Italian tenor Gianni Raimondi has died at age 85

Raimondi, who sang with diva Maria Callas and other opera legends, has died aged 85, Milan's La Scala opera house said Friday. Raimondi died on Sunday, 19 OCT 2008, at his home in Pianoro near Bologna in central Italy. La Scala said in in a statement that he had requested that his death not be announced until after his private funeral. La Scala described Raimondi, who was born in 1923, as having "one of the biggest voices of his time." Raimondi gave 270 performances, including a standout display in Luchino Visconti's 1956 version of Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata". He appeared in Vienna, Berlin, London and New York and worked with Callas and orchestra great Herbert von Karajan at La Scala.

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Paul V. YODER birth centennial

8 OCT 1908 Birth of American composer Paul V. YODER. d-1990. American musician, composer, pianist, arranger, and band director and composed over 1,500 original compositions and arrangements during the course of his career. This gained him the nickname of "The Dean of American Composers," as well as "Father of Bands" in Japan, and also "America's Musical Ambassador." That latter stemmed from his work overseas in adjucating, composing, participation in clinics, and directing. Dr. Yoder is an honorary life member and past national president of the National Band Association and has been awarded, amongst other awards, the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts, the Distinguished Service to Music Medal, and has been inducted into the prestigous National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors.

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PHILIP GLASS

Morning Edition, October 3, 2008 - The music of Philip Glass elicits an array of opinions. Some love it; some don't. Some just don't get it. When he sat down to talk with Morning Edition host Renee Montagne about a new 10-CD retrospective of his work, he said that last reaction was true of some of his early music.

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Zenobia Powell PERRY

3 OCT 1908 Birth of American composer poet, pianist, and educator, Zenobia Powell PERRY in Boley, OK. d-Xenia, OH, 17 JAN 2004 at the age of 95.

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