In which country were each of these music makers born? a. Wolfgang Mozart? b. Frederic Chopin? c. Laurence Welk?

The diverse origins of these three musical talents span from the heart of classical Europe to the American plains. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756. At that time, Salzburg was the capital of a prince-archbishopric within the Holy Roman Empire, but the city is now part of Austria. A child prodigy, Mozart began composing at the age of five and performed for European royalty. His birthplace at Getreidegasse 9 is now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

Another celebrated European composer, Frédéric Chopin, was born in the small village of Żelazowa Wola in what is now Poland, in 1810. His father was a French immigrant who had moved to Poland and worked as a tutor. Chopin's musical talent was evident from a young age, and he began composing and performing publicly as a child. Although he would later move to Paris, his Polish roots remained a strong influence on his compositions, which often incorporated elements of Polish folk music.

Finally, the bandleader Lawrence Welk was a native of the United States, born in Strasburg, North Dakota, in 1903. He grew up in a German-speaking community, the child of ethnic German immigrants who had come to America from the Russian Empire. Welk did not learn to speak English until he was in his twenties and was known for his distinct accent throughout his career. He learned to play the accordion from his father, and this instrument would become a hallmark of his "champagne music" style.