WAPS COMPOSER OF THE WEEK

When he was still a child Thelonious Monk taught himself how to play the piano! He began working as a musician when he was a teenager and had a full-time job playing piano and writing music before he was 25 years old. His music defined the style known as be-bop and inspired many other musicians to copy him. Born in North Carolina, his family moved to New York City, when he was six years old, into a neighborhood full of musicians (see if you can find Thelonius in the picture above). Thelonious also was given a Pulitzer Prize for his music! Here are just a few of his many hits: In Walked Bud 'Round Midnight Straight, No Chaser And If you really like Thelonius an entire concert!

American composer Jennifer Higdon has a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy award! She is also a self-taught musician and did not study music with a teacher until she was in college. Ms. Higdon was born in New York City but lived in Atlanta for 10 years during her youth. Higdon has composed several pieces of music for The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she teaches music at The Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, where she wrote "Blue Cathedral" one of her most popular compositions. She recently picked up her third Grammy award for "Harp Concerto"! Blue Cathedral (link has been fixed) Percussion Concerto (this is a short excerpt, for the entire work click here ) - Grammy Award Winner! Violin Concerto (Pulitzer Prize Winner) Harp Concerto - part three "Joy Ride" (Grammy 2020)