Dmitri Valentinovich Smirnov (*1952) was born in Leningrad. Graduate of the M. I. Glinka Choir College he completed education at the Leningrad Conservatoire - choir conducting with Avenir Mikhailov and opera-symphony conducting with Eduard Grikurov. Soon after the young conductor and teacher revealed himself as a composer. Now he is the author of two operas - ''Yerma'' to Federico Garcia Lorca’s drama and the chamber one ''Girl with Matches'' created together with Sergei Banevich, Sonata for clarinet and piano, organ opuses, theatre and cinema music. However, choir is his true passion. Just remember his ''Musical Offering to Igor Stravinsky’s Memory'' for mixed choir and instrumental ensemble, ''Prayers from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom'', cantata ''Midnight Verses'' to the poems by Anna Akhmatova, choir cycle to Osip Mandelstam’s verses, ''Cypress Casket'' to Innokentiy Annensky’s poems, choir concerto ''Insomnia'' to Marina Tsvetayeva’s verses, ''Doleful Blisses of the Virgin'' , concerto ''Having Accepted the World'' for reciter and mixed choir to Alexander Blok’s verses.

Contents:

1. LEMON GROVE
2. SONG
3. PARTING
4. SILENT WATERSM