Tom Finger, “Rediscovering Scott Joplin”

Scott Joplin lived in St. Louis and Sedalia, where he played at the Maple Leaf Club and wrote the Maple Leaf Rag which sold more than a million copies (& he sold to the publisher for $50 plus royalties). However, Scott Joplin composed much more than just "The Entertainer" and "Maple Leaf Rag." After a brief biographical sketch of his life we will take a journey through his music - showing how he developed and matured as a composer, and explore the variety of his compositions: not just ragtime, but also marches, waltzes, a tango and two descriptive pieces of program music. Joplin desired to create a new form of American Art music and many of his pieces can be presented as concert works. While much of his work is technically advanced, we will take a look at a few of his pieces may be accessible for younger students.
Tom Finger Biography:
Tom Finger teaches piano privately and for various music schools. He has studied organ, and currently assists with the music program at Third Baptist Church.
While primarily a classical musician, favoring Baroque organ music and Classical era piano sonatas (Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven), he has loved and played Ragtime since first hearing it in the 1970's. When his schedule permits he plays at the monthly Ragtime Rendezvous held at the Scott Joplin house and has been a performer at the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, MO. His family life consists of too many bicycles, way too many books and helping out his very active 97 year old father.