Born: 1874-1954
Nationality: American
Education/Training: studied piano and organ at a young age and played drums in his father's band, learning harmony and counterpoint from his father who also encouraged experimentation; at 14 became the youngest church organist in the state; entered Yale in 1894 where he studied music with Horatio Parker
Best Known For: integrating American and European musical traditions, innovations in rhythm, harmony and form, combined with an unparalleled ability to evoke the sounds and feelings of American life
Notable Compositions: The Unanswered Question, Second Symphony, Fourth of July
Curious Facts: worked as an insurance salesman for 30 years, composing in his free time; opened his own insurance company, Ives & Co., in 1907; used a wide variety of styles, ranging from tonal romanticism to radical experimentation, even in pieces written during the same period