The influence of the community of Ithaca on Battisti's aesthetic development is clear: his youth displays many facets through which he learned to love music and this passion became the foundation of all of his future accomplishments. To discover the experiences that propelled Frank into a career in music, it is necessary to return to the influence of family and community. The core beliefs Battisti established while a member of the community of Ithaca helped to form the musical philosophy he shared with the global music community.