Aaron Copland Essay Example

Aaron Copland, one of the most exceptional American composers, was born on November 14, 1900 in New York. He was born to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania named Sarah Mitenthal and Harris Copland and had four older siblings, Ralph, Leon, Laurine, and Josephine. His family surname was originally "Kaplan," but his father changed it to "Copland" while in England before immigrating to the United States. During his early years, he lived above and worked in his family's department store.

Despite not being directly introduced to music by his parents, Copland showed a strong inclination towards it from an early age. While helping in the store, he honed his selling skills by working in the toy department. At around seven years old, Copland's cousin introduced him to the phonograph, which became a source of fascination and led him to spend hours lis