Meet a Composer: Aaron Copland

Meet a Composer:  Aaron Copland

Years Lived: 1900-1990

Period of Composing: Modern

Country:  United States

Aaron Copland was a very important American composer. He started piano lessons as a young boy and at 16, asked his parents if he could study composing with Rubin Goldmark, who also taught George Gershwin. In his early twenties he went to France and studied with Nadia Boulanger, who was one of the most important music teachers at that time. (Nadia was ground breaking for being a female composer. There weren't very many in that time period!)  

 

Copland's compositions combined American Folk music with Classical music in a way that hadn't been done before. His music is very tuneful and that makes it accessible to many different audiences. His famous piece Appalachian Spring has many open intervals that are consonant (or sound good to our ears). He is known for his wide intervals and hollow harmonies that make his music sound expansive and representative of the American landscape. 

Aaron Copland also wrote the music for several films in the 1940's and some of his pieces can be heard in more modern movies, television shows, and commercials. The piece that is used today most frequently is his Fanfare for the Common Man. 

On November 21st at 7:30pm, The Columbia Orchestra will be streaming Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring on the Orchestra's YouTube channel. The Concert will also feature Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Jessie Montgomery's Strum!

Did You Know:

Copland wrote his first song for his mother when he was eight years old.  

 

Copland's first public performance was at a recital at Wanamaker's, which was a famous department store.  

 

At fifteen he decided he wanted to be a composer and took a correspondence course to study composition.

Copland won a Pulitzer Prize for his Appalachian Spring, and he won an Academy Award for the music he composed for the movie The Heiress. He wrote film scores for other movies as well, including Of Mice and Men, Our Town and four other movies. Copland's Hoe Down from Rodeo and arrangement of Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring were used in television commercials. 

Music critics and friends referred to Copland as "The Dean of American Composers." 

This podcast from Classics for Kids gives more information about Copland and includes clips of his music and a short quiz to check what you learned.

After you listen to this Classics for Kids podcast about Copland's ballet Rodeo (and take the short quiz) check out these activities from Classics for Kids. 

Grab your cowboy hat and boots, or your pretend hat and boots, and dance along to Rodeo with Ms. Nancy in her fun YouTube video.

This YouTube video from Five Minute Mozart includes pictures and information about Copland with music from his Fanfare for the Common Man.