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Musician of the month

Evelyn Glennie

1965 -

Who is she?

Evelyn Glennie is a Scottish percussionist and recording artist. Although profoundly deaf, she performs worldwide as a soloist on a wide range of percussion instruments. She teaches people how to listen to music differently.

Fascinating facts

Her father was an accordion player in a Scottish country dance band.
Her first instruments were the mouth organ and clarinet.
Glennie has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12. She first started losing her hearing at 8 years old.
As her hearing failed, she moved over to playing percussion (drums, glockenspiels etc) as she could feel their sound.
She often plays barefoot so she can feel the music better using vibrations through her feet from the floor.
She has developed other ways to ‘hear’ the music in her body instead of her ears.
She has recorded over 40 CDs and has composed music for film, theatre and TV.
Glennie performed at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in London in 2012, leading a thousand drummers in the opening piece of music.
She performs over 100 concerts a year with a wide variety of orchestras and musicians, as well as giving masterclasses and ‘music in schools’ performances.

Sergei Rachmaninoff

1873 - 1943

Who was he?

A composer, conductor and pianist from the late Romantic era of music. He was born in Russia who had a ‘jaw dropping’ ability to play the piano. His music was dramatic, exciting and powerful.

Fascinating facts

Sergei was born Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, into a musical family.
He started to learn the piano at the age of 4.
Rachmaninoff had possibly the largest hands in classical music which is why some of his pieces are very difficult to play.
He amazed audiences when he toured playing his own music.
He moved to America in 1918 and eventually became an American citizen.
He wrote four concertos for piano and orchestra, but also pieces for solo piano, orchestra alone and choral works.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1756 - 1791

Who was he?
A prolific and influential Austrian composer during the classical period of music. An extremely talented musical virtuoso, he composed pieces for piano solos, orchestras and soloists and operas amongst other things. He is now recognised as one of the greatest classical composers of all time.

Fascinating facts
•   His full name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart
•   He had an older sister called Maria Anna, nicknamed Nannerl, who was also a musician.
•   He watched his sister playing the Harpsichord and started playing little tunes at the age of 3.
•   Started composing music at the age of 5. He was a child prodigy.
•   From the age of 7 he travelled around Europe and performed music with his family in a number of prestigious locations.
•   He wrote his first opera at 11.
•   He composed more than 600 pieces of music.
•   The clarinet was his favourite instrument.
•   His pieces of music were catalogued in the ‘Kochel’ and numbered according to the order in which he composed them. K1 – K626 (his unfinished Requiem).
•   He was able to write down a whole piece of music after hearing it once.
•   The last opera that he wrote was called The Magic Flute.
•   Mozart died when he was only 35 years old
•   On 27th January 2006, all the church bells in Salzburg were rung simultaneously at the exact hour of his birth, in honour of Mozart's 250th birthday.
•   A Mozart monument stands in Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace, which is 3m in height. It has been there for over 150 years.

Bob Marley
1945 – 1981

Who was he?
Robert Nesta Marley was a very famous songwriter, singer and musician from Jamaica. His style of music was called Reggae and he made this type of music very popular. He performed on his own and also with a band called Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Fascinating facts
-   Bob was born in Jamaica
-   Bob married Rita Anderson.
-   He had 11 children
-   His song ‘three little birds’ was very popular. It makes people feel happy
-   His daughter Cedella Marley used his song One Love to write a children’s book.
https://youtu.be/u5nYeggEjag
-   He was a world ambassador for reggae music earning him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994
-   He sold more than 20 million records.
-   Aside from music, he was a big football fan.
-   Bob was awarded a very special peace medal from the United Nations in 1978 for his brave work trying to bring peace and justice for people in his homeland of Jamaica.
-   Bob Marley’s music has become the symbol of peace and unity.

Edvard Grieg
1843 – 1907

Norwegian composer and pianist
Fascinating facts about Grieg
-   Edvard Grieg was raised in a musical family
-   He wrote lots of pieces of music for piano and violin;
He also composed music for poems and a play.
-   Grieg was the most famous person from Bergen, a city in Norway and
there are now are several statues, a music school and a concert hall named after him.
-   There is a large crater on the planet mercury named after Grieg

Aretha Franklin

1942 - 2018

Who was she?

Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She was called ‘The Queen of Soul’. She loved singing gospel music, which is Christian spiritual music sung in a choir often without musical accompaniment but using clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment.

Fascinating facts

When she was a child, she started singing gospel music in her local church in Detroit, USA where her father was father was the minister.
She taught herself the piano by listening to Jazz music.
At 18 she started recording songs for the recording companies Columbia Records and then Atlantic Records.
She sang soul, RnB and gospel music.
By the end of the 1960s she was known as ‘The Queen of Soul’
In 1998, Aretha stepped in to sing ‘Nessun Dorma’ at the Grammy’s after Luciano Pavrotti cancelled at the very last minute after the show had already started.
Aretha recorded 112 songs and is the female artist in history with the most number of songs in the music charts.
She is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide.

You Tube clips

I say a little prayer for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ifw8JhDBvs

Aretha Franklin and The Blues Brothers sing ‘Think’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc36-Li5eww

A little respect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0

Aretha Franklin singing Nessun Dorma live 1998

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0

Son of a preacher man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZRbTaG3xIw

Bridge over Troubled Water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9-yfeA2JZs

Documentary about Aretha and her gospel music roots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE94D5_d0z4

Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6dQ2Qi0r78

February

SCOTT JOPLIN

1868 - 1917

Who was he?

African American composer and pianist who became famous for his Ragtime music.

Fascinating facts

Scott Joplin started playing the guitar and then piano when he was a child. He became a travelling musician when he was a teenager.
Joplin was famous for his ragtime style of compositions and called the ‘King of Ragtime’.
Ragtime music is ragged or syncopated (off beat) rhythm in the right hand. Developed from African-American communities, it was based on a march style but with additional off beat rhythms from African music.
He was primarily a pianist and mainly wrote solo piano pieces although these have since been played on many other instruments.
During his brief career he wrote 44 ragtime pieces, 1 ragtime ballet and 2 operas.
His most famous pieces are The Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag.
The Maple Leaf Rag was published in 1899 and sold over 75,000 copies in the first six months.
Once Joplin died, ragtime lost popularity, however, it became popular again in the 1940s and then again in the 70s
His composition ‘The Entertainer’ became the theme song for a famous film called ‘The Sting’.

You tube links:

Maple Leaf Rag – piano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxLAr_bwpA&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&index=3

Guitar orchestra playing Easy Winners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbwh6bV8xOM&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&start_radio=1&t=0

The Entertainer played by piano, violin and clarinet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc361lbgZYo&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&index=4

Elite Syncopations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A44QDL-K-bY

The Solace – theme tune from Sting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOwachalNNw

The Entertainer showing musical score and piano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOwachalNNw

Maple leaf rag with score

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TEbZMfYsLo

Maple leaf rag with light visuals notes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBInnwV21DM

The Best of Scot Joplin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1yqBt-PkT4

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1840 - 1893

Who is he?

A Russian composer and conductor from the Romantic period of music. He wrote over 170 compositions including several well-known ballets.

Fascinating facts

Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk in Russia
Tchaikovsky started taking piano lessons when he was 5.
His parents did not consider a career in music to be a good one so he trained to be civil servant.
He was the first Russian composer to be recognised internationally.
However, he was criticised for his music not being ‘Russian’ in style. It was considered to contain too much Western influence.
He wrote music that accurately reflects human emotions and the highs and lows of human life. It still speaks to audiences today.
Tchaikovsky got stage fright and when he was conducting concerts, he used to worry that his head would fall off!
He composed ballets, operas, symphonies for orchestras, music for pianos and strings.
His classic ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ was first performed in 1892 but it took almost 50 years before it became the Christmas hit that it now is.
He wrote 3 ballets - Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker and Swan Lake
The 1812 overture is a 15 minute piece of music including firing cannons, chimes and brass fanfares and is often used as an accompaniment to firework displays.

Links to his music

Piano concerto no. 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybg2BEy_pu0

Ballet – dance of the sugar plum fairy from The Nutcracker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV1qLYukTH8

The Waltz of the Snowflakes – ballet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYaIQNjAX_8

Swan lake waltz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CShopT9QUzw

Russian dance from Nutcracker Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBb6z83uSXM

Russian dance (with Russian dancing on stage!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiiuN9eAy9Y

1812 overture, played by an orchestra. Go to 13.30 mins for bells and brass fanfare, 14.40 for famous ending with cannons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUpuAvQQrC0

1812 overture – visually represented score

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5EoJY8DEk

Violin concerto in D major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtSbDJWF0q4

The best of Tchaikosvsky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WWz2DSnT8

November

John Rutter
1945 -

Who is he?

John Rutter is an English conductor, composer and arranger of choral music. He is particularly well known for his beautiful Christmas music.

Fascinating facts:

He was born and educated in London.
He went to Cambridge university (Clare College) to read music.
His first piece of music to be published was ‘Shepherd’s Pipe Carol’ which he wrote when he was 18.
He collaborated with David Willcocks to arrange many well-known Christmas carols. These are published in 4 volumes called Carols for Choirs.
Rutter’s work is nearly all for choirs.
He began his own choir called ‘Cambridge Singers’ in 1981. They have recorded many of John Rutter’s songs.
He composed many beautiful Christmas songs, arranged carols and anthems and composed several extended works of music.
He begins his composition by writing words with piano or organ accompaniment and then writes an orchestral version.
Despite the fact that he writes a lot of religious music, Rutter describes himself as not particularly religious. He is inspired by the spirituality of the sacred verses and prayers.
He was asked to compose an anthem for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. ‘This is the Day’ was performed during the service.

Links to his work:

Shepherd’s Pipe Carol – the first piece that Rutter had published. He wrote it when he was 18. Beautiful Christmas choral piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousLBf0q1y8

For the beauty of the earth – score animation showing all the musical notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTvAnkNijIc

Cambridge Singers singing Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nPKxxqXJvQ

This is the Day –composed specially for and sung at the Royal Wedding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl93WXJEVMQ

All things Bright and Beautiful sung by a school choir, conducted by John Rutter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjbktnTuV30&list=RDbjbktnTuV30&start_radio=1&t=82

Lovely choral piece called ‘Look at the World’ sung by a big choir and orchestra, conducted by John Rutter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDa-Mab4SoU

The Lord is my Shepherd – Requiem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f_0NgsWzfA

Star Carol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gxoGGTicNI

Live recording of I wish you Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OFZyHnx4w

Live recording of Christmas Lullaby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy5zUGSd_fI

There are so many lovely Christmas choral pieces on John Rutter’s Christmas album – all can be found on You Tube - just search for John Rutter Christmas.

October

Nat King Cole

1919 – 1965

Who is he?

An American Jazz pianist and singer, recording over 100 hit songs. His style of music was Jazz, swing and blues. He also acted in films, on television and appeared in shows on Broadway.

Fascinating facts

He was born Nathaniel Adams Coles
His first performance was playing ‘Yes! I have no bananas’ at the age of 4
He starting learning to play the organ, taught by his mother
He began formal lessons at the age of 12, learning jazz, gospel, and classical music on piano
Age 20 he formed a jazz trio called The King Cole Trio after the nursery rhyme ‘Old king Cole was a merry old soul’. His manager gave him the nickname King Cole.
The jazz trio did not contain a drummer. It had a unique sound of the time with just piano/vocals, rhythm guitar and bass.
Nat King Cole also recorded songs alone.
Nat had 5 children, one of which, Natalie, he sung duets with
Nat King Cole’s most famous song was ‘Unforgettable’.
Natalie re-released “Unforgettable” as a duet 40 years later after Nat King Cole had died. This version featured her father’s original vocals from the 1951 release along with her own voice in a new duet.

July

Luciano Pavarotti

1935-2007

Who is he?

An Italian Opera singer who is considered one of the finest singers of the 20^th century. Singing as a tenor he made numerous recordings of complete operas and performed to packed audiences all over the world. His clear voice brought enjoyment of opera music to lots of people. Opera music is a form of theatre that is almost entirely sung.

Fascinating facts

At the age of 9 he began singing in a church choir.
When Luciano was young he wanted to be a professional football goal keeper when he grew up. His parents persuaded him to train to be a teacher instead.
He became a school teacher for 2 years but his real love was music so he started training to be a professional musician.
His first operatic performance was in 1961, age 26, performing the part of Rodolfo in La Boheme.
Luciano has 4 daughters
He sold over 100 million records
He sang with 2 other opera singers, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. They were called the Three Tenors and they performed first at the 1990 FIFA world cup. They went on to perform and record many songs together.
He became known as ‘the king of cancellations’ as he kept cancelling concerts.
In 1990 his performance of Nessen Dorma was used as the theme tune for BBC’s coverage of the FIFA world cup. This brought Luciano worldwide fame and made opera popular.
In 1993 more than 500,000 people came to Luciano’s free performance in Central Park in New York and millions more around the world watched on TV

June

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr

1960-1970 performing together

Who were they?

An English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They began by playing in bars and clubs in Liverpool but found international fame with their modern musical style. They mixed skiffle, beat and rock and roll and even included elements of classical music in some of their songs. The Beatles are the best-selling band in history, with estimated sales of over 800 million records worldwide. They changed pop music forever and had a huge influence on culture in the UK and America.

There were 4 members:

John Lennon - lead singer, guitarist, songwriter.
Paul McCartney – bass guitarist and singer, songwriter.
George Harrison – lead guitarist and singer
Ringo Starr - drummer

Fascinating facts

They were originally called Beatals then they changed their name to Silver Beetles and then finally to The Beatles.
The Beatles had a nickname of ‘The Fab four’
Their first hit was ‘Love me do’ in 1962
After their first hit there followed an intense fan frenzy which was called Beatlemania
The Beatles have had more number-one albums on the British charts, and have sold more singles in the UK, than any other act.
In April 1964, the Beatles had songs at numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the charts.
There were several other members of the band over the years but these four are considered the real Beatles.
The Beatles played mostly in The Cavern Club in Liverpool until they reach international fame.
The Beatles recorded over 200 songs - these include:

Love me do
Help                                                       Yesterday
Twist and Shout                                Hey Jude
I wanna hold your hand                 Yellow Submarine
Octopus Garden                               Here comes the sun
Eleanor Rigby

The band split up in 1970 due to musical differences.
Only Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are still alive.

May - JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750)

Who was he?

Bach was a German organist, singer and composer in the Baroque period. Baroque music was the style of Western music written and played between 1600 and 1750. Bach wrote hundreds of pieces of music for harpsichords (an early piano), organ, strings (violins and cellos) orchestras and voice. His style was considered very mathematical and rhythmically precise.

Fascinating facts

Bach was born into a very musical family. He was the 7^th generation of musicians. His father was director of town musicians and all his uncles were professions musicians. He began his musical career by learning the violin.
At the age of 10 he became an orphan and had to live with one of his older brother, Johann Christophe, who was a musician and taught him how to play the organ.
In 1700 he won a choral scholarship to St Michael’s school in Luneberg.
Bach had 20 children although not all survived childhood. Several of his sons became composers and musicians like their father.
During his life he was organist for many different churches, as well as teaching music to children and leading several choirs.
Bach wrote more than 1100 pieces of music.
He composed magnificent pieces for the organ, huge choral works that lasted more than 2 hours long as well as collections of pieces for the harpsichord, strings and orchestral works.
The Brandberg Concertos were written in 1721 as a tribute to the Duke of Brandenburg.
In 1705 Bach walked 280 miles to the city of Lubeck in Northern Germany to hear a concert performed by organist and composer Dieterich Buxtehude.
He wore a perfectly curled white wig
He wrote almost all his choral works in the city of Leipzig in Germany.
Bach loved coffee and even wrote a song about it. This used to be performed in coffee houses in Germany!
Bach had problems with his eyesight and after a botched operation he became blind.

April - ELLA FITZGERALD (1917 – 1996)

WHO WAS SHE?

Ella Fitzgerald was an American Jazz Singer. She was called ‘The Queen of Jazz’. Her musical career spanned over 60 years.

Jazz music originated from the African American community in the early 1900s. It combines folk music with swing rhythms and improvisation. Without Jazz we wouldn’t have Rock and Roll or Pop music.

Fascinating Facts

In 1934, Ella entered a Talent Show at the Apollo Theatre, New York. She had intended to perform a dance but there were too many other dancers, so at the last minute she decided to sing a song instead. She won first prize, $25 and her singing career began.
Her first number one hit was an adaptation of a nursery rhyme ‘A-tisket, a-tasket’.
Ella’s middle name was Jane and she was very shy.
Ella’s nicknames were ‘The First lady of Song’, ‘Queen of Jazz’ or Lady Ella
She sang with a very pure tone and was able to improvise (make up tunes on the spot) in a style called ‘Scat Singing’.
She had a singing range of three octaves – that is very low to very high!
As well as singing, she acted in several films and TV shows.
In 1958 she was the first African American woman to win a Grammy award for music.
She recorded more than 200 music albums
Ella performed with many famous jazz musicians including Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
Ella inspired Adele and Lady Gaga.

Quotes from Ella

‘The only thing better than singing, is more singing’.

‘Don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do, where there is love and inspiration I don’t think you can go wrong’.

‘It isn’t where you came from, it is where you are going that counts’.

March - JOHN WILLIAMS

BORN 1932 -

WHO WAS HE?

American composer, conductor, and pianist.

WHAT DID HE DO?

Over six decades, he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable film scores in cinematic history, including those of the Star Wars series, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones series, the first two Home Alone films, Hook, the first two Jurassic Park films, Schindler's List, and the first three Harry Potter films.

Fascinating Facts

John Towner Williams was born on February 8, 1932 in Floral Park, New York, the son of Esther (née Towner) and Johnny Williams.
His full name is John Towner Williams. At school his nickname was Johnny.
His father was a jazz percussionist. His brother Donald is a percussionist and conductor, and his brother Jerry is a studio percussionist as well.
Williams has composed the music and served as music director for nearly eighty films.
He is one of the most popular and successful American orchestral composers of the modern age, John Williams is the winner of five Academy Awards, 17 Grammys, three Golden Globes, two Emmys.
John Williams was born in New York and moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1948. While in New York, he also worked as a jazz pianist, both in clubs and on recordings.
He didn’t just write music for films but also wrote many concert pieces and music for television programmes.