Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer and a child prodigy. He was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756. He began composing music at age five. He wrote over 600 pieces of music before he died at just 35 years old.

Early Life

Mozart's father was a music teacher who recognized his son's talent early. By age five, Mozart was composing music. His father took him on tours across Europe to perform for kings and queens. He amazed everyone with his skills.

The old church record with baby Mozart's name on it.
The old church record with baby Mozart's name on it. (Leopold Lamprecht, minister of the Catholic Diocese of Salzburg / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Mozart wrote symphonies, operas, and concertos. His operas include The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni. He could hear music in his head and write it down perfectly. He composed over 600 works in his short life.

Fun Facts

  • Mozart wrote his first symphony at age eight.
  • He could listen to a piece of music once and write it down from memory.
  • He had a pet starling bird that could sing one of his melodies.

Did You Know?

Mozart died at age 35, and no one knows exactly what caused his death. Despite his short life, he left behind enough music to fill over 200 hours of recordings.