Aaron Copland School of Music
Encyclopedia
The Aaron Copland School of Music is one of the oldest and most distinguished departments at Queens College, founded when the College opened in 1937.
The department's curriculum was originally established by Edwin Stringham
, and a later emphasis on the analytical system of Heinrich Schenker
was initiated by Saul Novack.
Some of the students who enrolled in early classes of the college later became faculty members of the department. This included Sol Berkowitz, Gabriel Fontrier, Leo Kraft
. Other distinguished faculty from the early years included John Castellini, who founded the Choral Society; Boris Schwarz, a refugee from his native Russia
in 1917 and later from Nazi Germany
in the 1930s; Saul Novack, who later became Dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities; and Barry Brook, who with Saul Novack established the doctoral program in music at the Graduate Center of CUNY. Joseph Machlis, developed the teaching of music appreciation
to a high art, and wrote the most successful series of music appreciation textbooks in history. (Machlis's Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening has been used by more than 3.5 million students and is in its tenth edition.) Later distinguished faculty included Felix Salzer, a refugee from Austria
who was a student of the theorist Heinrich Schenker and became the leading exponent of his ideas to generations of American students and scholars; and the distinguished composers Hugo Weisgall
and George Perle
.
Best of all time....*Mikeal Karlsson
The department's curriculum was originally established by Edwin Stringham
Edwin Stringham
Edwin John Stringham was an American composer. A native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, he spent much time in Colorado before moving to New York City, where he served on the faculty of Teachers College at Columbia University. Most of his output was orchestral, and would frequently spice his works with...
, and a later emphasis on the analytical system of Heinrich Schenker
Heinrich Schenker
Heinrich Schenker was a music theorist, best known for his approach to musical analysis, now usually called Schenkerian analysis....
was initiated by Saul Novack.
Some of the students who enrolled in early classes of the college later became faculty members of the department. This included Sol Berkowitz, Gabriel Fontrier, Leo Kraft
Leo Kraft
Leo Kraft is an American composer, author, and educator.He holds degrees from Queens College and Princeton University. He studied composition with Karol Rathaus, Randall Thompson, and Nadia Boulanger...
. Other distinguished faculty from the early years included John Castellini, who founded the Choral Society; Boris Schwarz, a refugee from his native Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1917 and later from Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in the 1930s; Saul Novack, who later became Dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities; and Barry Brook, who with Saul Novack established the doctoral program in music at the Graduate Center of CUNY. Joseph Machlis, developed the teaching of music appreciation
Music appreciation
Music appreciation is teaching people what to listen for and to appreciate different types of music. Usually music appreciation classes involve some history lessons to explain why people of a certain era liked the music that they did...
to a high art, and wrote the most successful series of music appreciation textbooks in history. (Machlis's Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening has been used by more than 3.5 million students and is in its tenth edition.) Later distinguished faculty included Felix Salzer, a refugee from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
who was a student of the theorist Heinrich Schenker and became the leading exponent of his ideas to generations of American students and scholars; and the distinguished composers Hugo Weisgall
Hugo Weisgall
Hugo David Weisgall was an American composer and conductor, known chiefly for his opera and vocal music compositions...
and George Perle
George Perle
George Perle was a composer and music theorist. He was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. Perle was an alumnus of DePaul University...
.
Notable alumni
- Arturo O'FarrillArturo O'FarrillArturo O'Farrill is a pianist, the son of Latin jazz musician and bandleader Chico O'Farrill. He formerly worked with Carla Bley and eventually took over his father's band. Arturo went on to form the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, which played at Lincoln Center. Under his direction the group recorded...
- Conrad HerwigConrad HerwigConrad Herwig is a jazz trombonist from New York City in the United States. He has recorded 20 albums as a leader.-Biography:He began his career in Clark Terry's band in the early 1980s and has been a featured member in the Joe Henderson Sextet, Tom Harrell’s Septet and Big Band, and the Joe...
- JoAnn FallettaJoAnn FallettaJoAnn Falletta is an American classical musician and orchestral conductor.Falletta was educated at the Mannes College of Music and The Juilliard School in New York City...
- Frank LopardoFrank LopardoFrank Lopardo is an American operatic tenor who was born and raised in Brentwood, New York. He specialized in the repertoire of Mozart and Rossini early in his career and has since transitioned to the works of Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, and Bellini.-Early Years:Frank Lopardo began his musical...
- George TsontakisGeorge TsontakisGeorge Tsontakis is an American composer and conductor.Tsontakis studied composition with Hugo Weisgall and Roger Sessions at the Juilliard School from 1974 to 1978, and later with Franco Donatoni at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome...
- Tito MuñozTito MuñozTito Arturo Muñoz is an American conductor and is currently Music Director of the Opéra national de Lorraine and Orchestre symphonique et lyrique de Nancy...
Best of all time....*Mikeal Karlsson
Notable faculty
- William Rothstein
- Hugo WeisgallHugo WeisgallHugo David Weisgall was an American composer and conductor, known chiefly for his opera and vocal music compositions...
- Jimmy HeathJimmy HeathJames Edward Heath , nicknamed Little Bird, is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger. He is the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath.-Biography:...
- Daniel Phillips
- Marcy Rosen
- David Jolley
- Charles NeidichCharles NeidichCharles Neidich is an American classical clarinetist, composer, and conductor.-Early career:A native New Yorker of Russian and Greek descent, Charles Neidich began his clarinet studies with his father, Irving Neidich, at the age of eight, and continued them with the renowned teacher Leon Russianoff...
- Stephanie ChaseStephanie Chase"One of the most respected classical violinists in the world," Stephanie Chase is an American concert violinist and educator.- Biography :...
- Roland HannaRoland HannaRoland Hanna was an American Jazz pianist.Hanna studied classical piano as a boy, but was strongly interested in jazz. This increased after his time in military service.He studied at Eastman School of Music and Juilliard School...
- Maurice PeressMaurice PeressMaurice Peress is an American orchestra conductor, educator and author. After serving as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein beginning in 1961, Peress went on to stand as leader of the orchestra in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1962. In 1970, he also became leader...
- Irene Breslaw
- Nina Lelchuk