Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990 ) was born in Massachusetts. He was a pianist and conductor who also composed beautiful pieces. Music was a great joy to him, and he listened to and enjoyed all kinds of it. Many people suggested that he’d be better off if he picked one of his favorite branches of music and … Continue reading Leonard Bernstein
Amy Beach is one of the greatest composers that you’ve never heard of. She was born in New Hampshire on September 05, 1867. She was born into a musical family, and she was naturally gifted in music. By the time she was four, Amy played four-part hymns on the piano and composed several waltzes. At … Continue reading Amy Beach
We’ve chosen some common Christmas songs to share with you. Each picture links to a video on YouTube for your enjoyment! Photo Credits: Bing Crosby: By CBS Radio – eBayfrontback, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58423153 Andy Williams: By Sheldon Saltman, public relations – File: Andy Williams 1967.JPG, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71214271 Nat King Cole: By William P. Gottlieb – … Continue reading American Christmas Songs
Scott Joplin was born in Texas in 1867. His father (who was a slave) and his mother (who was not) were both musical people. His mother cleaned houses for a living, and one of the homeowners that hired her also allowed Joplin to play the piano in her home. That’s how Scott Joplin taught himself … Continue reading Scott Joplin
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was one of 10 children going to a family of Portuguese and German immigrants in Washington DC in 1854. His father played the trombone in the US Marine band and was Sousa’s role model in music study. Sousa learned the violin when he was six. During Sousa’s lifetime, he spent 20 … Continue reading John Philip Sousa
During the colonial period, there was a lot of work to do everywhere, and people worked very long hours every day, though most tried to rest on Sunday. Even on the day of rest, there was still the work of feeding both people and animals. Justin Morgan’s life was no different. He was born in … Continue reading Justin Morgan and Isaac Watts
Johann Pachelbel lived from 1653-1706 in Germany. He left many compositions, including the very well-known Canon in D, and he instructed many students, including Johann Christoph Bach (older brother and guardian to Johann Sebastian Bach). It may seem strange to include Pachelbel with a group of innovative American composers that we’ll study this year since … Continue reading Johann Pachelbel
Trumpet player and vocalist Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) was one of the world’s greatest jazz musicians. Born in New Orleans, he spent his youth in a home for trouble children before he made his way to Chicago and New York to play with several different well-know jazz bands. His jazz style and repertoire was unique because … Continue reading Louis Armstrong
George Gershwin, 1898-1937, was one of the most well-known pianists in history. He turned out an enormous amount of music before his life was cut short by a brain tumor. Lucky for us, he was one of the first musicians for whom we have recorded video of him playing. While you can probably find better … Continue reading George Gershwin
