Carnegie Hall

Chuck Berry (1926–2017), often called the father of rock and roll, was a singer and songwriter born Charles Edward Anderson in St. Louis, Missouri. He took the basic elements of rhythm and blues and added his signature electric guitar solos, catchy lyrics, and great showmanship to birth a new style that became rock and roll. Berry’s hit songs, including “Maybelline,” “Roll Over, Beethoven!” and “Johnny B. Goode,” became rock and roll classics covered by countless artists, and his music was the inspiration for groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Berry was one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and he performed at Carnegie Hall seven times!

Concert Repertoire: “Johnny B. Goode”

Thomas Cabaniss (b. 1962) is a composer and educator born in Charleston, South Carolina. Residing in New York City, Cabaniss teaches at The Juilliard School and leads arts education programs throughout the city. His music ranges from chamber music to operas and film scores. He previously served as a creative adviser for Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program, and helped launch Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project, which helps new and expecting parents and caregivers write songs for their children. Cabaniss uses his music to encourage collaboration and help institutions support partnerships between artists and communities.

Concert Repertoire: “Come to Play,” “Drumlines,” and “La Follia”

Jessica Meyer (b. 1974) is a versatile composer and violist whose passionate musicianship radiates accessibility and emotional clarity. Meyer’s compositions viscerally explore the wide palette of emotionally expressive colors and rhythms that have inspired her over the years as a violist performing everything from rock to Bach. Her first composer-performer portrait album debuted at number one on the Billboard traditional classical chart, and her works have been commissioned and performed by many established ensembles, including A Far Cry, the American Brass Quintet, Roomful of Teeth, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. A passionate educator, Meyer is committed to awakening the creative capacities in students of all ages and has conducted hundreds of workshops for Carnegie Hall, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Caramoor, the Little Orchestra Society, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

Concert Repertoire: “Go BIG or Go HOME”

Photography by Tatiana Daubeck

Carl Orff (1895–1982) was a German composer who began studying the piano at the age of five. Though his first composition was published when he was only 16 years old, he is most well known for his work in music education, particularly in connecting music and movement. Orff founded the Günther School for gymnastics, music, and dance in Munich, and there, he developed a style of teaching and collection of music known as “Orff Schulwerk,” which is used today by many educators. (Students today may recognize his movement exercises and barred–mallet instruments from their own classrooms!) Orff’s best-known composition is Carmina Burana, a large-scale piece for orchestra and chorus based on various medieval poems.

Concert Repertoire: “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana

Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) was a composer, pianist, and conductor. His mother played the piano, which sparked his interest in music at a young age. Prokofiev was a child prodigy, composing his first piano piece at age five and his first opera at age nine. He later went on to study music at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he developed his innovative and complex musical style. During the Russian Revolution, Prokofiev left his homeland to live in the United States and Western Europe before returning to the Soviet Union in the middle of his career. He wrote a large range of works, including symphonies, operas, ballets, and film music. Some of his most recognizable works include Peter and the Wolf, Romeo and Juliet, and Lieutenant Kijé. Fun fact: Prokofiev was an excellent chess player.

Concert Repertoire: “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet

Nina Shekhar (b. 1995) is an Indian American composer originally from Detroit, Michigan. She first began playing the piano at age four and caught the composing bug by writing short pieces at the keyboard. She learned to play the recorder in her elementary school classes and began playing her favorite Bollywood songs at home, and later she transitioned to performing on the flute. After playing in her school band, she developed a love of composing for large ensembles that she has carried into her professional career, having written for orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She also frequently performs as a vocalist with electronics and has produced tracks and videos for other rock and pop bands. Fun fact: She almost became a fashion designer, first learning to sew clothes for dolls.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) was born in a small village near Parma, Italy. He began studying the organ at the age of seven, and not long after became an organist at his family’s church. As a child, Verdi began composing pieces for the church and local orchestra. He wanted to attend the Milan Conservatory but was not accepted, so he began studying privately with a composition teacher and became the rehearsal director for a choral group, a position that inspired him to write his first opera. While some of Verdi’s early operas were not met with recognition and acclaim, he went on to become one of the most famous composers of Italian opera with works that include Il trovatore, Aida, and Rigoletto.

Concert Repertoire: “Anvil Chorus” from Il trovatore

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) grew up in Venice, Italy where his father, a professional violinist, taught him to play the violin and introduced him to some of the finest musicians and composers in the city. At the age of 15, he also began studying to become a priest. Because of his red hair, he was known as il Prete Rosso (“the Red Priest”). During his career, Vivaldi held several short-term music positions funded by patrons in Mantua and Rome. It was in Mantua that he wrote his four-part masterpiece, The Four Seasons. He was also known for his operas, including Argippo and Bajazet. Vivaldi’s work, including nearly 500 concertos, influenced many later composers, including J. S. Bach.

Concert Repertoire: “La Follia”