Merab Gagnidze, born on April 17, 1944, in Tbilisi, Georgia, is a distinguished composer who has made significant contributions to both Georgian and Russian music. He completed his studies in piano and composition at the conservatory under the tutelage of David Aleksandrovich Toradze and pursued postgraduate studies in composition. Since 1979, he has resided in Moscow, where he worked as the head of the musical department at the Children's Theatre and later at the Stanislavsky Theatre. Gagnidze became a member of the Union of Composers on June 14, 1978.

Throughout his career, Gagnidze has been recognized with several accolades, including winning the All-Union Competition of Composers, the "Mellow Autumn" festival for his music in the performance "Pinokkio," and the Perotti Competition in Paris in 2000. His compositions have been featured in performance competitions across Italy, Russia, and France and have been performed in various countries, including Italy, Yugoslavia, Mongolia, France, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates. A festival dedicated to his music was held in Switzerland in the cities of Zug and Biel.

Gagnidze has composed an impressive body of work, including 54 symphonies, chamber and choral music, 22 piano sonatas, and pieces based on evangelical texts such as the Passions of John, Mark, Luke, and Matthew. He also created a genre for instrumental ensembles called "Music for Everything" and wrote four operas: "Caesar" (in Italian), "King Lear" (in Old English), "Romeo and Juliet" (in Russian), and "Song of Songs" (in Georgian). Gagnidze is a regular jury member at the annual international festival of modern music "Moscow Autumn."