Musician of the Month - December

For the month of December, I thought it would be fitting to look at the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He was a Russian composer in the 1800's who wrote many pieces that are still heard today. His "1812 Overture" actually used real live cannons - yes, exploding cannon and not the kind we sing. Start at 14:00 to hear the canons.

The reason I chose Tchaikovsky for December is that one of his pieces is very well-known around this time: "The Nutcracker." This is a ballet that tells the story of a girl who receives a toy Nutcracker and at night the toy comes to life as the story takes them through many different scenes. 

Thanks to Ms. Lam for gathering the information below:

He was a Russian composer of the late-Romantic period.

He was born in Votkinsk, a small town in Vyatka Governorate in the Russian Empire.

He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally.

Tchaikovsky was honored in 1884 by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension.

His work was first publicly performed in 1865. In 1868, Tchaikovsky's First Symphony was well-received when it was publicly performed in Moscow.

Tchaikovsky wrote many works that are popular with the classical music public, including his Romeo and Juliet, the 1812 Overture, his three ballets (The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty) and Marche Slave.