Music Culture

In the 200 years since Francis Scott Key wrote the words to The Star-Spangled Banner (then The Defense of Fort M’Henry), the song has proved to be just as resilient…

In 2014 we celebrate the 150th birthday of Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949).  He is considered by many to be the natural musical successor to Richard…

It was the Mid-West National Band Clinic, 1964. Merrill Jones sat alone at a table with his publishing company’s entire catalog — one piece by Claude T. Smith, a well-known band director…

The year 2014 could prove to be significant for the legacy of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.  The second surviving son of the great Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March…

Hope is often defined as a desire and search for a future good.   In light of the many tragic events plaguing our world today, it’s a word that we seem…

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress authorized a brand-new flag – the Stars and Stripes — for a brand-new nation, the United States of America. Though President Woodrow Wilson…

If any piece can be said to define the twentieth century, it’s Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.  The first performance took place almost exactly a year and a month before…

As I write these words, we are no more than a few days away from the hundredth anniversary of one of the great events in musical history. May 29, 1913…

February 4, 1983.  I can tell you what I was doing that morning at about 9:30 a.m. when I heard the news on the radio.  It was a different time…

On December 14th, Middle Earth fans got the chance to take in the next installment of Peter Jackson’s imagining of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.  Midnight marked the release of the…

On November 5th of this year, the classical music world lost one of its giants. Elliott Carter would have celebrated his 104th birthday today, most likely by attending a concert…

How did it all start, you ask?  Well, let me tell you.  It all began about a few thousand years ago when pagan songs were sung to celebrate the Winter…

Halloween is the time of year when many of our fears and phobias come to life. Haunted houses, hay rides, and corn mazes can be found in nearly every city….

“Of course he’s not a composer, but he’s an inventor — of genius.” – Arnold Schoenberg on John Cage

We were all deeply saddened to hear the news that Francis McBeth passed away Friday, January 6th.  Dr. McBeth was a very well respected and admired figure in the concert…

As a J.W. Pepper choral editor who is also a composer, I’d like to share some of my observations about self-publishing.

Crystal Desch and I had the honor of interviewing Wynn-Anne Rossi, and we think you’ll find her as we did, an inspirational composer, pianist and teacher.  Among her many musical roles,…

It seems like there are a few opera productions such as Bizet’s Carmen, Delibes’ Lakme, Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, and Verdi’s La Traviata that have stood the test of time. …

Crystal Desch and I recently interviewed Robert D. Vandall by phone.  Robert Vandall is one of this country’s most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music.  He and his wife,…

Here is the second part of our two-part interview with Randall Faber.  Dr. Faber and his wife, Nancy, are authors of the best-selling piano method, Piano Adventures® and many other educational piano publications.  Click here to read Part…

Today we introduce a new series to the Pepper blog, Key People — interviews with some of the most inspiring composers, educators and pianists in today’s keyboard community.