Who are America's “great” classical composers? What are their best works? What makes their music sound American? What is musical greatness? We’ll listen to segments from many works plus some shorter works in their entirety. Suggestions for additional listening at home will be given. Featured composers will include: Billings, Foster, Joplin, Sousa, Ives, Copland, Gershwin, Grofé, Barber, Harris, Thompson, Hanson, Ellington, Bernstein, and Hollywood film composers. Rick, who calls himself a “pretty good” composer, will share some of his works showing how these past composers have influenced today's composers.

Moderator: Rick Sowash has written about 500 vocal, orchestral and chamber works. Rick’s clarinet concerto was recorded by the St. Petersburg Symphony. His cello concerto premiered in Carnegie Hall. His music is often broadcast on WGUC and many other classical music radio stations. His work is influenced by the great American composers whose work he has studied closely and passionately.