Tchaikovsky was born in Votinsk, a province in Russia in 1840.  His father was a government official and the family planned for young Peter to have a career in government.  Peter graduated from the aristocratic School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg at the age of 19 and accepted a position in the Ministry of Justice. 

At the age of 23, Peter decided to leave his job and enrolled in the Conservatory of St. Petersburg.  He completed the music course in 3 years and obtained a teaching position at the Moscow Conservatory upon recommendation by Anton Rubinstein. 

Tchaikovsky was a sensitive man and had attacks of depression.  He married a student at the Conservatory but it didn’t work out.  He fled back to St. Petersburg with his brothers.  A wealthy widow, Nadezhda von Meck heard about Tchaikovsky and sent him money to go abroad to recover his health.  Ms. Von Meck was quite an emotional woman and lived in a mansion in Moscow.  She didn’t like to spend time with people and ran her railroads, her estates and the lives of her eleven children from the mansion.  She however loved Tchaikovsky’s music.  She gave him money on one condition — that they never meet!

With the help of Ms von Meck, Tchaikovsky was able to write some of his greatest works and became a famous musician.  His music was heard in the United States and in 1891 he was invited to participate in the opening ceremonies of Carnegie Hall in New York City.  He wrote about his experience:

 These Americans strike me as very remarkable.  In this country the honesty,  sincerity, generosity, cordiality, and readiness to help you without a second  thought are extremely pleasant….The houses downtown are simply colossal.  I cannot understand how anyone can live on the thirteenth floor.  I went out on the roof of one such house.  The view was splendid, but I felt quite giddy when I looked down on Broadway….I am convinced that I am ten times more famous in America than in Europe.

In 1893, Tchaikovsky went back to St. Petersburg to conduct his Sixth Symphony.  The
audience was not very impressed, mainly because Tchaikovsky was a shy man and not a very energetic conductor.  He died within several weeks at the age of 53.

Some of his most famous works are his ballets, including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.  His Violin Concerto and his Piano Concertos are also thrilling works.

March, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Trepak.