Born in Paris in 1835, Camille Saint-Saëns was an organist, pianist, and composer born with remarkable talent. He began composing at age five and made his piano debut at the age of ten. In 1848, Saint-Saëns entered the Paris Conservatoire, studying organ and composition. He was appointed organist of the Church de la Madeleine in 1857, a post that he held for 20 years. He also taught piano at L’Ecole Niedermeyer from 1861 to 1865 where Gabriel Fauré was one of his pupils.

In 1871, Saint-Saëns co-founded the Société Nationale de Musique, a forum for promoting contemporary French Chamber and Orchestral music. During his association, he composed many of his better known works such as the Cello Concerto No. 1 (1872), the symphonic poem, Danse Macabre (1874), the opera, Samson et Delila (1877), Symphony No. 3 “Organ” (1886), and Carnival of the Animals (1886).  After resigning from the Société Nationale de Musique, Saint-Saëns traveled extensively, performing throughout Europe, East Asia, South America, and North Africa. He died of pneumonia in Algiers, Algeria, in 1921.