About
Pioneer of American-accented symphonies, such as his Symphony No. 3. He performed to sold-out crowds and several American presidents.
Before Fame
He studied under several notable composers, including Arthur Bliss, Arthur Farwell, and Nadia Boulanger.
Trivia
He was equally interested in American folk songs, which he adopted and mixed into his Folksong Symphony.
Family Life
He was born into a working class family in a log cabin in rural Chandler, Oklahoma, and grew up in rural San Gabriel Valley, California. He learned the piano from his mother.
Associated With
He studied under the same tutor as Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland, who recommended him for study in Paris, though his style was less influenced by European classics and more by American folk.
