Nikolai Semjonowitsch Golowanow, born on January 21, 1891, in Moscow, was a Russian-Soviet conductor and composer. He studied at the Synodal School for Church Singing, graduating in 1909 as a choir leader. His early career included leading the Moscow Synodal Choir and composing music. His debut as a conductor came in 1915 with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Golowanow became a conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre in 1919, organizing an opera studio. He faced political challenges but led orchestras and composed music. In 1937, he became the artistic director and chief conductor of the Great Symphony Orchestra of All-Russian Radio Committee. Notable works include conducting Sergei Prokofiev's 5th Piano Concerto (1932) and Tikhon Khrennikov's 2nd Symphony (1942). Golowanow died on August 28, 1953, in Nikolina Gora and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery. He received numerous awards including the Stalin Prize I. Class (1946, 1949, 1950, 1951) and the Lenin Order (1951).
