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Joachim (Georg) Nikolas Eggert was born on 22 February 1779 in Gingst, Ruegen (then part of Sweden, but now Germany). He started to play the violin at the age of 11 under the tutelage of local musicians. In 1794, Eggert moved to Stralsund to study violin and composition under Kuhlow. During the period between 1800-1802, he studied music theory under the guidance of Fischer and Fleischer in Brunswick, and Forkel in Goettingen. For six months in 1802, he was music director at the Court Theater of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Eggert was appointed as a violinist to the Swedish Royal Court Orchestra on 9 August 1803. Later that year, he began to receive commissions to compose music for special occasions. In 1807, he was elected to the Swedish Royal Academy of Music and made his debut as a conductor. Eggert was the acting Kapellmeister of the Swedish Royal Court Orchestra from 1808-1810, and its Kapellmeister from 1810-1812. He brought Viennese Classicism to Sweden and was the first to put Beethoven's major works on a Swedish concert program. Eggert conducted the Swedish premieres of Haydn's Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) in 1810, and Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) in 1812. During this period, his four completed symphonies received much attention and both of his musical dramas were staged. On 14 April 1813 in Thomestorp (Ostergotland, Sweden), Eggert succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 34.
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