Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt have both called the Ukrainian Valentyn Silvestrov "one of the greatest composers of our time”. He is also one of its true originals; though a leading figure in the former Soviet Union’s avant-garde in the 1960s, he subsequently came to realize that "the most important lesson of the avant-garde was to be free of all preconceived ideas – particularly those of the avant-garde. (Challenge)
