This internationally known conductor who specializes in chamber music and the repertoire for chamber orchestra began his musical education at the early age of five with violin lessons. Upon graduation from basic education schools, he entered the college of the Moscow Conservatory and the Gnessin Academy of Music. In 1973, Rachlevsky left the Soviet Union to reside and work on three continents. In 1976, he finally settled in the United States. In 1984, he founded the New American Chamber Orchestra (N.A.C.O.), which immediately became successful and toured Europe nine times in a four-year period. Rachlevsky was engaged to bring N.A.C.O. to Granada, Spain, for a two-year residency in 1989, during which time Rachlevsky organized and conducted a new chamber orchestra for the city of Granada. Following this project, the Swiss record label Claves invited Rachlevsky to record works by Russian composers. A special ensemble of Russian musicians called the Kremlin Chamber Orchestra was organized for that purpose and it brought to disc compositions by Nikolay Myaskovsky, Mieczyslaw (Moisei) Vainberg, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Kalinnikov, as well as music by Danish composer Niels Wilhelm Gade.