Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland was an American composer, teacher, music writer, and also later in his musical career a conductor of American music. He was extremely instrumental in forging a distinctive American style of composition and is often referred to as "The Dean of American Composers". He was born on November 14, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York. He was of Lithuanian Jewish descent and was the last of five children. Upon arriving in Hollywood, he found great success in the notable film Of Mice and Men, from the novel written by John Steinbeck. This earned Copland his first nominations for an Academy Award. He actually received two nominations, one being for best score and another for original score. Although he had a successful movie career, Aaron Copland is most famous for his ballets Rodeo, Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, and his Fanfare for the Common Man. In his ballet Rodeo, Aaron Copland uses a lot of American nationalistic feel. One of the songs that exemplifies this feel in Rodeo is a piece named Hoedown. Hoedown, as you would expect, has an old western type of feel that makes it American. Copland uses wood blocks as well as piano to produce the sound of galloping hooves which assists in the making of the western feel. Aaron died December 2, 1990 in Sleepy Hollow, New York at the age of 91.


Sources:
Mr. James Hutchings' music an society class on 9/12/2012

http://www.last.fm/music/Aaron+Copland

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/aaron-copland/about-the-composer/475/