Category: composer
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Quick Facts Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Played cello and classical guitar Best-known South American composer of all time Combined Brazilian folk music with classical music At the age of 18, he traveled around Brazil, becoming well-acquainted with Afro-Brazilian ...
Amy Beach
Quick Facts Child prodigy: Taught herself to read at age 3 Composed her first piece at age 4 Played with the Boston Symphony at the age of 18 During her marriage, she focused on composing. After her husband’s death in ...
Thelonious Monk
Quick Facts American composer and jazz (bebop) pianist Started playing piano at the age of 6 His first job was playing church organ for a traveling evangelist. Monk’s piano playing was unique: forceful with lots of dissonance and unusual rhythms ...
William Grant Still
Quick Facts Known as “Dean of Afro-American Composers” Was a part of the Harlem Renaissance First African American to: Conduct an American symphony orchestra Have a symphony performed by an orchestra (“Afro-American Symphony”) Have an opera performed by the New ...
Aaron Copland
Quick Facts Born in Brooklyn, New York (U.S.) His older sister taught him to play the piano. As a child, was exposed to music at Jewish events Began writing songs at the age of eight Studied music in Paris for ...
Chiquinha Gonzaga
Quick Facts Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil She learned to play the piano as a child and composed her first piece at the age of 11. She earned a living by teaching piano lessons and playing piano in musical ...
John Williams
Quick Facts The most successful film composer of all time, having scored more than 100 films (source) Born in New York City Studied at Juilliard School and Eastman School of Music Worked as jazz pianist and studio musician before starting ...
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
Quick Facts Born in Germany Gifted pianist Romantic period Older sister of Felix Mendelssohn Composed more than 460 pieces of music Books (Click on images to purchase.) See also Composers Biography Biography YouTube https://youtu.be/uOrplq_9SH8https://youtu.be/ti1eZ2B63Ro Mendelssohn Hensel poster (PDF) Download PDF ...
Clara Schumann
Quick Facts Born in Germany Gifted pianist, child prodigy Romantic period Traveled around Europe giving concerts, starting at the age of 11 At the age of 18, she performed to sold-out crowds Continued to tour and perform for more than ...
Florence Price
Quick Facts First black female classical composer to be nationally recognized and to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. Played her first piano recital at the age of four Taught by ...