2009 marks the bicentennial of Felix Mendelssohn. The following article was found on CNN and pays tribute to the musical accomplishments of Felix during his lifetime. In 2009, we will be promoting the American Celebration of Music in Germany, highlighting Mendelssohn sites in Leipzig.

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)

Areas of expertise: Piano, organ and orchestra (performance and composition)

Notable achievement: His “Wedding March,” which has survived over a century of rising divorce rates and overpriced wedding planners

Secret to his success: Nicest guy in classical music

Widely regarded as the 19th-century equivalent of Mozart, German composer Felix Mendelssohn was musically precocious at an early age. Mendelssohn began taking piano lessons at age six, made his first public performance at age nine, and wrote his first composition (that we know of) when he was 11. By the time he turned 17, he had completed his Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” one of the Romantic period’s best-known, most-loved works of classical music.

Then, in 1835, Mendelssohn’s father died, which (just like Wolfy) came as a crushing blow to the composer. But rather than sending him into an alcohol-induced stupor, the experience motivated Felix to finish his oratorio, “St. Paul,” which had been one of his father’s dying requests. From there, he went on to compose important and popular works, including the “Wedding March” (though he probably wouldn’t appreciate those cheesy “here comes the bride” lyrics). In 1843, at age 34, Mendelssohn founded the Conservatory of Music in Leipzig, where he taught composition with fellow musical great Robert Schumann.

The other nine here