Rostropovich was borne in Baku, Azerbaijan Soviet Social Republic (now Azerbaijan), in 1927. He took instruction and later instructed at the Moscow Conservatory. Since the 1950s, he has pursued a career as a cellist and a conductor. Further, he has also accompanied his wife, the Soviet-borne singer, Galina Vishnevskaya, as pianist in her recitals. Although he won the Lenin Prize, a Soviet state award, in 1963, he sheltered the Soviet dissident, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Rostropovich and his wife left the USSR in 1974. Four years later, each of their citisenships had been revoked. He emigrated to the United States. In 1977, he soon acquired the post of conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, D.C. In 1990, he was invited to perform withe his orchestra in the USSR. Further, his and his wife's citisenships were restored. He is blessed withe good health and remains alive and well to this very day.