Carnegie Hall

André Filho (1906–1974) was a Brazilian actor and musician who composed many popular songs. A violinist, singer, guitarist, pianist, mandolinist, and banjo player, Filho was an active performer and composer. He wrote “Cidade Maravilhosa” (“Beautiful City”) for the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in 1935. The song was made popular by Carmen Miranda, a Brazilian-born Broadway singer and actress, and became the anthem of Rio de Janeiro.

Duke Ellington (1899–1974) is considered one of the most important figures in jazz history. Born in Washington, DC, he began studying classical piano when he was around eight years old. As a teenager, Ellington became interested in ragtime and jazz and began playing in dance bands at clubs and parties. The young Edward—Ellington’s real first name—had an elegant sense of style, which earned him the nickname “Duke” from his friends. He moved to New York City as a young man and began his career as a bandleader and composer. Ellington was hired to lead the house band at the Cotton Club, a famous jazz club in Harlem. He went on to form the Duke Ellington Orchestra—which became known all over the country thanks to radio broadcasts and popular recordings—and toured the world for more than 50 years. Over the course of his long career, Ellington collaborated with many other jazz greats, including Billy Strayhorn and Ella Fitzgerald, and wrote nearly 2,000 compositions.

Jim Papoulis (b. 1961) lives in New York City and composes, orchestrates, and conducts music for dance, film, ensembles, and choirs. His compositions are known for exploring new modes of musical communication by honoring and connecting classical and traditional forms with non-Western sounds. Through the Foundation for Small Voices, he has conducted songwriting workshops around the world; he composed “Oye” while working with young children in Mexico. Papoulis has worked with a wide range of artists, including Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Boys Choir, Beijing Children’s Choir, Faith Hill, Natalie Cole, Snoop Dogg, Slash, and Beyoncé.