Biography:

The leading composer of Russia and Tatarstan Republic. The member of the Union of Composers of Russia (USSR) and Republic of Tatarstan (1986), since 1989 he is the President of the Union of Composers of Tatarstan, which is one of the most significant composers organizations in Russia.

The composer's creative individuality is determined by its own intonation, which is risen into the sources of the national musical mentality in the new comprehension.

The composer's main life and creative position is referring to national history, personality and creation of outstanding artists, high traditions of his nation. This line goes from the symphonic poem "Bulgary", vocal-symphonic poem "Silence and Tranquility" up to opera "Cuckoo's Cry" (libretto by I.Yuziev) and compositions of the 90s.

Having rich experience of participation in various international festivals, practical studies and workshops he is able to use many different compositional techniques of the end of XXth - beginning of the XXIst centuries.

The central place of the Kalimoullin's creation is given to chamber, choral pieces, music for organ and other solo instruments. "Rivayat" ("Legend") - poem for voice, flute, cello and piano, "Phantom of Palmira" - trio for flute, piano and percussion , String Quartet No 4, "Alvidag" and "We are answerable to God" for choir a'capella, piano and cello sonatas, works for organ and other solo instruments - all these compositions are in the repertoire of the leading performers of Russia and Tatarstan.

A lot of composer's compositions are in the repertoire of foreign collectives and performers, some of them were performed abroad. In 1987 R.Kalimoullin was awarded the First Prize of Weber's International Contest for his Third String Quartet. Premier of the Quartet No 4 was performed in several cities of Japan during the Days of Tatar Music in 1994, the premier of the composition "From Winsor Forest" was performed by vocal quartet VOX in Stockholm and Goteburg (Sweden) in 2002. Kalimoullin's works were performed during the World Music Days of the International Society for Contemporary Music - 2002 in Luxembourg the "Arditti-Quartet" performed the Quartet No4 and in 2001 in Yokohama (Japan) Peter Veale(Germany) performed the Fantasy for oboe. The "Phantom of Palmira" was performed in New-York in 1996 by the Ensemble of Contemporary Music "Signus" (USA). Quintet for clarinet and string quartet, the premier of which was performed in 2001 in Odessa by "Harmony of the World" (Ukraine) in May of 2002 was performed in New-York by clarinetist Phillip Bashor and string quartet "Lumina" headed by Asya Murtazina-Meshberg(USA).

In 1994 R.Kalimoullin was awarded the First Prize of "Vienna-Modern-Master" International Competition for his Sonata for piano No 2 which had been performed by Japanese pianist K.Matsunaga.

The intensive creative work is combined with pedagogical and social activity. Since 1992 till 2000 he was the head of the department of composition of the Kazan state Conservatoire, since 1989 he is the President of the Union of Composers of Tatarstan Republic. Beginning from the 1992 he is then Chairman of the Organizing Committee and Artistic Director of the International Festival of Contemporary Music "Europe-Asia"(1992,1993,1996,1998,2000,2002). Under his heading and direct participation in 2001 in Kazan Sofia Gubaidulina Centre of Contemporary Music started to work.

Rashid Kalimoullin is the Secretary of the Union of Composers of Russia, the member of the International Composers Contest named after S.Prokofyev(Moscow), the member of the State Awards Committee of the Republic of Tatarstan named after G.Tukai.

For merits in development of musical art he was granted the honorary titles of Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan (1990), Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (1996) and honored title of the Prizewinner of the Russia Union of Composers Award of the named after D.Shostokovich(1998).