Active Years: 1873-1943

Position: Russian composer, pianist and conductor

Career Highlights: Rachmaninoff is best known for his piano pieces.

Career Totals: Rachmaninoff wrote 77 songs, 3 symphonies and other orchestral works, 3 operas, 4 piano concertos, dozens of solo piano pieces, and a variety of chamber music works.

Scouting Report: Born a rich kid from a powerful and distinguished family in Russia, Rachmaninoff died in Beverly Hills, California, having not set foot in his native land for more than 20 years. He left Russia right after the revolution and never returned. An incredible pianist, he was best known for playing his own compositions, but he also attained renown as a interpreter of the works of Beethoven and Schumann and set new standards for piano performance.

Teammates and Contemporaries: Rachmaninoff’s teacher was Tchaikovsky, whose death was a real blow.

Fun Statistic: Rachmaninoff was granted exemption from World War I to be the Inspector of Music at the Nobility High School for Girls, a certain improvement over the trenches.