The illustrator/author of Mitya, Richard W. Wolf was born in Buffalo, NY on January 20, 1930. He was a scholarship student at the Art Institute of Buffalo during 1948-50, entered the Army during the Korean War, returned to Buffalo in 1954 then enrolled at S.U.N.Y. Buffalo and graduated with a BSA. in Art Education. After 5 years of teaching Art in the N.Y. State system Mr. Wolf went to Iowa, then to Detroit and Cranbrook Academy of Art and earned an MFA. Then to Connecticut as a professor of Art at Eastern Connecticut State University. He taught there for 23 years, retired in 1989 and has continued as a practicing artist there. This book is his second book, the first was a book of 44 woodcuts entitled Who Speaks for Man.