ɪn hɪz ˈɜːli jˈɪɹz hiː ɹᵻsˈiːvd mjˈuːzɪkəl tɹˈeɪnɪŋ æt ðə dˈælkɹoʊz skˈuːl ɪn nˈuː jˈɔːɹk, ðˈɛn lˈeɪɾɚ stˈʌdid kˌɑːmpəzˈɪʃən æt ðɪ ˈiːstmən skˈuːl ʌv mjˈuːzɪk ɪn ɹˈɑːtʃɛstɚ.
In his early years he received musical training at the Dalcroze School in New York, then later studied composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.