Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music

So often we look at music and composers who walked the earth hundreds of years ago. These men and women were quite talented and certainly worth being remembered. But did you know that we also have talented composers alive and working in the world today? This month, Clef Notes looks at a few of these composers and their music. Today, we kick things off with Paul Schoenfield.

If you frequently tune to 90.9, you’ve likely heard Schoenfield’s Four Parables or perhaps his Café Music. But did you know that Café Music was inspired by a Minneapolis restaurant’s house trio? That’s right – Schoenfield is not only a composer but a pianist, and after stepping in for the pianist in this house trio, it dawned on him that it would be neat to write classy dinner music that could also be performed in a concert hall! He took the Broadway, gypsy, and light classical sounds he heard the trio perform and created his own work. 

Schoenfield began his music studies as a child on piano and quickly realized he had a passion for composing. His teachers include famous names such as Rudolf Serkin and Julius Chajes. His works have been performed by major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the Seattle Symphony. His music finds inspiration in folk and popular styles as well as traditional classical models.


Join me next time as we look at a composer known for writing flute and piccolo music!