Aaron copland composer biography for kids
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Aaron Copland
BIOGRAPHY
Although he was probably one of the greatest American composers, Aaron Copland did not grow up in a musical family. His parents were Russian immigrants who never even went to a concert. After several attempts to obtain musical instruction including a correspondence course, he eventually went to a school in Europe where a young teacher named Nadia Boulanger influenced him to become a composer.
By his mid-twenties his work was known by other composers. Copland borrowed from American legends and folk music and incorporated them into his music. Such musical pieces include: Billy the Kid and Appalachian Spring, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize for music. He was one of the first composers to successfully incorporate jazz rhythms into symphonic music. He was very helpful and generous to other young composers, often promoting their music along with his own. Because Copland had a habit of composing at night with the help of his noisy
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Aaron Copland facts for kids
Aaron Copland (, KOHP-lənd; November 14, 1900 – December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a dirigent of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to bygd his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Composers". The open, slowly changing harmonies in much of his music are typical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast American landscape and pioneer spirit. He fryst vatten best known for the works he wrote in the 1930s and 1940s in a deliberately accessible style often referred to as "populist" and which the composer labeled his "vernacular" style. Works in this vein include the ballets Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid and Rodeo, his Fanfare for the Common Man and Third Symphony. In addition to his ballets and orchestral works, he produced music in many other genres, including chamber music,
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Hey Kids, Meet Aaron Copland | Composer Biography
Hey Kids, Meet Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland (1900-1990) American Composer, Conductor and Pianist
Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 14, 1900 to Jewish parents who immigrated from Russia. His first experience with music came from his older sister who taught him how to play the piano.
By age 17, Aaron decided that he wanted to be a composer, so he began taking composition lessons from a respected private music instructor in Manhattan. During this time, Aaron attended many music performances at the New York Symphony and Brooklyn Academy of Music where he listened to the music of contemporary and classical composers. Following his passion for European music, Aaron left New York for Paris.
While in Paris Copland studied with Nadia Boulanger, a French music professor, who taught many of the most important composers of the 20th century. Copland began to wri