Valentin Silvestrov (born September 30, 1937 in Kiev) is a contemporary Ukrainian composer of classical music, increasingly regarded as one of the finest composers of his generation. Silvestrov is perhaps best known for his avant-garde musical style; some, if not most, of his works could be considered neoclassical and modernist. Using traditional tonal and modal techniques, Silvestrov creates a unique and delicate tapestry of dramatic and emotional textures, qualities which Silvestrov suggests are otherwise sacrificed in much of contemporary music. "I do not write new music. My music is a response to and an echo of what already exists," Silvestrov has said.[LINK: http://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/Background_1778.php] [1] Silvestrov's Symphony No. 5 (1980-1982), widely considered a masterpiece, may be viewed as an epilogue or coda inspired by the music of late Romantic composers such as Gustav Mahler. "With our advanced art