Zhelobinsky studied music firstly at Tambov and then from 1928 to 1932 at the Leningrad Conservatory with Vladimir Shcherbachov.
His four operas, which include The Peasant of Komarino (Комаринский мужик), produced in Leningrad in 1933, and Mother (Мать, 1939, based on the novel by Maxim Gorky), were well received.
His Romantic Poem for violin and orchestra was premiered in Leningrad together with the first performance of Dmitri Shostakovich's Sixth Symphony in November 1939.
[1] From his numerous piano works, the 'Six short études' were introduced to the United States by Vladimir Horowitz and were published there in 1946.
[2] In addition, a selection from his opera Mother ("Hobo Song" ) was also recorded in 1946 for the Victor Records label (# 26-5037, 1946) in the United States featuring the vocalist Sidor Belarsky, the orchestral accordionist John Serry and the Mischa Borr Orchestra conducted by Mischa Borr.