Born Today! 21.02.2024

Johann Augustin Kobelius (21 February 1674 – 17 August 1731) was a German Baroque composer and Kapellmeister at the court of Saxe-Weissenfels.

Carl Czerny (German: [ˈtʃɛʁniː]; 21 February 1791 – 15 July 1857) was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist of Czech origin whose music spanned the late Classical and early Romantic eras. His vast musical production amounted to over a thousand works and his books of studies for the piano are still widely used in piano teaching. He was one of Ludwig van Beethoven's best-known pupils and would later on be one of the main teachers of Franz Liszt.

Francisco Manuel da Silva (21 February 1795 – 18 December 1865) was a Brazilian songwriter and music professor, notable for composing the Brazilian National Anthem.

Count Nicolò Gabrielli di Quercita (21 February 1814 – 14 June 1891) was an Italian opera composer.

Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (French: [klemɑ̃ filibɛʁ leo dəlib]; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and operas. His works include the ballets Coppélia (1870) and Sylvia (1876) and the opera Lakmé (1883), which includes the well-known "Flower Duet". Born into a musical family, Delibes enrolled at France's foremost music academy, the Conservatoire de Paris, when he was twelve, studying under several professors including Adolphe Adam. After composing light comic opérettes in the 1850s and 1860s, while also serving as a church organist, Delibes achieved public recognition for his music for the ballet La Source in 1866. His later ballets Coppélia and Sylvia were key works in the development of modern ballet, giving the music much greater importance than previously. He composed a small number of mélodies, some of which are still performed frequently. Delibes had several attempts at writing more serious operas, and achieved a considerable critical and commercial success in 1883 with Lakmé. In his later years he joined the faculty of the Conservatoire, teaching composition. He died at his home in Paris at the age of 54. Coppélia and Sylvia remain core works in the international ballet repertoire, and Lakmé is revived from time to time in opera houses.

Emil Hartmann (1 February 1836–18 July 1898) was a Danish composer of the romantic period, fourth generation of composers in the Danish Hartmann musical family.

Vincenzo Valente (21 February 1855 in Corigliano Calabro – 6 September 1921 in Naples) was an Italian composer and writer. He was known for his Neapolitan songs and for his operettas.

John Henry Maunder (21 February 1858 – 21 January 1920) was an English composer and organist best known for his cantata "Olivet to Calvary" .

Pierre Eugène Onfroy de Bréville (21 February 1861 – 24 September 1949) was a French composer.

Stefano Donaudy (February 21, 1879 – May 30, 1925) was an Italian composer. Born in Palermo to a French father and an Italian mother, he was active in the 1890s and early 20th century, at a time when Palermo enjoyed a period of relative splendour under the influx of rich Anglo-Sicilian families such as the Florios and Whitakers. A variety of sources date both his first opera Folchetto and one of his most popular songs, Vaghissima sembianza, to 1892, when he was only 13.After studies with the director of Palermo's Conservatoire, Guglielmo Zuelli, Donaudy made a living as singing teacher, coach and accompanist for some of Sicily's wealthiest families, while actively pursuing a career as a composer. He wrote mostly vocal music, dividing his efforts between opera and song, though he also wrote chamber and orchestral music. Practically all his song texts and libretti were supplied by or written at four-hands with his brother, Alberto Donaudy. Donaudy's most famous collection is 36 Arie di Stile Antico, first published by Casa Ricordi in 1918 with revisions in 1922, but using material composed from 1892 onward. Donaudy's final opera was premiered at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples on April 25, 1922: La Fiamminga was an unmitigated fiasco, and Donaudy was so hurt that he abandoned composition for the rest of his life. He died three years later, forty-six years old. Even less information is available on the rest of his output, which seems to include a cantata Il sogno di Palisenda, written before 1902, one symphonic poem, several smaller works for orchestra and «a quartet of compositions» for violin and piano.

Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were either students of Segovia or students of Segovia's students. Segovia's contribution to the modern-romantic repertoire included not only commissions but also his own transcriptions of classical or baroque works. He is remembered for his expressive performances: his wide palette of tone, and his distinctive musical personality, phrasing and style.

Mario Zafred (2 March 1922 Trieste – 22 May 1987 Rome) was an Italian composer, music critic, and opera director. He also served as the president of various Italian music conservatories including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Ihor Naumovich Shamo (Ukrainian Iгор Наумович Шамо; Russian: Игорь Наумович Шамо, also Romanized Igor; 21 February 1925 – 17 August 1982) was a Ukrainian composer. Shamo was born in Kyiv to a family of Jewish origin. He graduated from the Lysenko Music School in Kyiv, where his main subjects were composition and piano, in 1941, and was evacuated in that year to Ufa, where he studied medicine for two years. From 1942 to 1946 he was in the Soviet Army as a medical assistant; when he returned to Kyiv he recommenced his musical studies, graduating from the Kyiv Conservatory in 1951 in the class of Boris Lyatoshinsky. He had joined the Union of Soviet Composers in 1948, and at his graduation played his own Concert-Ballade for piano and orchestra.His popular song Kyieve Mii (My Kyiv) is regarded as the "unofficial anthem of the Ukrainian capital", and is cited on his memorial on the building where he lived (see picture). His other works include three symphonies, and an opera Yatranskiye Igri, which is unusually scored for a cappella choir and soloists.

Nina Simone (born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) () was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. The sixth of eight children born into a poor family in North Carolina, Simone initially aspired to be a concert pianist. With the help of a few supporters in her hometown, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. She then applied for a scholarship to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where, despite a well received audition, she was denied admission, which she attributed to racism. In 2003, just days before her death, the Institute awarded her an honorary degree.To make a living, Simone started playing piano at a nightclub in Atlantic City. She changed her name to "Nina Simone" to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play "the devil's music" or so-called "cocktail piano". She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, which effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist. She went on to record more than 40 albums between 1958 and 1974, making her debut with Little Girl Blue. She released her first hit single in the United States in 1958 with "I Loves You, Porgy". Her piano playing was strongly influenced by baroque and classical music, especially Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice.

Giovanni Amighetti (born 21 February 1971 in Parma, Italy) is an Italian contemporary musician. He studied classical piano and began playing with avantgarde band Fondamenta and AREA drummer Giulio Capiozzo in late eighties. With the world music boom he started promoting in Italy some of the Real World recording label artists. His first world music CD production is "No, Russia cannot be perceived by wit" by Terem Quartet, realised by Schott Musik/Intuition in 1999. Then he worked on many studio and live projects, often collaborating with musicians from Mari Boine Band (Gjermund Silset, Helge Norbakken, Roger Ludvigsen). Among others: "Salimie" with Ayub Ogada, "La voce del mondo" with Tiziana Ghiglioni and "Anastasia" with Vladimir Denissenkov. He has composed music with Guo Yue for DVD Shan Qi by Ozella Music, 2009. In 1996 he played with Ayub Ogada in front of an audience of 500.000 by the Colosseum in Rome for FAO He is an honorary citizen of Santa Cruz, California. In contemporary music also worked on some solo and Fondamenta projects, with Union Nowhere, on Guido Ponzini's cd "Twilight town" and with the Shan Qi ensemble featuring Chinese flute player Guo Yue. Produced Wu Fei's "A Distant Youth" in 2007, featuring Fred Frith, Carla Kihlstedt and Helge A. Norbakken. He is also engaged in multimedia productions merging music and interactive digital media with Arvmusic. In 2009 worked with Adel Salameh and Naziha Azzouz for "Dardasha" and with Nintendo for the Wii Music Live gigs, in 2010 he has been main producer for historical work "La musica di Secondo Casadei" by Casadei Sonora. In 2012 he recorded "windy valley" with Morricone-related classical players using a rig of old ARP, Prophet and Moog synthesizers. Amighetti has collaborated with Nasa/JPL scientist Michele Vallisneri in "Tales from the Cosmos" and played in and produced new album by Bernardi with Skunk Anansie guitarist Martin Kent (Ace) and Michael Urbano. In 2015 is out his produced CD by Faris Amine "Mississippi to Sahara" for Reaktion/Wrasse Records, which is research upon the origins of blues music in the Tuareg tradition. Nominee as best fusion album in 2016 by Songlines and awarded as one of 10 all-time best Tuareg records. Giovanni also played in another JPL related work with English guitarist David Rhodes (guitarist) (Peter Gabriel), Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band), Wu Fei, Paolo Vinaccia and Roger Ludvigsen called "The Fermi Paradox". Also in 2015 is his production meeting by Officina Zoe and Mari Boine for "La notte della Taranta". In 2018 he recorded piano and synths for "A classical improvisation" a contemporary classical concept of creating music directly in the studio sessions together with Tiziana Ghiglioni and Angela Benelli. Also worked live with percussionists Sidiki Camara and Trilok Gurtu, composer Ray Lema and as guest with L'orchestra Popolare La Notte della Taranta directed by Daniele Durante. In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic he helped in bringing Daniele Durante's Taranta project to the Castello Sforzesco in Milano for the sole gig of the ensemble that year. He was also musician and artistic coordinator for the Italy for China music and video recording in Teatro Asioli Correggio – Ahymé Festival with Daniele Durante, Franco Mussida Premiata Forneria Marconi, Moreno Conficconi – Venice Film Festival Siae prize winner. In 2021 Amighetti recorded and released the album "Play@Esagono vol.1" with guitarist Luca Nobis and various guests including Jeff Coffin from Dave Matthews Band, Petit Solo Diabate and Fiorenzo Tassinari. The album has been followed by a serie of eleven live videos filmed by director Luca Fabbri. In June 2021 he was producer and musician for the collaboration between Daniele Durante Taranta and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen for Summer in Lesmona.