Russian composer, he would be considered more a part time musician since his vocation was involved with medicine.

He had graduated from the St.Petersburg Academy of Medicine in 1855, but his association with Mili Alexeyevich Balakirev inspired him with a desire to be involved with the Russian nationalistic school of composition.

His association with Balakirev motivated his innate musical abilities and he was considered as one of "The Five".
The other individuals of this era who inspired him were Mendelssohn and a number of western European composers.

Some of the music he composed were the In the Steppes of Central Asia and the popular Polovtsian Dances from the opera Prince Igor.
Borodin died before it was completed, but his friend Rimsky-Korsakov finished the balance of it.