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Birth
Percy Grainger is born in Melbourne, Australia. -
Begins playing piano
Percy begins studying piano at the age of 10. -
First concert
Percy gives a series of concerts in October 1894 at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building. It is his first public concert appearance at the age of 12. -
Begins collecting folk songs
Percy begins collecting original versions of folk songs after being inspired by a lecture given by folksong historian Lucy Broadwood. -
Percy comes to America
Percy and his mother come to the U.S. Grainger joins the U.S army as bandsman in Coast Artillery Corps -
Percy becomes a U.S. citizen
Percy becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen. -
Death of his mother
After struggling with physical and mental health problems for years, his mother, Rose, commits suicide while Percy is on a tour of the West coast. -
Marriage
Percy marries Ella Strom. -
Less composing, more performing
During the second World War Percy spends his time doing concerts for charity. He performs up to 140 concerts in a year. His health begins to see a decline. -
Rescoring works
Percy stops composing any new works. He limits himself to rescoring works, both his own and others. -
Last concert
He gives his last public concert at Dartmouth College in Hanover. -
Death
Percy Grainger dies in White Plains on 20 February 1961 (age 78). He was buried in the Aldridge family vault in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.