As the 20th century got under way, American music in the concert hall was finding its own musical identity; it would no longer be merely a pale imitation of Europe.
The exciting new compositions reverberating in concert halls across the U.S. allowed audiences to hear their nation's own unique musical tributaries merging together to form a bold, new, identifiably American musical current. Thanks to the invention of recorded sound, we can actually hear American music coming into being, all these years later. Additionally, we can marvel at the way American composers reflected their nation's values through inclusivity and activism.
Join Jamie Bernstein on her exploration of four iconic 20th century composers who helped create a uniquely American flavor of classical music: Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Leonard Bernstein.
This is a two-session live online course. Each session is 120 minutes. All sessions will be recorded and are available to participants for re-watching until Thu, Nov 4, 2038.
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Session 1: November 5 at 1:00pm EST
Gershwin and Ellington: Jazz Moves Into the Concert Hall
Two young outliers, one African American and one the son of Jewish immigrants, each soaking up the music from the sidelines of the Cotton Club... Their subsequent artistry and prodigious careers made them the key progenitors of early 20th Century American music in the concert hall.
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Session 2: November 12 at 1:00pm EST
Copland and Bernstein: the Dance of Composing and Conducting
The elder musician was a composing mentor to the younger one -- but the inverse was true when it came to conducting. Together, these two giants of 20th century American orchestral music made an indelible imprint on the proceedings.