Antonio Vivaldi

Biography

Born in Venice in 1678, Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most influential baroque composers. Vivaldi's father was a professional violinist, and it is likely that he gave Vivaldi his first musical instruction. At the age of fifteen, the young Vivaldi commenced his studies to become a priest, though was soon dismissed due to suffering from acute asthma, though he remained a devout Catholic throughout his life. He soon picked up a role as a violin teacher at a local orphanage, where he remained for the next thirty or so years teaching the girls to play violin and composing musical works for the institution's renowned orchestra to perform. It is here that he composed many of his works, and created a name for himself as a composer and performer. As his career progressed, he received commissions for works from nobility across Europe, and after meeting the Emperor Charles VI he moved to Vienna in 1730, hoping for royal support. Unfortunately, the emperor died soon after, and Vivaldi was left penniless in a foreign country, dying less than a year later. Though neglected for a long period of time, Vivaldi's works are today highly respected and recognised for their influence on later composers, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach. His music remains popular even outside of classical music circles, and has often been used in popular music, TV, and film.