The lives of composers have interested people for as long as music has been introduced into human civilization. Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most influential composers of his time. Vivaldi's early life, musical career, later life and death earned him recognition as one of Europe's most renowned figures in classical music in the 17th and 18th centuries. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born to his parents, Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio, on March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. His father, Giovanni Battista Vivaldi, began working as a barber but eventually became a professional violinist. Camilla Calicchio was the daughter of a tailor and married Giovanni Vivaldi in 1676. Antonio was the eldest of nine children. His father taught him to be a violinist and took young Vivaldi on a tour of Venice playing the violin, similar to him and Mozart (Kolneder 153). In 1693, at the age of 15, Vivaldi entered into a priestly life in local churches. of S Geminiano and S Giovanni in Oleo, while still living with his parents. Through his priesthood, Antonio Vivaldi received the nickname il Pete Rosso or "Red Priest", because of his red hair. He was ordained a priest in 1703. Antonio Vivaldi's career in the clergy was short-lived. His health problems prevented him from delivering mass (Heller 39 years old). Vivaldi's health problems caused him to abandon the priesthood shortly after his ordination. Howerton 2 Immediately after leaving the priesthood, Vivaldi became violin master at a home for abandoned, orphaned and needy children called Pio Ospedale della Pietà ( Devotional Hospital of Mercy) in Venice. . La Pietà specialized in teaching music to girls who demonstrated a natural ability in music. Vivaldi was in charge...... middle of article ...... has been a long period of rediscovery where scholars are discovering and celebrating his work. The music of Antonio Vivaldi, along with that of Wolfgang Mozart, Pyort Tchaikovsky, and Arcangelo Corelli, has been included in numerous studies aimed at observing the effects of music on human behavior. Music is also very often used in music therapy. Antonio Vivaldi is credited with inventing the most recent themes of almost every composer in history, and he was able to create music entirely designed for many different classes of society. Others have said, and most agree, that the music he wrote reflects the joy he took in composing. The spirit of her music is one of the main reasons she became so popular and remains extremely respected today. Although he did not die a wealthy man, his music shaped the musical compositions created at the time through to the modern music heard today..