Alesander Borodin was a Russian scientist, educator and composer of the Russian Era. His father was a Georgian prince.
Borodin studies included piano, flute and cello and composition. He studied Chemistry at the Medico Surgical Academy and received a doctorate in 1858 where he became a professor of chemistry at the same school.
Borodin considered music a hobby and a relaxation from his work. He only pursued it in his liesure time. He was known for his contributions to organic chemistry and medicine, although today he is remembered for his music. Some of his better know works are his Polovetsian Dances, symphonies, string quartets, the tone poem In the Steppes of Central Asia and his opera Prince Igor.
He was one of the leading figures of the "Mighty Handful", a group of Russian composers who sought to create a national school of music.
Borodin was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a wealthy and well-educated family. He showed an early aptitude for music and chemistry, and he studied both subjects at the University of Saint Petersburg. After graduating, he worked as a chemist and a professor of chemistry at the university.
Borodin began composing music in his spare time, and he soon showed great talent. He was a member of the "Mighty Handful", along with Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and César Cui. The group met regularly to discuss music and to help each other with their compositions.
Borodin's best-known works include the opera Prince Igor, the symphonic poem In the Steppes of Central Asia, and the String Quartet No. 2. He also composed a number of other works, including songs, piano pieces, and orchestral pieces.
Borodin died in Saint Petersburg at the age of 53. He was working on the orchestration of the final scene of Prince Igor at the time of his death. The opera was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov.
Borodin was a talented composer and a respected chemist. He was a major figure in the development of Russian music, and his works are still performed and enjoyed by audiences all over the world.