Daily Archives: August 15, 2025

August 15: Today in Music History

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today

• 1890 ~Jacques Ibert, French composer and educator

• 1909 ~ Hugo Winterhalter, Orchestra leader

• 1922 ~ Lukas Foss, German-born American pianist, conductor and composer

• 1925 ~ Oscar Peterson, Canadian Jazz pianist, jazz trios, solos, played with all jazz greats, composer.  He achieved international fame with the touring “Jazz at the Philharmonic”.  His biography is Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing

• 1925 ~ Bill Pinkney, Musician, bass with The Drifters

• 1933 ~ Bobby Helms, Singer

• 1941 ~ Don Rich, Country musician, songwriter, one of Buck Owens’ Buckaroos

• 1941 ~ Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams was recorded by Ben Bernie and his orchestra.

• 1942 ~ Peter York, Musician, drums with Spencer Davis Group

• 1946 ~ Jimmy Webb, Grammy Award-winning songwriter

• 1961 ~ Matt Johnson, Musician, guitar, singer

• 1965 ~ 55,600 people attended a Beatles concert at Shea Stadium, New York, creating world attendance and revenue records for a pop concert.

• 1969 ~ The first day of the most famous musical event of 1969, Woodstock. It was originally called The Woodstock Music and Arts Fair and it began in Bethel, New York.

• 1969 ~ Three Dog Night (Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron) were awarded a gold record for the album, Three Dog Night. Where’d the name of the group come from? In Australia, the aborigine tribes of several regions slept outside all year. As the temperatures got colder, the tribesmen would sleep with a dog to keep warm. In colder weather, they would huddle with two dogs. It must have been an extremely cold night when the group was formed!

• 1980 ~ I, Me, Mine, an autobiography by former Beatle George Harrison, went on sale.

• 1981 ~ Lionel Richie and Diana Ross hit number one on the pop music charts with their beautiful duet, Endless Love. It was a huge success for the two singers. Endless Love was number one for 9 weeks.

• 1989 ~ Many groups who had been to Woodstock had a twentieth-anniversary celebration.

• 2015 ~ Licia Albanese, Italian-born American operatic soprano, died at the age of 105

Fun with Music

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Step into a world of giggles and song with “Fun “with Music at Pender! This is not just any music class – it’s a journey through sound and imagination designed especially for preschoolers and their favorite grown-ups. Since 2013, Jim and Roberta Pont have been creating a space where tiny toes tap, and little voices echo with joy, crafting a magical musical experience for children from birth to five years old.

Wave ‘hello’ and join us every Monday morning for a delightful 30-minute musical escapade! Our littlest musicians and their families come together at 10 AM to sing, dance, and make friends with tunes. We dive into a treasure trove of stuffed animals and toys, transforming the room into an enchanting stage for our budding performers. With every stuffed lion’s roar or elephant’s trumpet, your child’s imagination will soar!

After the musical fiesta, it’s time for a yummy snack, followed by playtime where kids can explore and make-believe. Meanwhile, moms, dads, grandparents, and caregivers can relish a homemade brunch prepared with love – a perfect chance to mingle and share stories.

Our box of wonders is always brimming with surprises! One day it’s a car zooming around, another day it’s a train chugging along. Flip it over and voilà, it’s a drum or even a rumbling thunder to match the beat of our songs. From ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ to sparkling new Bible-based rhymes, we have tunes that will make your little one’s heart dance with every beat!

Last year, our pint-sized percussionists marched on bubble wrap to the rhythm of a march, popping and hopping with glee. And guess what’s next? A tunnel adventure awaits their curious little eyes and eager hands!

So, if you’re a parent with a playful tot between zero to five, and Monday mornings are open, come and make a splash in our sea of melodies at ‘Melody Mornings’. It’s not just fun; it’s a musical hug for the heart and soul. Can’t wait to sing and swing into a new day of joy with you and your little one!

This class meets every Monday starting September 8, 2025 at 10 am except for school holidays.

Pender UMC is at 12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22033.