Vladislav Blazhevich

Vladislav Blazhevich (1881–1942) was a Russian trombonist, music pedagogue, conductor, and composer. He was a professor of trombone at the Moscow Conservatory and is widely known for his method books and concertos written for trombone and tuba. Blazhevich was born in Tregulovka, in the Smolensk Governorate, and soon became an orphan early in life. He was sent to live with his father's family where they had his music education start with an army band in Smolensk at age 12. Blazhevich studied music in this band (playing euphonium and then trombone) until he turned 18 when he moved to Moscow and began studying at the Moscow Conservatory under the trombone professor there, Christopher Bork. After obtaining his diploma in 1905, he became principal trombone in the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, where he remained until 1928. He was professor of trombone at the Moscow Conservatoire until his death in 1942. In 1937, he was appointed head of the department of wind instruments in the military faculty of the Moscow Conservatoire and conductor of the state wind band. Blazhevich was a remarkable performer, a superb teacher and an outstanding composer, who left many works of all kind. He wrote concertos, pieces and studies for different instruments and wind band.