Aaron Copland

For the last two weeks, our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have been learning about the life and musical compositions of Aaron Copland. Copland is our featured composer of the month for August. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1900. He main inspiration for his compositions was the greatness of America. He wrote music during some very difficult times for our country - the main one being the Great Depression. He used American folklore, hymns, jazz, folk tunes, and cowboy songs as inspiration for his pieces. During his lifetime, he composed music for three ballets - Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, and Billy the Kid. The students have listened to excerpts from all three over the past few weeks. To hear an excerpt from "Rodeo," click the link below.