26 Interesting Facts about Aaron Copland

Dan February 27, 2023

Aaron Copland was an American composer, conductor, and music educator, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in American classical music. He was born on November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a Jewish family. Copland showed an early aptitude for music and began taking piano lessons at the age of 7.

Copland studied composition in Paris with renowned teacher Nadia Boulanger, who would have a profound influence on his musical style. He returned to the United States in the 1920s and became part of a group of young American composers known as the “Americanists,” who sought to create a distinctively American style of classical music.

Copland’s music was characterized by its simplicity, clarity, and directness, as well as its use of folk melodies and rhythms. His most famous works include the ballets “Appalachian Spring,” “Billy the Kid,” and “Rodeo,” as well as the patriotic fanfare “Fanfare for the Common Man” and the orchestral suite “El Salon Mexico.”

In addition to his work as a composer, Copland was also a respected conductor and music educator. He taught at the Berkshire Music Center (now the Tanglewood Music Center) and the New School for Social Research in New York City, and wrote several influential books on music, including “What to Listen for in Music” and “Music and Imagination.” Copland received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the National Medal of Arts. He died on December 2, 1990, at the age of 90.

I’m sure that there are many interesting facts about Aaron Copland. We will only talk about 26 of those facts.

1. His parents were Russian immigrants who ran a department store in Brooklyn.
2. Copland began playing piano at a young age and began composing when he was just 15 years old.
3. He studied composition with Rubin Goldmark and Nadia Boulanger, among others.
4. Copland was interested in American folk music and incorporated it into his compositions, helping to develop a distinctly American style of classical music.
5. He was one of the first composers to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship.
6. Copland was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1945 for his ballet “Appalachian Spring.”
7. Copland taught at the New School for Social Research and at Harvard University.
8. He was a member of the Communist Party during the 1930s and 1940s, but later distanced himself from the party.
9. Copland composed music for many films, including “Of Mice and Men,” “Our Town,” and “The Red Pony.”
10. He was a prolific writer and wrote several books on music, including “What to Listen for in Music” and “Music and Imagination.”
11. Copland’s music was often used in commercials, including the famous “Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner” campaign in the 1990s.
12. He was a mentor to many young composers, including Leonard Bernstein.
13. Copland was one of the founders of the Tanglewood Music Center, a summer music academy in Massachusetts.
14. He was the first American composer to conduct his own music in the Soviet Union.
15. Copland received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964 and the National Medal of Arts in 1986.
16. He was a vegetarian and was involved in animal rights activism.
17. Copland composed music for Martha Graham’s dance company, including the ballets “Appalachian Spring” and “Rodeo.”
18. He was a skilled pianist and often performed his own works in concert.
19. Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” has become an iconic piece of American music.
20. He composed music for the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.
21. Copland’s music was featured in the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
22. He suffered from Alzheimer’s disease in his later years and stopped composing in 1970.
23. Copland was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1946.
24. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
25. Copland was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1978.
26. He was the first composer to receive a Congressional Gold Medal.

Aaron Copland was one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century, known for his innovative use of folk music and his contributions to the development of a distinctly American style of classical music. His music continues to be widely performed and appreciated, and his legacy as a mentor and educator to young composers endures. Copland’s impact on the musical world, both in the United States and abroad, remains significant to this day, and his contributions to American culture have earned him a lasting place in history as one of the country’s most important and influential composers.