LEBEDEW, Wassilij Petrowitsch, (also.spelled Lebedeff) - perhaps the most celebrated of, the native Russian guitarists. Born in Capiatovski, Saratov, in 1867 and died in St. Petersburg, in 1907. His first musical instruction was on the guitar, which he played for several years as an amateur in his native city before he came under the influence of Decker-Schenk, after which he adopted the instrument professionally. He removed to St. Petersburg in 1886 where he met the artist, Decker-Schenk, whose pupil he became, and who shaped his career. When Lebedew completed his military training in 1890, he commenced his career as a guitar teacher in St. Petersburg. He visited Paris the same year, where he appeared as a guitar soloist and “The Figaro” and other French journals record his brilliant execution. He returned to St. Petersburg and in 1892 made a name as a guitar soloist at concerts given there, and from this time on his appearances were frequent. In 1898 Lebedew was appointed a professor in the Royal Military Music Academy, and after the death of his teacher in the following year was regarded as the only guitarist of repute in St. Petersburg, according to Bone, and he enjoyed an enviable reputation both as a virtuoso and teacher. His works were mostly for the 7 string Russian guitar. (Vadah Olcott Bickford, in Russian Album Op.125, The American Guitar Society, Los Angeles, 1932)