Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

(May 7, 1840 – November 6, 1893) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of music’s best-loved composers. His 1812 Overture is a fixture at Fourth of July celebrations around the United States, and his ballet The Nutcracker is the most performed ballet in the world (not to mention being a Christmas-music standard).

Formal music education came late to Russia. In fact, Tchaikovsky was part of the first graduating class of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1865. He went on to teach music at the Moscow Conservatory. He is famous for his symphonies, concertos, operas, and chamber works. His ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker have all been portrayed in animated feature films, adding to his popularity.