Vasily Kologrivov

Russian cellist and teacher (b. 1827; d. 1875), born Vasily Alekseyevich Kologrivov (Василий Алексеевич Кологривов).

After studying the cello, Kologrivov was for many years an inspector of music in the Imperial Theatres. He became one of the first directors of the Russian Musical Society (RMS), and was inspector of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory from 1862 until 1869, while Tchaikovsky was a student there. From 1869 he was a member of the board of the Kiev branch of the RMS.

Correspondence with Tchaikovsky

3 letters from Tchaikovsky to Vasily Kologrivov have survived, dating from 1863 and 1864, all of which have been translated into English on this website:

• Letter 64 – 8/20 January 1863, from Saint Petersburg
• Letter 65 – early 1863, from Saint Petersburg
• Letter 69 – 25 August/6 September 1864, from Trostinets