Aaron Copland created real american music. Aaron Copland is considered the father of American music.

Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1900. His parents came to the America from Lithuania. Aaron’s father ran a department in Brooklyn, and the family lived in an apartment above the store. Aaron thought his life was boring so he began to write songs to entertain himself.

As a teenager Aaron’s sister gave him piano lessons but had to quit after six months because he had learned everything that she knew. He continued to study piano on his own and later became a piano teacher.

Aaron attended his first concert when he was 15 and that experience changed his life.After attending that first concert he decided to become a composer.

At age 20 he went to France to study music more seriously. Just 3 years later Copland wrote music that was serious and included sounds of jazz and folk music. This combination gave his music a new sound that no one had ever heard. An American sound.

For the next 50 years Copland wrote many symphonies that were played by orchestras. He called his sound “symphonic jazz”.

Copland taught music and wrote several books. He started a publishing company that printed new American music written by many young composers.

I38, Copland wrote music for the ballet, Billy the Kid. The story was based on a famous cowboy who lived in America in the early 1800’s. The ballet and the music were so popular that 4 years later Copland wrote another Ballet with a Western theme called Rodeo. It was very popular. the music is still used today in many commercials and movies.

Copland wrote music until he was 70 years old. He won the Pulitzer prize for his ballet, Appalachian Spring.

He won an Academy Award for his music in the movie , The Heiress.

In 1964 President Johnson presenting him with the Medal of Freedom-the highest honor an American can receive during peace time.

Aaron Copland died in 1990 at the age of 90.