collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic. In the Netherlands, he married his assistant and interpreter, musicologist Nolda Broekstra (born 1944). When they first met around 1975, Broekstra was 30 years old and spoke no Russian. Both were married and were not fluent in English, the language they spoke with each other. Yet they fell in love, tried to be together when they could, and exchanged letters. Broekstra diligently started studying Russian and English and quickly mastered both languages. Their family life in the Netherlands was short, as Kondrashin died in Amsterdam from a heart attack in early 1981, on the same day he conducted Mahler's First Symphony with the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Philips Records issued recordings of some of Kondrashin's live concerts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on LP and CD, including energetic performances of symphonies by Shostakovich. On the recording of Shostakovich's sixth symphony Kondrashin can be heard tapping or even pounding his foot as he conducts the lively final movement. In 1971, he demonstrated support of controversial American communist figure Angela Davis. Awards and honors Stalin Prize, first class (1948) – for conducting opera "Evil Force" AN Serov Bolshoi stage Stalin Prize, second class (1949) – for conducting opera The Bartered Bride by Smetana Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1951) Grammy Award (1960) People's Artist of the RSFSR (1965) Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR (1969) – Concert (1966–1967) and (1967–1968) People's Artist of the USSR (1972) Order of the October Revolution (1974) Order of the Red Banner of Labour Order of Friendship of Peoples (1976) References 1914 births 1981 deaths 20th-century Russian conductors (music) 20th-century Russian male musicians Musicians from Moscow Communist Party of the Soviet Union members Academic staff of Moscow Conservatory Moscow Conservatory alumni Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Stalin Prize winners Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR winners Grammy Award winners Music directors (opera) Russian classical musicians Russian defectors Russian emigrants to the Netherlands Russian male conductors (music) Russian music educators Soviet classical musicians Soviet conductors (music) Soviet defectors Soviet emigrants to the Netherlands Soviet music educators