This is where you can watch and listen to our 'composer of the month'. Use your knowledge of the inter-related dimensions and how they have been used to create an impact. Make any comments to your music teacher on Seesaw.

July - Ramin Djwadi

An Iranian-German game and film score composer, conductor as well as record producer. In his early days he caught the attention of Hans Zimmer and has since composed for many film and TV productions alongside his compositions for the gaming world.  

June - Anna Clyne

Anna Clyne is a composer from London, England. She now lives and works in New York, in the USA. Anna composed her first piece of music when she was just 11 years old!

Anna makes lots of different music using computers and electronic sounds as well as music for lots of musicians to play together in an orchestra. Listen to her Grammy award nominated composition 'Prince of clouds' which demonstrates her like to mix unusual groups of instruments together and create new and exciting sounds. 

May - John Williams

An American composer, conductor, and pianist. John Williams has a career that has spanned decades. He is considered among the greatest composers in the history of cinema.

April - Enya

This Irish composer is from a family of musicians so it was no surprise to them that she pursued a career in music. She has a distinct vocal and traditional style that reflect her Irish roots and maintain her popularity. Listen to 'Watermark' - one of the tracks from her hit album in 1988.  Notice the links to Ireland in the official video. What journey does this music take you on?

March - Karl Jenkins

In celebration of his recent 80th birthday, the composer of the month is Karl Jenkins. After training at the Royal Academy of Music, in the 1970s he played in a jazz band and a rock group. His eclectic musical background is partly what gives his music its distinctive sound, blurring the lines between classical, global music and jazz. Last year, his classical harp concerto was heard by millions at the coronation of King Charles. Today, this Welsh composer is best known for his choral work. This piece is called 'Rain Dance'. Notice the carefully chosen instruments used at the open and throughout to represent the gentle sound of rain, the moments of silence between and the final crescendo (dynamics) towards the end.

January - Camille Saint Saens

He is a french pianist, organist, conductor as well as a composer from the Romantic era of music. His best known works include a group of compositions called 'The carnival of the animals' (1866). Have a listen to 'The Elephant'. Notice how the sounds represent the movement of an elephant

December - Florence Price 

The programme from which this extract is taken was performed in honour of this trailblazing African-American female composer of the twentieth century, Florence B. Price. This is the first movement of her award-winning Symphony no. 1 in E minor. Conducted by Roderick Cox. The range of dynamics in her symphony no1 makes me feel like I'm gliding and I'm on an exciting adventure. How does it make you feel? 

November - Hans Zimmer.

He was born in Germany and has written many scores of music to accompany films including Pirates of the Caribbean and Kung fu Panda. Hans still performs live across the world playing the piano or guitar with orchestras and continues to write music for popular films.Listen to this piece and see if you recognise the film this composition was written for. Pay attention to the dynamics throughout and notice the instruments being played. Think about the texture and how the layers of sound change.

October - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

September - Ludivico Einaudi

Italian composer who loves to play the piano. His favourite make is a Steinway and we are lucky enough to have one in our library. Watch (and listen to) his moving composition of 'Elegy for the Artic'. Einaudi performed this on a floating platform in the middle of the Ocean, against the backdrop of the Wahlenbergbreen glacier (in Svalbard, Norway). What words would you use to describe the piece of music?