From Ancient Organs to Modern Pop
This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk | 21–27 June
This week’s composers span more than 350 years of musical history, taking us from the Baroque churches of Spain and Germany to film music, contemporary classical composition and modern pop.
It is a reminder that music is constantly evolving. While styles, instruments and audiences change, the desire to communicate emotion, tell stories and connect people remains the same.
This week also provides a perfect opportunity to discuss how young people discover music today. With the UK Government recently announcing plans to strengthen protections for children online and proposals that could significantly change how under-16s access social media platforms, schools and families may increasingly need to think about alternative ways for young people to discover culture, music and the arts in a safe environment.
This Week’s Composers
21 June – Alan Hovhaness
An American composer whose music often drew inspiration from nature, spirituality and Armenian heritage. His atmospheric works create vast musical landscapes.
22 June – Pablo Bruna
A Spanish Baroque composer and organist known as El Ciego de Daroca (“The Blind Man of Daroca”), whose keyboard music remains admired today.
23 June – Yann Tiersen
French composer and multi-instrumentalist whose music gained worldwide recognition through the soundtrack to Amélie.
24 June – Johann Theile
A German Baroque composer and pupil of Heinrich Schütz who helped shape sacred music in seventeenth-century Germany.
25 June – Peggy Glanville-Hicks
An Australian composer, writer and music critic whose work blended Western and non-Western musical traditions.
26 June – Ariana Grande
Singer, songwriter and performer whose powerful voice and chart-topping hits have made her one of the defining pop artists of her generation.
27 June – George Theophilus Walker
The first African American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. His works combine lyricism, power and originality.
Listening Themes This Week
This week’s music explores:
- Baroque organ music
- Film and soundtrack composition
- Spiritual and reflective music
- Global musical influences
- Contemporary popular music
- Breaking barriers in music history
One particularly interesting comparison is between Yann Tiersen and Ariana Grande. Both reached enormous audiences, yet through completely different routes – one through film music and instrumental composition, the other through popular song and performance.
Music Discovery in a Changing Online World
Recent UK Government announcements about strengthening online protections for children have generated significant discussion about how young people access online content.
Music has always adapted to new technologies – from printed scores and radio to records, television, streaming and social media.
As these changes develop, it may be worth asking pupils:
How would you discover new music if social media did not exist?
Would you rely on:
- Friends and family?
- Films and television?
- Radio?
- School music lessons?
- Concerts and performances?
It is a fascinating discussion about how musical tastes are shaped and shared.
Classroom Question
Which composer this week has had the biggest impact on the widest audience?
Yann Tiersen
Ariana Grande
George Walker
Alan Hovhaness
Or does influence mean something more than popularity?
June Reading Comprehension Resources
The June Composer Reading Comprehension Pack continues with seven more fascinating musicians from across four centuries.
Each day includes:
- Composer biography
- Comprehension questions
- Vocabulary activities
- Answer sheets
- QR codes linking to listening examples
Perfect for KS2, KS3, music lessons, tutor time and cover work.
Explore it here: June Composer Reading Comprehension pack
One composer. One piece. Every day.