Dimitri Tiomkin

Dimitri Zinovich Tiomkin is a well-known music composer. In his youth, Tiomkin was a student at St. Petersburg Conservatory. His mother was a pianist and teacher, and he began practicing piano. Tiomkin studied with composer Alexander Glazunov and became a piano teacher for Glazunov’s niece. He would frequently play at a club named Dog Café where many Russian celebrities and directors would meet. Here, he also developed an interest in ragtime, blues, and jazz. 

Tiomkin first started working in the film industry by providing accompaniments for French and Russian silent films. He played piano improvisations for Max Linder, a famous comedian, and classical music for Tamara Karsavina, a famous ballerina. From 1971 to 1921 Tiomkin wrote scores for mass spectacles at the Palace Square as a member of the Red Army staff including “The Storming of the Winter Palace,” which was played for the third anniversary of the Communist Revolution. In 1921, Tiomkin moved to Berlin. He became well known in Germany for his concert appearances, and in 1925, he got his first gig in New York where he became the main pianist for a Broadway dance studio.

In 1921, Tiomkin started working in Hollywood. He was offered a contract to score music for five MGM films, and after working with MGM, Tiomkin worked with Paramount to create music for Alice in Wonderland (1933). Tiomkin began working as an independent composer which provided him with much freedom. While creating music, he formed his own music publishing company, Volta Music Corporation, and also fought for the employment of qualified musicians regardless of race. Tiomkin’s work is heavily heard in films throughout this era, and some of his most famous works include his scores for  It’s A Wonderful Life, High Noon, and The Alamo.