Aaron Copland was an American composer, conductor, and teacher who composed music in a variety of genres, including musicals. He is best known for his works in the classical genre, such as Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, and Rodeo. He was also a major contributor to the development of American music in the 20th century. AARON Copland was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1900 and died in 1990. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1945 for his composition Appalachian Spring.