In this essay, the author shares his memories of Yury Semyonovich Korev, the editor-in-chief of the journal “Sovetskaya muzyka” (“Soviet Music”), under whose leadership he began his work at the publication in the 1980s. Episodes from his personal interactions with Korev—from their first meeting in May 1980 due to a recommendation from Boris Tchaikovsky, to their many joint trips across the republics—reveal the editor-in-chief’s character: his ability to combine professional rigor with concern for his staff, his sparing praise with a willingness to teach newcomers the hard way. The essay brings to life the editorial daily life of “Sovetskaya muzyka”: staff meetings, issue planning, and the contradictions of the late Soviet era. The author recalls the professional lessons he learned from Korev: the role of a “leading” article in a magazine department, the responsibility of a department manager, and the need to keep a reserve of promising material in the editorial portfolio. The essay is not only a living portrait of one of the most significant music journalists of the second half of the 20th century, but also a testament to the editorial culture of the magazine of that period.