Born in Cuba, violinist and composer José White Lafitte showed signs of musical talent from a young age. At 19 years old, White Lafitte performed the violin publicly for the first time with American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk. White Lafitte went on to enjoy a fruitful career as a touring performer, composer, and educator. For over a decade, White Lafitte worked as the director of the Imperial Conservatory in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the court composer of Emperor Pedro II. As a composer, his works often feature the violin and elegantly straddle the traditions of the romantic era with musical features from his homeland.