From Purple Rain to the King of Swing
This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk | 7–13 June
This week’s collection takes us on a fascinating musical journey through more than 300 years of music history.
From Baroque Venice and Romantic Germany to Broadway, jazz clubs and the global superstardom of Prince, these composers and performers show how music continually evolves while influencing future generations.
It is also one of the most stylistically diverse weeks of the year, featuring classical, jazz, musical theatre, contemporary orchestral music and pop.
This Week’s Composers
7 June – Prince
A musical innovator whose blend of pop, rock, funk and R&B produced classics including When Doves Cry, Purple Rain and 1999.
8 June – Tomaso Albinoni
Italian Baroque composer remembered today for works including the famous Adagio in G Minor, one of the most recognisable pieces of classical music.
9 June – Cole Porter
American songwriter whose witty lyrics and memorable melodies helped define Broadway and Hollywood musicals.
10 June – Mark-Anthony Turnage
Contemporary British composer known for combining classical music with influences from jazz, popular music and modern life.
11 June – Richard Strauss
German composer of tone poems and operas, including Also sprach Zarathustra, made famous by 2001: A Space Odyssey.
12 June – Teresa Carreño
Venezuelan pianist, composer and conductor celebrated as one of the great musical virtuosos of her era.
13 June – Benny Goodman
The “King of Swing”, whose performances helped bring jazz into the mainstream and define the Swing Era.
Listening Themes This Week
This week’s music offers opportunities to explore:
- The evolution of popular music
- Baroque and Romantic traditions
- Jazz and swing
- Musical theatre and songwriting
- Contemporary classical music
- Influential performers who changed musical history
A particularly interesting challenge is to compare Prince and Benny Goodman. Although they worked in completely different genres and eras, both transformed the musical landscape and inspired countless artists who followed.
Classroom Question
If you could attend one live performance from this week’s musicians, which would you choose?
- Prince performing Purple Rain
- Benny Goodman during the Swing Era
- A Broadway premiere featuring Cole Porter
- A first performance of a Richard Strauss masterpiece
Why?
June Reading Comprehension Resources
The June composer reading comprehension pack is available now.
Each day includes:
- A composer biography
- Reading comprehension activities
- Vocabulary, retrieval and inference questions
- Suggested answers
- Listening opportunities linked through QR codes
Perfect for KS2 and KS3 classrooms, music enrichment, tutor time and cover lessons.
June Composers – Daily Music Reading Comprehension (Ages 8+): https://musicoftheday.co.uk/product/%f0%9f%8e%bc-june-composers-daily-music-reading-comprehension-ages-8/
One composer. One piece. Every day.