Dmitry Shostakovich, in full Dmitry Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, (born Sept. 12 [Sept. 25, New Style], 1906, St. Petersburg , Russia—died Aug. 9, 1975, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.), Russian composer, renowned particularly for his 15 symphonies, numerous chamber works, and concerti, many of them written under the pressures of government-imposed standards of Soviet art.