Meet Vivaldi | Composer Biography for Kids + FREE Worksheet

Meet Antonio Vivaldi. Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. Antonio's father was a barber and a professional violinist. He taught Antonio to play the violin and he practiced very hard. Soon, Antonio and his father were performing together and touring Venice. When Antonio turned 15, he decided to become a priest and began his training. At the age of 25, he was ordained and was referred to as Il Prete Rosso, which means the red priest. He got that nickname because of his red hair. In 1703, Vivaldi was invited to teach violin lessons an orphanage that taught boys a trade and gave girls a musical education. Vivaldi brought recognition to the pieta through the concertos, cantadas, and sacred vocal music he wrote for the girls to perform. Their concerts were spectacular. Vivaldi's most popular composition is a set of concertos for the violin. The four seasons, written around 1716, are inspired by a poem for each season of the year. The most popular concerto is Spring. During his lifetime, Vivaldi was popular in many countries throughout Europe. However, after his death, Vivaldi's popularity declined. Even his most famous work, the Four Seasons, was relatively unknown during the Classical and Romantic periods. Today, Vivaldi is one of the most celebrated composers of the Baroque era.