Tyomkin, Pimen

Pimen (or Pinya) Tyomkin (1916-2004) was a Soviet-era composer, who claimed to be the nephew of Dimitri Tiompkin. Tyomkin (sometimes transliterated as Temkin) most likely emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States some time in the mid-1980s, settling in Brooklyn, New York, where he resided until the time of his death. He composed over fifty original pieces and created new arrangements for works by other composers, including old Russian romances and light music pieces. Many of his works were used as scores for documentary films and he also served as a musical director for Soviet silent films and popular American films that were distributed in the Soviet Union. During his professional career in Russia, Tyomkin probably was based in Moscow. According to a biographical statement prepared by Tyomkin, he studied or trained with such notable composers as Aram Khatchaturian, Vissarion Shebalin, and Dimitri Shostakovich. It is unclear whether or not Tyomkin continued to compose after he moved to the United States.