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Composer of the Week: Willie Mae “Big Mama” T

Composer of the Week: Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton American blues and R&B singer Willie Mae Thornton was born on December 11, 1926 in Ariton, Alabama, and was self-taught as a singer. She grew up watching singers like Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie and tried to emulate their sound which she admired. By age 14 Thornton had dropped out of school, following the death of her mother, and began touring with “Sammy Green’s Hot Harlem Revue”, however by 1948 she left the group following money disputes. In 1952 Thornton recorded her hit record “Hound Dog”, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, which launched Thornton’s career, although her success was overshadowed when Elvis Presley recorded the same song 3 years later to great success. By the late 1950’s Thornton relocated to the Bay Area and began performing at clubs like the Fillmore. Thornton wrote her hit “Ball & Chain” in 1961, but was unsuccessful in attaining the copyright for the song allowing it to be recorded by other artists such as Janis Joplin. Thornton died on July 25, 1984 of heart and liver disorders and was buried in Los Angeles, CA where she had been living at the time. Thornton was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024 for her substantial musical influence on blues and R&B throughout her career. What else can you learn about Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #WillieMaeBigMamaThornton

Composer of the Week: Terri Lyne Carrington Amer

Composer of the Week: Terri Lyne Carrington American jazz percussionist Terri Lyne Carrington was born on August 4th, 1965 in Medford, Massachusetts. Carrington began studying percussion at the age of 7 after being gifted a set from her grandfather, three years later she performed at the Wichita Jazz Festival with Terry Clark and the following year she enrolled at the Berklee School of Music with a full scholarship, all at the age of 11. In 1983 Carrington moved to New York, under the encouragement from her mentor Jack DeJohnette, where she worked with musicians such as Stan Getz, and Cassandra Wilson, however by the late 1980’s she had moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a drummer for the Arsenio Hall Show and later on Quincy Jones’ tv-show “Vibe”. Throughout her career Carrington has been highly celebrated, winning numerous awards such as Grammy’s, JJA Jazz awards, and honorary doctorates from York University and Manhattan School of Music. Notable pieces she has written during her career include “Bells (Ring Loudly)”, and “More to Say”. Her most recent album “New Standards Vol. 1” won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album features jazz pieces written by women composers with the intention of raising up the voice of women, trans, and non-binary jazz musicians. What else can you learn about Terri Lyne Carrington this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #TerriLyneCarrington

Studio classes are one of our favorite ways to get

Studio classes are one of our favorite ways to get all of our students together to practice their performance skills. They all did a wonderful job last Sunday playing for each other! #MakeMoreMusic #musicmakers #musicschool #sfmusicians

Composer of the Week: Lil Hardin Armstrong Ameri

Composer of the Week: Lil Hardin Armstrong American jazz pianist Lil Hardin Armstrong was born on February 3rd, 1898 in Memphis, Tennessee. As a child she was taught hymns and classical music on the piano, however as she grew older she found herself more drawn to the popular music of the time and the blues. Hardin received a diploma from Fisk University in 1917, the following year she moved to Chicago with her mother and stepfather. While in Chicago she began playing with a band led by Lawrence Duhé, with the band steadily gaining popularity, with the group becoming the principal band for Dreamland, a popular jazz club. By 1922 the band was enjoying a great amount of success, now under the direction of King Oliver, and they sent for Louis Armstrong to join the group. Hardin married Louis Armstrong in February 1924, although they later divorced in 1938. By the 1940’s Hardin was mostly performing as a soloist, as she moved away from the world of music. Throughout her career Hardin wrote pieces such as “Bad Boy”, which was covered by numerous artists such as Ringo Starr, and “Oriental Swing”. Hardin died on August 27, 1971 after suffering a heart attack while performing for a televised memorial for Louis Armstrong who had passed the month before. What else can you learn about Lil Hardin Armstrong this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #LilHardinArmstrong

We’re looking forward to our first Studio Classe

We’re looking forward to our first Studio Classes of 2025, happening this Sunday! Each studio class begins with a faculty-led performance and mini discussion before the students get to perform for each other! 🎶 #MakeMoreMusic #musicschool #studioclass #performing

Looking for something fun to do during the summer?

Looking for something fun to do during the summer? We have summer camps for you to #MakeMoreMusic with us all summer long! Enrollment is currently open for both Band Camp and Singing Camp. Enroll before March 15th for Early Bird Discounts. #summercamp #summermusiccamp #music #musicschool

Composer of the Week: Nino Rota Italian film com

Composer of the Week: Nino Rota Italian film composer Giovanni “Nino” Rota Rinaldi was born December 3rd, 1911 in Milan, Italy. He was considered a child prodigy and wrote his first oratorio “L’infanzia di San Giovanni Battistai” by the age of 11. He studied composition at the Milan Conservatory with Giacomo Orefice and before moving to study with Ildebrando Pizzetti and Alfredo Casella at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. He briefly moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute after being encouraged by Arturo Toscanini, although he soon returned to Milan and earned a degree in literature. He then began teaching and gained the directorship at Liceo Musicale in Bari. Throughout his career Rota wrote over 150 film scores, most notably “The Glass Mountain”, “The Godfather” trilogy, and “War and Peace”. He also wrote a large amount of music for orchestra, piano, and chamber musical ensembles with pieces such as “La Strada” (for orchestra), “Castel de Monte”, and “Campane a Festa”. Rota died on April 10, 1979 from heart disease. What else can you learn about Nino Rota this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #NinoRota

Composer of the Week: John Rutter English choral

Composer of the Week: John Rutter English choral composer John Rutter was born September 24, 1945 in London, England. While he was a student at Highgate School he was part of the choir that sang on the first recording of Benjamin Britten “War Requiem”, which was conducted by Britten. Following his time at Highgate Rutter attended Clare College, Cambridge where he studied music and was a member of the choir. From 1975 - 1979 he served as the director of music for the college and led their choir. The Cambridge Singers were founded in 1981, and are a group of mixed voices lead by Rutter. The group frequently performs Rutter’s music in addition to singing sacred music. Rutter’s compositional output became severely limited starting in 1985 when he was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome, and he stopped accepting commissions as he was unable to guarantee meeting the deadline, although he has continued to compose at his own pace. Notable pieces he has written during his career include “The Beatles Concerto”, “Requiem”, and “Mass of the Children”. In 2007 Rutter received an Order of the British Empire (CBE) and was knighted in 2024 for his services to music. What else can you learn about John Rutter this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #JohnRutter

Composer of the Week: Carla Bley Bay area Jazz c

Composer of the Week: Carla Bley Bay area Jazz composer Carla Bley was born Lovella May Borg on May 11, 1936 in Oakland, California. Bley was encouraged from a young age to sing and play piano by her father, who was a piano teacher and choirmaster for a church. At the age of 17 she moved to New York City where she found work at Birdland, a prominent jazz club in the city. It was there she met jazz pianist Paul Bley who encouraged her to start composing. She went on to marry Paul Bley in 1957 and changed her stage name to Carla Bley. As a young composer she was quite successful with songs such as “Bent Eagle” and “Ictus” being recorded by popular musicians of the time. In 1964 alongside Michael Mantler they formed the Jazz Composers Guild, which was a group that sought to perform orchestral avante-garde jazz. One of the group's most notable pieces was the jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill”. Bley was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 and passed away on October 17, 2023 in Willow, New York. What else can you learn about Carla Bley this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #CarlaBley

Composer of the Week: Antonio Salieri Italian co

Composer of the Week: Antonio Salieri Italian composer Antonia Salieri was born August 18th, 1750 in Legnago, Italy. He was first taught violin by his older brother, and later went on to organ with Giuseppe Simoni. His earliest known opera was written in 1770, “Le donne letterate” and while moderately successful launched Salieri’s opera career. Around this time Salieri also wrote some instrumental music, however it was not well received and critics wrote that they felt it lacked the inspiration found in his successful stage works. In 1785, while living and working in Vienna Salieri wrote what is considered one of his greatest works, “La Grotta di Trofonio”. While Salieri enjoyed a very affluent career while he was alive towards the end of his life a vicious rumor spread that he had a rivalry with Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart and many blamed him for the young composer’s death in 1791, however this was proven false. This fictional rivalry was even depicted in the 1979 play and 1984 film “Amadeus”. Towards the end of his life he suffered a breakdown in NOvember of 1823 and on May 7th, 1824 he passed away while living in Vienna. His Requiem in C minor, written in 1804, was performed for the first time at his funeral. What else can you learn about Antonio Salieri this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #AntonioSalieri

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Composer of the Week: Willie Mae “Big Mama” T

Composer of the Week: Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton American blues and R&B singer Willie Mae Thornton was born on December 11, 1926 in Ariton, Alabama, and was self-taught as a singer. She grew up watching singers like Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie and tried to emulate their sound which she admired. By age 14 Thornton had dropped out of school, following the death of her mother, and began touring with “Sammy Green’s Hot Harlem Revue”, however by 1948 she left the group following money disputes. In 1952 Thornton recorded her hit record “Hound Dog”, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, which launched Thornton’s career, although her success was overshadowed when Elvis Presley recorded the same song 3 years later to great success. By the late 1950’s Thornton relocated to the Bay Area and began performing at clubs like the Fillmore. Thornton wrote her hit “Ball & Chain” in 1961, but was unsuccessful in attaining the copyright for the song allowing it to be recorded by other artists such as Janis Joplin. Thornton died on July 25, 1984 of heart and liver disorders and was buried in Los Angeles, CA where she had been living at the time. Thornton was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024 for her substantial musical influence on blues and R&B throughout her career. What else can you learn about Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #WillieMaeBigMamaThornton

Composer of the Week: Terri Lyne Carrington Amer

Composer of the Week: Terri Lyne Carrington American jazz percussionist Terri Lyne Carrington was born on August 4th, 1965 in Medford, Massachusetts. Carrington began studying percussion at the age of 7 after being gifted a set from her grandfather, three years later she performed at the Wichita Jazz Festival with Terry Clark and the following year she enrolled at the Berklee School of Music with a full scholarship, all at the age of 11. In 1983 Carrington moved to New York, under the encouragement from her mentor Jack DeJohnette, where she worked with musicians such as Stan Getz, and Cassandra Wilson, however by the late 1980’s she had moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a drummer for the Arsenio Hall Show and later on Quincy Jones’ tv-show “Vibe”. Throughout her career Carrington has been highly celebrated, winning numerous awards such as Grammy’s, JJA Jazz awards, and honorary doctorates from York University and Manhattan School of Music. Notable pieces she has written during her career include “Bells (Ring Loudly)”, and “More to Say”. Her most recent album “New Standards Vol. 1” won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album features jazz pieces written by women composers with the intention of raising up the voice of women, trans, and non-binary jazz musicians. What else can you learn about Terri Lyne Carrington this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #TerriLyneCarrington

Studio classes are one of our favorite ways to get

Studio classes are one of our favorite ways to get all of our students together to practice their performance skills. They all did a wonderful job last Sunday playing for each other! #MakeMoreMusic #musicmakers #musicschool #sfmusicians

Composer of the Week: Lil Hardin Armstrong Ameri

Composer of the Week: Lil Hardin Armstrong American jazz pianist Lil Hardin Armstrong was born on February 3rd, 1898 in Memphis, Tennessee. As a child she was taught hymns and classical music on the piano, however as she grew older she found herself more drawn to the popular music of the time and the blues. Hardin received a diploma from Fisk University in 1917, the following year she moved to Chicago with her mother and stepfather. While in Chicago she began playing with a band led by Lawrence Duhé, with the band steadily gaining popularity, with the group becoming the principal band for Dreamland, a popular jazz club. By 1922 the band was enjoying a great amount of success, now under the direction of King Oliver, and they sent for Louis Armstrong to join the group. Hardin married Louis Armstrong in February 1924, although they later divorced in 1938. By the 1940’s Hardin was mostly performing as a soloist, as she moved away from the world of music. Throughout her career Hardin wrote pieces such as “Bad Boy”, which was covered by numerous artists such as Ringo Starr, and “Oriental Swing”. Hardin died on August 27, 1971 after suffering a heart attack while performing for a televised memorial for Louis Armstrong who had passed the month before. What else can you learn about Lil Hardin Armstrong this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #LilHardinArmstrong

We’re looking forward to our first Studio Classe

We’re looking forward to our first Studio Classes of 2025, happening this Sunday! Each studio class begins with a faculty-led performance and mini discussion before the students get to perform for each other! 🎶 #MakeMoreMusic #musicschool #studioclass #performing

Looking for something fun to do during the summer?

Looking for something fun to do during the summer? We have summer camps for you to #MakeMoreMusic with us all summer long! Enrollment is currently open for both Band Camp and Singing Camp. Enroll before March 15th for Early Bird Discounts. #summercamp #summermusiccamp #music #musicschool

Composer of the Week: Nino Rota Italian film com

Composer of the Week: Nino Rota Italian film composer Giovanni “Nino” Rota Rinaldi was born December 3rd, 1911 in Milan, Italy. He was considered a child prodigy and wrote his first oratorio “L’infanzia di San Giovanni Battistai” by the age of 11. He studied composition at the Milan Conservatory with Giacomo Orefice and before moving to study with Ildebrando Pizzetti and Alfredo Casella at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. He briefly moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute after being encouraged by Arturo Toscanini, although he soon returned to Milan and earned a degree in literature. He then began teaching and gained the directorship at Liceo Musicale in Bari. Throughout his career Rota wrote over 150 film scores, most notably “The Glass Mountain”, “The Godfather” trilogy, and “War and Peace”. He also wrote a large amount of music for orchestra, piano, and chamber musical ensembles with pieces such as “La Strada” (for orchestra), “Castel de Monte”, and “Campane a Festa”. Rota died on April 10, 1979 from heart disease. What else can you learn about Nino Rota this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #NinoRota

Composer of the Week: John Rutter English choral

Composer of the Week: John Rutter English choral composer John Rutter was born September 24, 1945 in London, England. While he was a student at Highgate School he was part of the choir that sang on the first recording of Benjamin Britten “War Requiem”, which was conducted by Britten. Following his time at Highgate Rutter attended Clare College, Cambridge where he studied music and was a member of the choir. From 1975 - 1979 he served as the director of music for the college and led their choir. The Cambridge Singers were founded in 1981, and are a group of mixed voices lead by Rutter. The group frequently performs Rutter’s music in addition to singing sacred music. Rutter’s compositional output became severely limited starting in 1985 when he was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome, and he stopped accepting commissions as he was unable to guarantee meeting the deadline, although he has continued to compose at his own pace. Notable pieces he has written during his career include “The Beatles Concerto”, “Requiem”, and “Mass of the Children”. In 2007 Rutter received an Order of the British Empire (CBE) and was knighted in 2024 for his services to music. What else can you learn about John Rutter this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #JohnRutter

Composer of the Week: Carla Bley Bay area Jazz c

Composer of the Week: Carla Bley Bay area Jazz composer Carla Bley was born Lovella May Borg on May 11, 1936 in Oakland, California. Bley was encouraged from a young age to sing and play piano by her father, who was a piano teacher and choirmaster for a church. At the age of 17 she moved to New York City where she found work at Birdland, a prominent jazz club in the city. It was there she met jazz pianist Paul Bley who encouraged her to start composing. She went on to marry Paul Bley in 1957 and changed her stage name to Carla Bley. As a young composer she was quite successful with songs such as “Bent Eagle” and “Ictus” being recorded by popular musicians of the time. In 1964 alongside Michael Mantler they formed the Jazz Composers Guild, which was a group that sought to perform orchestral avante-garde jazz. One of the group's most notable pieces was the jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill”. Bley was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 and passed away on October 17, 2023 in Willow, New York. What else can you learn about Carla Bley this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #CarlaBley

Composer of the Week: Antonio Salieri Italian co

Composer of the Week: Antonio Salieri Italian composer Antonia Salieri was born August 18th, 1750 in Legnago, Italy. He was first taught violin by his older brother, and later went on to organ with Giuseppe Simoni. His earliest known opera was written in 1770, “Le donne letterate” and while moderately successful launched Salieri’s opera career. Around this time Salieri also wrote some instrumental music, however it was not well received and critics wrote that they felt it lacked the inspiration found in his successful stage works. In 1785, while living and working in Vienna Salieri wrote what is considered one of his greatest works, “La Grotta di Trofonio”. While Salieri enjoyed a very affluent career while he was alive towards the end of his life a vicious rumor spread that he had a rivalry with Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart and many blamed him for the young composer’s death in 1791, however this was proven false. This fictional rivalry was even depicted in the 1979 play and 1984 film “Amadeus”. Towards the end of his life he suffered a breakdown in NOvember of 1823 and on May 7th, 1824 he passed away while living in Vienna. His Requiem in C minor, written in 1804, was performed for the first time at his funeral. What else can you learn about Antonio Salieri this week? #Composeroftheweek #CotW #MakeMoreMusic #MusicEducation #MusicEd #MusicHistory #LittleMissionStudio #AntonioSalieri

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