But his long years there were broken by the numerous trips he took, for professional purposes, to Italian and foreign cities. Vivaldi remained at the Pieta‧ until 1740.

Under Vivaldi's direction, this orchestra gave many brilliant concerts and achieved an international reputation.

A few years later he was made conductor of the orchestra at the same institution. In the autumn of 1703 he was appointed a violin teacher at the Ospitale della Pieta‧ in Venice. (He was later nicknamed 'the red priest' because he was redheaded.) His active career, however, was devoted to music. After going through the various preliminary stages, he was ordained a priest in March 1703. It is possible, though not proved, that as a boy Antonio also studied with the composer Giovanni Legrenzi.Īntonio was trained for a clerical as well as a musical life. The elder Vivaldi was a well-respected violinist, employed at the church of St. His first music teacher was his father, Giovanni Battista Vivaldi.

Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice on March 4, 1678.

Vivaldi composer