• The Man Behind The Music

    Aaron Copland

    "To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable."
    – Aaron Copland
    More about The Man Behind The Music
  • Midday Thoughts

    A series of musings about, around, and related to Copland and his music by musicologist Jennifer DeLapp-Birkett
    Read the Latest

Featured Events

Jun 18th, 2025 7:00 pmJun 21st, 2025 2:00 pmJun 22nd, 2025 2:00 pm

The Tender Land

Toronto City Opera / Jennifer Tung
Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 2J2
Description

The Toronto City Opera presents Aaron Copland's The Tender Land at the Al Green Theatre.

Jun 27th & 28th, 2025 8:15 pm

End-of-season concert: Berliner Philharmoniker and Gustavo Dudamel at the Waldbühne

Ryan Speedo Green, baritone / Berliner Philharmoniker / Gustavo Dudamel
Waldbühne, Glockenturmstraße 1, Berlin, Germany, 14053
Description

Program

  • ORTIZ Kauyumari
  • MÁRQUEZ Danzón No. 8 “Homenaje to Maurice Ohana”
  • COPLAND Old American Songs, Set I
  • CASTELLANOS Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
  • SIERRA Alegría
  • ELLINGTON Three black kings: Martin Luther King
  • BERNSTEIN West Side Story: Symphonic Dances
Jul 27th, 2025 5:00 pm

“Italian” Mendelssohn & Elgar’s Enigma

Stephen Williamson, clarinet / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Marin Alsop
Ravinia Pavilion Main Stage, 418 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL, United States, 60035
Description

Program

  • MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A major, op. 90 “Italian”
  • COPLAND Clarinet Concerto
  • ELGAR Variations on an Original Theme, op. 36 “Enigma”
Sep 14th, 2025 7:00 pm

Season Opening: Bernstein and Copland

London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano
Barbican Centre, Silk St, Barbican, London, United Kingdom, EC2Y 8DS
Description

Program

  • BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 3, "Kaddish" (revised version)
  • COPLAND Symphony No. 3
Additional Performances

    Aaron Copland

    The Man Behind the Music

    Many know of Aaron Copland the composer, writer, educator, and conductor, but far fewer have had the chance to know the man himself. Vivian Perlis, founding director of the Oral History Project in American Music & co-author of Copland’s autobiographies, not only takes us through the life of this great American composer, but also shows us a small window into what it was like to know the man behind the music.

    Read More about The Man Behind The Music

    Events

    Upcoming Performances

    Aaron Copland's music is still widely performed around the world today. Find upcoming concerts and information in the performance calendar.

    Performance Calendar

    Latest News

    Midday Thoughts: The Changing Reputation of Copland’s Piano Concerto

    With nearly 100 years of performance history to consider, the Piano Concerto's reputation cannot be summed up in a single statement. Learn about the rich history of the work's reception in the latest Midday Thoughts.

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    Midday Thoughts: Copland & the Carters

    Prompted by the recent loss of former President Jimmy Carter, Jennifer DeLapp-Birkett reflects on the connections between the Carters, Copland, and his music.

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    Midday Thoughts: A Listening Guide to Copland's Piano Concerto

    What can a live hearing of Copland's Piano Concerto offer the modern listener? How does the drama unfold over roughly 18 minutes? This and more in the latest installment of Midday Thoughts.

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    The Aaron Copland Fund for Music

    Aaron Copland’s legacy as the Dean of American Music lives on through a series of grant programs managed by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. Each year, the Fund awards more than $1 million in grants to ensembles, presenters, service organizations, and more for projects and general other entities to support public knowledge and appreciation of contemporary American music.

    Learn More