Many people who know me learn very quickly that I love knowledge. I love to know little things about many topics. What always fascinates me is how these little things can all be tied to music.
Starting from the very beginning, it’s important to know a little bit about the composer who wrote the piece you are learning. While it’s always interesting to do something new with an old piece, like adding a drum beat to a Bach Sonata, it’s important to understand the context the piece was written in first.
My goal with this series is to provide a brief lesson on popular (and some not-so popular) composers to place them in context for students and their families. Because of my background as a homeschool teacher, I envision this project as a fun activity for students and their families. The articles can simply be read through for information, or families may choose to complete a whole study on a composer with timelines and listening logs.
There are many resources online that offer similar lists and biographies. When they are available, I will link them. I also hope to link to other resources and recordings that I find helpful in understanding a composer and his motivations.
Each month I will feature a different composer from the Suzuki curriculum. Please feel free to offer feedback or ask questions if you feel I have not completely covered a composer’s life, or missed a composer.
Enjoy!
- Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Suzuki, Shinichi