Born in Bologna in 1879, Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936) was a composer of opera, ballet, orchestral and choral music. He also transcribed music of earlier Italian composers, such as his free transcriptions of 16th and 17th century lute pieces, the  Ancient Airs and Dances. He was raised in an artistic family and encouraged to pursue his interest in music. In 1891 he enrolled at the Liceo Musicale di Bologna where he studied violin, organ and counterpoint and completed his earliest compositions. He studied briefly with Rimsky-Korsakov in Russia and held various teaching and performing positions until 1923, when he devoted himself to touring and composing. He is most well-known for his three Roman tone poems; the Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome and Roman Festivals. Toscanini’s performances of the Fountains of Rome in Milan in 1918 were enthusiastically received and a turning point in Respighi’s career.