Aleksandr Gnatovich Klimov (* 12 September (31 October) 1898, Kustanay, Turgay region, Russian Empire - † 1974, Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR) was a Soviet conductor and teacher. Honoured Worker of the Tajik SSR (1945), Honoured Worker of Arts of the Ukrainian SSR (1949), awarded the Order of Lenin.
Biography
In 1925, he graduated from the Faculty of Philology of Kyiv University.
In 1928, he graduated from the Mykola Lysenko Kyiv Music and Drama Institute, where he studied conducting with V. Berdiaiev, and taught at the institute until 1931.
He worked as a conductor in Tiraspol in 1931-1933, Donetsk in 1933, Saratov in 1934-1937, and Kharkiv in 1937-1940, and in Odesa in 1940-1941.
In 1942-1945, he was the chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR, during which time he was evacuated to Dushanbe.
In 1945-1948, he was a conductor of the Odesa Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, a professor at the Odesa Conservatory.
In 1948-1954, he was the rector and professor of the Kyiv Conservatory (Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine).
In 1954-1961, he was the chief conductor of the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv Opera and Ballet Theatre.
In 1961-1967, he was the conductor of the Kirov Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theatre.
His son, Valerii Klymov, is a violinist and winner of the First Tchaikovsky Competition.
He has conducted, among other things, Mozart's Requiem, the Ninth Symphony and Fidelio in concert by Beethoven, composers V. Borisov, D. Klebanov and Y. Maitus.
Among his students are Valentyn Yefremov, Mykola Gozulov and Vadym Hnedash.
