Born to Russian Jewish immigrants, Aaron Copland (1900-1990) may be America's most well-known and loved composer. Influenced early by jazz and French Modern composers, he moved to make his own compositional mark. Often using hymns, cowboy tunes, Mexican dances, Latin American rhythms, and folk tunes in his work, his music covered many styles and was written for many purposes. Copland wrote an opera, film scores, ballets, chamber music, vocal music, and several orchestral pieces, including three symphonies.