Camille Saint-Saëns

Bonjour! My name is Camille Saint-Saëns, and I am a composer from the beautiful city of Paris, France. I was born on October 9th, 1835. Even when I was very little, music was my best friend. Before I was even three years old, I could read and write, and soon after, I started creating my own little songs on the piano. I loved the sound of the piano keys and how I could make them sing. When I was ten years old, in 1846, I played my very first big concert for a huge audience.

Of all the music I ever wrote, my favorite piece was a silly one I created just for fun. In 1886, I wrote a musical suite called The Carnival of the Animals. It was my special secret, a musical parade of creatures big and small! I used different instruments to make the sounds of the animals. Can you imagine the royal roar of a lion played by pianos and strings? Or the graceful glide of a swan played by a lovely cello? I even wrote music for hopping kangaroos and a slow, steady tortoise. I thought it was too playful for a serious composer, so I told everyone they could only publish it after I was gone. It was my little joke for the world to find later.

Besides my animal parade, I wrote many other kinds of music. I wrote grand symphonies that filled concert halls with powerful sounds. One of my most famous is my 'Organ Symphony,' which I also finished in 1886. It has a giant organ that makes the whole room shake! I also loved to travel. Seeing new places like Egypt and Algeria gave me wonderful ideas for new melodies. I would hear the music of different countries and weave it into my own compositions.

I lived a long and musical life for 86 years. My journey ended in 1921, but my music plays on. I am so happy that children and grown-ups all over the world still listen to my compositions. It brings me the greatest joy to know that my fun-filled Carnival of the Animals still makes people smile, laugh, and dance to the music of the animal kingdom.