Aaron Copland was born in New York City in 1900. He was one of five children born to Russian and Lithuanian Jewish immigrants. His mother and some of his siblings were very musical, and his first piano lessons were by his older sister.
 

Copland began to compose as a teenager, and he studied theory, harmony, and composition to advance his skill. He was trained in the Classical and Romantic styles, but he was frustrated that his teachers were reluctant to embrace a more modern sound.

Paris

Between the ages of 17 and 21, Copland studied music in Paris. Here he became part of a flourishing artistic scene that included such famous figures as Ernest Hemmingway, Pablo Picasso, and Gertrude Stein. His teacher was Nadia Boulanger, a woman who had achieved a high level of success and respect in a field that was dominated by men. Copland was inspired by her vast knowledge of music and her adventurous spirit regarding new 20^th century musical sounds.

Challenges

Back in the U.S., Copland managed to support himself through the Great Depression through teaching, lecturing, performing, and of course, composing. He was careful to live within his means so that he could devote himself entirely to his composing career.

Because of his lifetime of world travel and his outspoken criticism of the Cold War, Copland was blacklisted by the FBI as a suspected communist. He was one of many performing artists who faced the threat of jail time and loss of employment for their real or suspected political beliefs. Copland was forced to testify before a congressional hearing to clear his name.

Copland wrote music that was incredibly varied in style, but some of his most famous works are those that he intentionally wrote in a style that would appeal to American audiences. These pieces evoked the pioneering spirit that defined American culture, and they were enjoyable even for listeners who were not familiar with classical music. Some of his most famous works include the ballets “Appalachian Spring” (for which he won a Pulitzer prize) and “Rodeo,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and the film scores for “Of Mice and Men” and “Our Town.”
 

Copland died in 1990 due to advanced Alzheimer’s disease. The Aaron Copland Fund for Composers, which awards over $600,000 each year to deserving musicians, was founded in his honor.