Week 1:  Classical 

Classical music follows conventional (traditional) musical principles (forms and theory) and instrumentation that were long established in Europe from the 17th through19th centuries.  This music came to America through mostly English, French and German settlers. Modern classical music (music composed in the 20th and 21st centuries) follows the same forms and theory, but sometimes incorporates different instrumentation and may experiment with some non-conventional musical forms.  Classical music can be composed for orchestras (large ensembles that include stringed instruments), bands (large ensembles that do not include stringed instruments), small ensembles, and solo instruments, including voice.  Classical music is also composed for ballets, operas, and cinema.

• Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791): This composer was a Founding Father, lawyer, and author.  He signed the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey and is credited as the first American composer to commit his work to paper.  Listen: My Days Have Been So Wonderous Free

• John Phillip Sousa (1854-1932):  Known as the "American March King", this composer wrote marches for the military, and helped develop the marching equivalent of the tuba (largest brass instrument), called the sousaphone. Listen: Stars and Stripes Forever

• Amy Beach (1867-1944): Amy Beach was a pianist and taught music lessons. She was the first female American composer and publisher of a symphony. She was born in Henniker, NH! Listen: Gaelic Symphony in E Minor, Opus 2

• Florence Price (1887-1953):  The first African-American woman recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have her composition played by a major orchestra, Florence Price composed over 300 works. Listen: Mississippi River Suite

• Aaron Copeland (1900-1990): Known as the "Dean of American Music", this teacher, composer and conductor utilized a modern form of open harmonies to create a sound that evokes images of American landscapes and the pioneer spirit. He wrote orchestral works, ballets, chamber music (music for small ensembles) and the cinema. Listen: Rodeo, Hoedown

• John Cage Jr. (1912-1992): John Cage Jr was a composer and musical theorist.  He is known for his experimental music and utilizing non-standard instruments.  His most famous piece of "music" is entitled 4'33", in which he uses deliberate silence - the orchestra sitting silent for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. He also was instrumental in the development of modern dance.  Listen: A Flower

• Margaret Bonds (1913-1972): Margaret Bonds was a pianist composer. She was most known for her arrangements of African-American spirituals.  She was the first African American soloist with the Chicago Symphony.  Listen: Troubled Water

• Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): Leonard Bernstein as a conductor and composer, pianist, music educator and author. He combined classical music with jazz, pop, Broadway, latin and Yiddish (Jewish) folk to create pieces uniquely "Bernstein". He is most known for his compositions for musical theater, including West Side Story and On the Town, however, Bernstein wrote operas, symphonies, chamber music and composed for the cinema.  Listen: Candide

• John Williams (b.1932): The most recognizable cinematic composer in the world, John Williams' work in cinema is prolific.  He is known for his atonal (music without definitive key - mixing key signatures) romantic melodies written for a full orchestra. He has also composed concert pieces not used in cinema and is a prominent guest conductor for several orchestras. Listen: Star Wars Theme

• Phillip Glass (b.1937):  This composer pioneered a new, modern sound by utilizing minimalist (simple) melodies and harmonies, preferring to repeat and layer sections rather than use variations.  He is still actively composing symphonies, concertos (music for a solo instrument), musical theater and film scores at the age of 87.  Listen: Heroes Symphony

• John Adams (b.1947): John Adams is a contemporary classical composer. He is known for his operas, which are often centered around recent historic events.  Listen: Doctor Atomic

• Danny Elfman (b.1953): Danny Elfman began his career as the lead singer and songwriter for the rock group Oingo Boingo.  Since, he has written over 100 film scores, as well as music for television, theater and concert orchestras. He has studied world music extensively and owns a large collection of instruments from all over the world.  He often utilizes instruments native to the culture for which he is composing.  Listen: Spiderman, Main Title

• Jennifer Higdon (b.1962) A Pulitzer Price for music and a 3-time Grammy Award winner, Jennifer Higdon began formal music training in college.  Before that, she listened to a lot of music and figured out how to play the flute on her own.  She calls her style "intuitive" - composing pieces that make sense to the listener, rather than adhering to traditional composition structures. She writes opera and choral music, as well as music for solo instruments and ensembles. Listen: Violin Concerto - Fly Forward

• Missy Mizzoli (b.1980): Missy Mizzoli teachers at Mannes College of Music in NYC and is the keyboardist for Victoire, an electric-acoustic band. She uses electronic sounds in her work.  She was one of the first women to receive a commission from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.  Listen: Still Life with Avalanche