A great composer comes to life in this vivid, exciting story of Peter Tchaikovsky, a young man driven by his genius through the early years of his career and on to enviable success and world recognition. Peter's unhappy apprenticeship in law ended when he absentmindedly nibbled on and ruined an important legal document. If his family considered his failure a disgrace, to Peter it was an omen. Now he was free to pursue and perhaps capture the music that sang in his head. When he left St. Petersburg to teach in Moscow, he took the first decisive step on his colorful road to fame. But success did not come easily, and Peter learned to endure the hard pinch of poverty before the wealthy Madame von Meck became his patroness, providing him with a generous income. Always enchanted with the world of childhood and far more at ease in it than in the more demanding world of adults, Peter began to write ballets for his sister Alexandra's children. The Sleeping Beauty was followed by Swan Lake, and finally he created The Nutcracker Ballet, which assured his place in the hearts of children and adults alike. Opal Wheeler writes with happy and intimate warmth, portraying a great man as appealingly human, and presenting simple piano arrangements of six of his most familiar, best-loved compositions. This title is part of the Great Musicians Series - The Great Musician Series represents a milestone in music history/appreciation education. This growing line of biographies focuses on the foundational musicians and composers that have had the greatest influence on musical composition and performance. These great masters have composed some of the most memorable and timeless musical pieces that we enjoy today. Our Great Musician Series pulls back the curtain to reveal the lives and times behind these great classical compositions. Explore the persons, places, and events that influenced the masters and the beautiful music they created. This series engages students of all ages, using all learning modalities, thereby providing the richest and most memorable learning experience for your children. We include a variety of materials that will help you deliver this wonderful musical education quickly and easily.