A noted Russian-Ukrainian composer, teacher and pianist, Serge Bortkiewicz studied law before becoming a student of the Imperial Conservatory of Music in St. Petersburg. One of his teachers there was Liadov. In 1900 Bortkiewicz joined the Leipzig Conservatory of Music where his teachers were Alfred Reisenauer, Liszt’s student, Salomon Jadassohn and Karl Piutti. Upon graduation, Bortkiewicz was awarded the coveted Schumann prize. Bortkiewicz musical ideas were influenced by Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and early Scriabin. Like some other composers, Bortkiewicz  did not adopt the music innovations of the 20th century.