Carmino Ravosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carmino Ravosa
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | January 29, 1930 |
| Died | July 19, 2015 (aged 85) |
| Alma mater | Hartt School of Music |
| Occupation | Composer, pianist |
| Years active | 1958–2015 |
Carmino Ravosa (born January 29, 1930 – died July 19, 2015) was an American composer and musician. He wrote songs, played piano, and was also a producer and director. Carmino Ravosa was famous for writing music for children.
He was one of the most popular songwriters for schools in America. Ravosa helped create music textbooks like "World of Music" and "The Music Connection". He also wrote songs for popular children's TV shows. These included Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, and Shining Time Station. He even wrote for Sesame Street Magazine.
Carmino Ravosa spent much of his life as a teacher. He was a music teacher at Fox Meadow Elementary School. Later, he became a special composer at the Dalton School in New York City. He also worked for the Edison Project, a group of charter schools. In 2009, he was honored by The Hartt School, where he studied music.
Contents
Carmino Ravosa's Early Life
Carmino Ravosa was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on January 29, 1930. He was the oldest of three children. His father, Anello Ravosa, came from Italy. He owned a milk delivery business. Carmino's father loved jazz music. This love of music greatly influenced Carmino.
Carmino and his brother, Anthony, worked in their father's business. Carmino later joined the U.S. Army Band. After serving, he went to The Hartt School of Music. He graduated in 1957 and earned a master's degree in 1965. There, he met Claire Colby, who became his wife. They were married for almost 60 years. Ravosa also earned more degrees from Columbia University.
Carmino and Claire Ravosa had three children: Carine, Gina, and Dean. They also had eight grandchildren. The Ravosa family lived in Briarcliff Manor. Carmino wrote many shows about the village. He helped celebrate the village's 100th birthday in 2002. He also helped save Juniper Ledge, a historic home. The Briarcliff Manor School District uses his music. In 2013, they honored him at Todd Elementary School.
Carmino Ravosa's Career Highlights
Carmino Ravosa taught music at Fox Meadow School from 1965 to 1978. From 1978 to 1999, he was a special composer at the Dalton School. People there called him a "Dalton legend." From 1999 to 2003, he worked for the Edison Project.
He wrote songs for many children's TV shows. These included Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room on CBS. He also wrote for Shining Time Station on PBS. His songs were even in Sesame Street Magazine. Ravosa was also a trustee for the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
Ravosa's songs are played all over the world. For example, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, children performed his musical "Friends." He is also known for songs published by Silver Burdett & Ginn. Many of his songs teach about United States history. Carmino Ravosa passed away on July 19, 2015, at age 85.
Famous Performances
Ravosa performed his music at many important historical places. These include:
|
|
He performed "Shh! We're Writing the Constitution" for President George H. W. Bush. He also performed it at the Smithsonian Institution for President George W. Bush. Ravosa even performed his musical "Ghosts in the White House" for President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter. This was at a White House Halloween party in 1978.
His musical "Seneca Falls: A Documusical" was about women's rights. It was performed at the National Women's Hall of Fame. Another musical, "Scarecrow," won four awards in Ireland.
Published Works
Ravosa's first published work was "Johnny Appleseed – A Musical Play for Children" in 1958. Two of his songs were in an HBO documentary called Citizen USA in 2011. This film was about new citizens in America. It showed Ravosa singing "It's a Whole Other Country, Texas Is." It also featured his song "Let's Hear it for America."
More About Carmino Ravosa
- List of American composers
- List of singer-songwriters
