Blog Archives

Secret Code – Woody Guthrie

  1. Born in Okemah, Oklahoma.
  2. Traveled the US playing harmonica, guitar, fiddle, and other instruments.
  3. Songs are included in Library of Congress.
  4. Most famous song This Land is Your Land.
  5. Wrote Songs about peace, justice, and civil rights.

Secret Code – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

  1. Known for his melodies.
  2. Father taught him piano.
  3. Played for kings as a child.
  4. Had to write for church.
  5. Died very young at thirty-five.
  6. Musical genius, wrote fast.

Secret Code – Virgil Thompson

  1. From Kansas City, Missouri.
  2. Studied piano at five, played for church.
  3. Graduate of Harvard, studied in Paris.
  4. Organist, composer, music critic.

Secret Code – Victor Herbert

  1. Born in Ireland over 100 years ago.
  2. Played the cello a stringed instrument.
  3. Came to the United States in 1866 and married an opera singer.
  4. Began his own orchestra in New York.
  5. Most famous piece of music: March of the Toys, from his show, Babes in Toyland.

Secret Code – Sergei Prokofiev

  1. Born in Russia.
  2. Mother first taught him piano.
  3. Attended special music school and studied with famous composers.
  4. Traveled to Japan, Europe, and United States.
  5. Wrote Peter and the Wolf to teach children about the orchestra.

Secret Code – Ravi Shankar

  1. From Benares, India.
  2. Played the sitar, Indian string instrument.
  3. Traveled to Europe and United States.
  4. Wrote music for the movie Gandhi, recorded music.

Secret Code – Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

  1. Born in Russia, lived in country.
  2. Schooled at home by a tutor.
  3. Loved to play piano.
  4. Moved to city at 8 years old.
  5. Went back to school for music.
  6. Best known for The Nutcracker.

Secret Code – Ludwig van Beethoven

  1. Born in Germany.
  2. At 17, studied with Mozart.
  3. Known for strength in music.
  4. Lost hearing, kept composing.
  5. Erased a lot to get perfection.
  6. Wrote music for money.

Secret Code – Leonard Bernstein

  1. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
  2. Knew at a young age he had to play music and learned very fast.
  3. Began conducting while at Harvard.
  4. Studied conducting, became assistant conductor of New York Philharmonic.
  5. Most famous works, Candide, and West Side Story.

Secret Code – John Philip Sousa

  1. Born in Washington, D. C., capitol of The United States.
  2. He was a member of the marine corps band, and later became their leader.
  3. Helped invent the sousaphone.
  4. Became known as the march king.
  5. Composer of Stars and Strips Forever.