Hey Kids, Meet Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky!
from the Hey Kid's, Meet the Composer Index

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Russian Romantic Era Composer

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in 1840 as a son of a government mining engineer in a small town in present-day Udmurtia, Russia. Peter began piano lessons at the age of five and within three years he could read music as well as his teacher. In 1850, Peter's father was appointed as the Director of the St. Petersburg Technological Institute. It was there that Tchaikovsky received his education at the School of Jurisprudence. The only music instruction he received at school was piano lessons from a piano manufacturer who occasionally made visits as a token music teacher. Because his school did not place a high value on music education, Tchaikovsky and his classmates were taken on regular visits to the opera and the theater. It was the works of Rossini, Bellini, Verdi and Mozart that he enjoyed the most.

Tchaikovsky's mother died in 1854 which brought him much sorrow. He responded by turning to music. It was at this time that he made his first serious efforts as a composer writing a waltz in her memory.

In 1855, Tchaikovsky's father sought a well-known piano teacher from Nuremburg, Germany to encourage young Peter's interest in music. However, when Peter's father asked about his son's musical potential, his teacher wrote that nothing indicated he would be a fine composer or performer. Peter was told to complete his course of study and then pursue a post in the Ministry of Justice. He did as he was asked though the interest in music never left him. In 1861, he learned of classes being offered by the Russian Musical Society. Tchaikovsky promptly began his studies with Nikolai Zaremba. In the following year, Tchaikovsky followed his teacher to the St. Petersburg Conservatory where he took up a post. Tchaikovsky, however, did not give up his position at the Ministry of Justice until his father supported him. It was at the conservatory that he met and studied with Anton Rubinstein, director and founder of the Conservatory, who was impressed with Tchaikovsky's talent.

On November 6, 1893 Tchaikovsky died in St. Petersburg from cholera. He left behind some of the greatest music of the Romantic Era including The 1812 Overture, March Slave and The Nutcracker which has become a Christmastime favorite.

Homeschool Lesson Ideas

Play Tchaikovsky's Music
Give your kids a hands-on music making experience. Ask your child's piano teacher about including the study of one of these pieces in their music lesson.

March Slav for Easy/Level 2 Piano Solo
Trepak for Easy/Level 2 Piano Solo
Theme from 1812 Overture for Intermediate/Level 5 Piano Solo
March from the Nutcracker for Intermediate/Level 5 Piano Solo
Waltz of the Flowers for Intermediate/Level 5 Piano Solo

Create a Wordfind
Create your own wordfind at puzzlemaker.com with the keywords from the biography. Take your scissors and cut off the part the shows the words used to create the search. Let them know how many words there are to find, and then ask your child to complete the the wordfind by identifying the keywords found in the biography, and then circling them in the puzzle.

Create a Writing Assignment
Write a few paragraphs on Tchaikovsky that includes facts about his life and music. Then ask you child to complete the project by describing the music and dance from his ballet, The Nutcracker, beginning with a list of adjectives, followed by paragraph form.

Watch a YouTube Video
Watch a YouTube video of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker with Mikhail Baryshnikov as the Nutcracker/Prince (1977).

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