Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, (Russian София Асгатовна Губайдулина) (born 24 October 1931) is a Russian-Tatar composer.
Gubaidulina was born in Chistopol, in the Tatar Republic. She studied composition and piano at the Kazan Conservatory,
graduating in 1954. In Moscow she undertook further studies at the Conservatory with Nikolay Peyko until 1959, and then with
Shebalin until 1963.
During her studies in Soviet Russia, her music was labeled “irresponsible” for its exploration of alternate tunings. She was
supported, however, by Dmitri Shostakovich, who in evaluating her final examination encouraged her to continue down her
“mistaken path”.
