Aaron Copland

1900 – 1990

Aaron Copland was an American composer, conductor, and teacher referred to in his lifetime as the "Dean of American Music." His distinctive open-harmony style is widely considered the sonic signature of mid-20th-century America, and works including Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, and Billy the Kid remain core repertoire of the American concert and ballet stage. Subjected to McCarthy-era congressional scrutiny in 1953 over his earlier left-wing associations, he nonetheless went on to receive the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM