A BSO statement quoted Marina Stokes, Termirkanov's translator, as saying, "Maestro Temirkanov deeply regrets that he is unable to come to Baltimore at this time and has cancelled the first two of his four weeks in March with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He is distraught over the sudden death of his close friend, composer Andr_i Petrov, and is remaining in St. Petersburg to be near the composer's family."

BSO associate conductor Andrew Constantine will replace Temirkanov in concerts of Sibelius and Prokofiev scheduled for March 2,3,4 and 5. The company is seeking a replacement conductor for the second week's programs.

Petrov was born in 1930 in Leningrad, and is best known as a composer of film scores. He was chairman of the St. Petersburg Composers' Union starting in 1964 and president of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Society starting in 1992. That same year, his score for the movie Heavens of Promise was awarded a Nika, Russia's equivalent of the Oscar.

He also composed ballets, an opera, several piano and violin concertos, and various symphonic works, including The Master and Margarita. Temirkanov conducted his friend's music on several occasions over the years.