Reading Comprehensions

This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk

This week’s collection of composers moves across an enormous musical landscape.

From sweeping orchestral music and jazz innovation to progressive rock, avant-garde textures, and film-inspired drama, this is one of the most stylistically varied weeks so far.

It’s also a brilliant reminder that “classical music” is far broader than many people realise.

Week of 24–30 May

24 May – Aram Khachaturian
Known for energetic orchestral works full of colour, rhythm, and drama.

25 May – Mike Oldfield
Multi-instrumentalist best known for Tubular Bells and layered studio experimentation.

26 May – Miles Davis
One of jazz’s most influential figures, constantly reinventing his musical style.

27 May – Thea Musgrave
Scottish composer celebrated for vivid orchestral writing and dramatic musical storytelling.

28 May – György Ligeti
Innovative 20th-century composer whose atmospheric textures influenced film music and contemporary composition.

29 May – Mily Balakirev
Leader of “The Five”, helping shape a distinctive Russian musical identity.

30 May – Marcel Dupré
Virtuoso organist and composer known for extraordinary technical skill and improvisation.

A week of musical exploration

This week is ideal for exploring:

• Music that breaks traditional boundaries
• Composers who reinvented musical styles
• The relationship between classical, jazz, film, and popular music
• The evolution of sound across the 19th and 20th centuries

There’s a particularly interesting contrast between the accessibility of composers like Mike Oldfield and the experimental sound worlds of Ligeti.

This week’s question

Which composer do you think changed the direction of music the most: Miles Davis, Ligeti, or Mike Oldfield?

Daily Music Literacy Resources

Alongside the website, the growing Composer of the Day reading comprehension series continues to expand, designed for KS2/KS3 learners but flexible enough for wider classroom use.

The resources combine:

• Composer biographies
• Listening opportunities
• Retrieval and inference questions
• Music vocabulary development

Perfect for tutor time, cover work, or quick music literacy activities.

One composer. One piece. Every day.

This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk

This week’s composers are united by individuality.

From Erik Satie’s quiet originality to Wagner’s dramatic intensity, and from Christopher Tin’s global influences to Brian Eno-style sound worlds echoed elsewhere in the week, these are composers who developed unmistakable musical voices.

It’s also a particularly strong week for discovering lesser-known composers alongside major musical figures.

Week of 17–23 May

17 May – Erik Satie
A composer whose stripped-back, atmospheric music quietly influenced generations of later musicians.

18 May – Maddalena Laura Sirmen
Italian violinist and composer who gained international recognition in the 18th century.

19 May – Yiannis Papaioannou
Greek composer whose work explored modernist techniques and contemporary musical language.

20 May – Helen Hopekirk
Scottish pianist and composer remembered for expressive Romantic-era piano music.

21 May – Christopher Tin
Contemporary composer known for cinematic and globally inspired choral works.

22 May – Richard Wagner
One of music history’s most influential and controversial composers, known for large-scale operas and powerful orchestration.

23 May – Ignaz Moscheles
Virtuoso pianist, conductor, and teacher who connected the Classical and Romantic eras.

Why this week is interesting

This is a fascinating week for exploring:

• Musical personalities and distinctive styles
• Innovation across different centuries
• How composers influence later generations
• The contrast between intimate and large-scale music

This week’s question

Which composer from this week do you think had the biggest long-term influence on music?

May Reading Comprehension Resources

The May Composers Daily Music Reading Comprehension Pack (Ages 8+) continues the year-long series of daily music literacy activities.

Ideal for:

• Tutor time
• Cover lessons
• Listening activities
• Music-linked literacy work

https://musicoftheday.co.uk/product/🎼-may-composers-daily-music-reading-comprehension-ages-8/

One composer. One piece. Every day.

This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk

This week’s composers span film music, French elegance, operetta, jazz, ambient soundscapes, and Romantic classics – showing just how broad the musical world can be.

From concert halls to cinema, from choral music to jazz clubs, there’s plenty to discover.

Week of 10–16 May

10 May – Debbie Wiseman
British composer celebrated for film and television scores full of warmth, melody, and storytelling.

11 May – Judith Weir
Contemporary composer and former Master of the King’s Music whose work blends clarity, narrative, and imagination.

12 May – Gabriel Fauré
French composer known for refined harmony and lyrical beauty, especially in his chamber and choral music.

13 May – Arthur Sullivan
Half of the famous Gilbert and Sullivan partnership, creating comic operas still loved today.

14 May – Fanny Mendelssohn
Gifted composer and pianist whose music is increasingly recognised for its originality and depth.

15 May – Brian Eno
Musician, producer, and pioneer of ambient music whose influence stretches across popular and experimental music.

16 May – Django Reinhardt
Jazz guitarist whose virtuosity and creativity transformed European jazz.

Why this week stands out

A brilliant week to:

• Compare classical and contemporary composition
• Explore how music works in film, theatre, and atmosphere
• Discover influential musicians beyond the traditional “classical composer” model

This week’s question

If you could only choose one composer from this week to introduce to someone else, who would it be?

May Reading Comprehension Resources

The May Composers Daily Music Reading Comprehension Pack (Ages 8+) is now available and links directly to this month’s composer posts.

Perfect for:

• Music-linked literacy
• Classroom starters
• Cover lessons
• Cultural capital discussions

👉 https://musicoftheday.co.uk/product/🎼-may-composers-daily-music-reading-comprehension-ages-8/

One composer. One piece. Every day.

This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk

This week moves from the origins of instruments and classical traditions through to contemporary choral, film, and electronic music – a brilliant snapshot of how music evolves over time.

Week of 3–9 May

3 May – Katie Moss
British composer and performer best known for The Floral Dance, inspired by Cornish tradition.

4 May – Bartolomeo Cristofori
Inventor of the piano — a figure whose innovation transformed music forever.

5 May – Ola Gjeilo
Contemporary composer known for atmospheric choral works full of warmth and clarity.

6 May – Ernest MacMillan
Canadian composer, conductor, and educator who shaped musical life across the 20th century.

7 May – Gareth Coker
Modern composer known for evocative video game scores, blending orchestral and digital sound worlds.

8 May – Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Virtuoso pianist whose music blends classical forms with Caribbean and American influences.

9 May – Robert Miles
Electronic music producer whose track Children became an iconic sound of the 1990s.

Why this week is worth your time

This is a great week to:

• Trace how music evolves from instrument invention to modern production
• Compare classical traditions with contemporary sound
• Introduce students to less typical “composer” roles (e.g. producers, game composers)

Quick question

Which day are you most curious to listen to this week?
Reply and let me know – always interesting to see what stands out.

New: May Reading Comprehension Resource

The May Composers Daily Music Reading Comprehension Pack (Ages 8+) is now available, continuing the full-year series.

It includes:

• 31 daily composer profiles
• Listening links via MusicOfTheDay.co.uk
• Structured comprehension questions and answers
• Ready-to-use classroom activities

Designed for flexibility across KS2–KS5, it’s ideal for starters, cover lessons, and music literacy work.

Get it here:
https://musicoftheday.co.uk/product/🎼-may-composers-daily-music-reading-comprehension-ages-8/

One composer. One piece. Every day.