Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Kamsko-Votkinsk, Vyatka, Russia. Tchaikovsky’s work was first publicly performed in 1865. In 1868, his First Symphony was well-received. In 1874, he established himself with Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat Minor. Tchaikovsky resigned from the Moscow Conservatory in 1878 and spent the rest of his career composing prolifically. Tchaikovsky is most celebrated for his ballets, specifically Swan  Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. He died in St. Petersburg on November 6, 1893.