Alexander Vasilyevich Sveshnikov was a prominent Soviet conductor, choirmaster, composer, teacher, and public figure, born on August 30, 1890, in Kolomna, Moscow Governorate, then part of the Russian Empire. He passed away on January 3, 1980, in Moscow, USSR. Sveshnikov was recognized as a People's Artist of the USSR in 1956 and was awarded the Hero of Socialist Labor in 1970. He also received the Stalin Prize of the second degree in 1946.

Sveshnikov's career was marked by his leadership of the Russian State Academy Chorus and his involvement with the Moscow Conservatory. He conducted numerous significant performances, including works by Handel, Mozart, Pergolesi, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich. Notably, he conducted the Russian State Academy Chorus in performances of Rachmaninov's "All-night Vigil" in 1965 and Shostakovich's "10 Poems" in 1959. His arrangements for choir were performed in 1952 and 1967.

Sveshnikov's influence extended beyond conducting; he was instrumental in shaping choral music in the Soviet Union. He founded the Grand Choir "Masters of Choral Singing" of the Russian State Musical TV & Radio Centre in 1928, serving as its first artistic director. His legacy is preserved through his recordings and the continued success of the choirs he directed.