aaron copland was born november 14, 1900 in brooklyn, new york. he died at the age of 90 on december 2, 1990. he was the youngest of five children. his parents had come to the united states from eastern europe. they owned a store in brooklyn. aaron began playing the piano when he was a young child. he wrote his first song for his mother when he was eight years old. his dreams of becoming a composer began when he was young. when he was sixteen, he asked his parents to let him study composing with rubin goldmark. goldmark had taught the composer george gershwin.