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 while still a teenager! He 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 follow in his footsteps. 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 earned 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!

Florence Price Florence Price was the first female African-American composer to have music performed by a major symphony orchestra! She attended the Prestigious New England Conservatory Of Music, and later served as the head of the music department at Clark Atlanta University. Like many other composer/song-writers, Ms. Price wrote music for commercials and movies in addition to these well-known compositions: Symphony No.1 in e minor Piano Sonata No.1 in e minor Dance: Nimble Feet Violin Concerto No.2 Honeysuckle At Dusk

He is the most famous composer you've never heard of -- Scott Joplin was born near the end of 1867( the actual date is unknown) in Northern Texas. His mother was formerly enslaved and gave Scott some of his earliest music lessons. Scott taught himself to play the piano while his mother cleaned the houses of wealthy people who owned pianos (the Joplins did not have a piano at home). Later in his life, he began to write music and became known as "The King Of Ragtime" because of the style of music he created. An opera, music for ballet, and more than 44 ragtime dances for the piano are just a part of the music Joplin wrote in his life. Remember to say something about the music. Great story about Scott Joplin from NPR Here are some of his most well-known compositions: The Entertainer Maple Leaf Rag The Strenuous Life Easy Winners Treemonisha- Scott Joplin's Opera!  In English!