​​Born in Salzburg, Austria in 1736 he is perhaps one of the most recognisable names in classical music with a canon of works that has influenced and inspired many composers who came after him.   

Mozart was son to a violin teacher called Leopold Mozart who also wrote pieces such as the ‘Trumpet Concerto’ and the’ Toy Symphony’. It was still remarkable though, that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was able to start composing so young and with such accuracy. He had an incredible ability to remember music. By the age of 3, Mozart had learned to play a clavier, which was an old-fashioned stringed instrument that had a keyboard. By the age of 5, he was playing the harpsichord and violin. He was playing in front of royalty when he was just 6 years old.

Mozart’s music was of a Classical style and he composed in many different forms: opera, chamber music, symphony and solo concertos. These forms were not new, but Mozart added a level of emotion and technical brilliance which stood him above other composers. He produced 626 works in total.

Mozart is said to have had a major influence on classical music, particularly after his death. Even during his life, he received some fame and success and was seen as a major influence on one of the world’s greatest living composers, Ludwig Van Beethoven. Even 100 years later, composers were still creating works in honour of him such as ‘Mozartiana’ written by Tchaikovsky in 1887.