Leroy Anderson was born on June 29, 1908 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His parents immigrated to the United States from Sweden with their families as children. His father, Bror Anton Anderson, worked as a postal clerk in the Central Square post office. He also played the mandolin. Anna Margareta Anderson, his mother, was the organist of the Swedish church in Cambridge. He lived in suburban Boston for twenty-seven years with his parents and brother. Anderson had a very strong musical education. At the age of eleven he began piano lessons and musical studies at the New England Conservatory of Music in Cambridge. After graduating from Cambridge High and Latin School, Anderson composed, orchestrated and conducted his class song. In 1925 he entered Harvard College. While at Harvard he studied musical harmony with Walter Spalding, counterpoint with Edward Ballantine, canon and fugue with William C. Heilman, and orchestration with Edward B. Hill and Walter Piston. Between 1926 and 1929 he played trombone for the Harvard University Band. He eventually became director of the Harvard University Band for four years. In 1929 Anderson received a magna cum laude degree in music from Harvard. Magna cum laude is the second to last of three special awards for above-average grades. He was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Anderson went on to attend graduate school at Harvard. In 1930 he received an MA with a specialization in music. He began studying composition with Walter Piston and Georges Enesco; organ with Henry Gideon and double bass with Gaston Dufresne of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his musical studies, he pursued a doctorate in German and Scandinavian languages. He eventually learned Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic... half the paper... ope, to show his children the many Scandinavian countries. He introduced them to the languages ​​and cultures he learned during his time at school. Upon his return he guest conducted the New Haven, New Britain and Hartford symphonies. Additionally, he served on the boards of the New Haven and Hartford symphonies. Anderson was manager of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. In 1971, he returned to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to conduct the orchestra at Cambridge High and Latin School, where he played as a child. For his many years of hard work with the Boston Pops Orchestra, they paid tribute to him in a concert, broadcast nationwide. He appeared at the concert, where he was a guest conducting his own songs. He continued to arrange and conduct music across the country for the rest of his life. Leroy Anderson died on May 18, 1975 in Woodbury, Connecticut.