The Year in Music: 2015, Part 1

January

2

Karl Goldmark, composer (1830-1915)

100th anniversary of death

8

Elvis Presley, singer (1935-1977)

80th birthday

10

Rod Stewart, singer (b. 1945)

70th birthday

12

Johann Melchior Molter, composer (1696-1765)

250th anniversary of death

15

Alan Lomax, ethnomusicologist (1915-2002)

100th birthday

19

Simon Rattle, conductor (b. 1955)

60th birthday

February

2

Mel Lewis, jazz drum player (1929-1990)

25th anniversary of death

6

Bob Marley, reggae musician (1945-1981)

70th birthday

13

Peter Gabriel, rock singer (b. 1950)

65th birthday

15

Nat "King" Cole, jazz pianist, singer (1919-1965)

50th anniversary of death

19

Luigi Dallapiccola, composer (1904-1975)

40th anniversary of death

March

6

Lorin Maazel, conductor (b. 1930)

85th birthday

11

Bobby McFerrin, singer (b. 1950)

65th birthday

12

Caspar Othmayr, composer (1515-1553)

500th birthday

14

Herman van Veen, singer (b. 1945)

70th birthday

17

Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, composer (1665-1729)

350th birthday

21

Stanley John Sadie, musicologist (1930-2005)

10th anniversary of death

26

Pierre Boulez, composer, conductor (b. 1925)

90th birthday

28

Paul Whiteman, jazz musician, conductor (1890-1967)

125th birthday

30

Eric Clapton, guitarist, singer (b. 1945)

70th birthday

April

3

Sarah Vaughan, jazz singer (1924-1990)

25th anniversary of death

4

Muddy Waters, blues musician (1913-1983)

100th birthday

5

Agnetha Fältskog, composer, singer (b. 1950)

65th birthday

7

Billie Holiday, jazz singer (1915-1959)

100th birthday

9

Aulis Sallinen (b. 1935)

80th birthday

12

Herbie Hancock, jazz pianist (b. 1940)

75th birthday

12

Joséphine Baker, singer (1906-1975)

40th anniversary of death

27

Aleksander Skriabin (1872-1915)

100th anniversary of death

30

International Jazz Day

May

1

Leo Spies, composer (1899-1965)

50th anniversary of death

4

George Enescu, violinist, conductor, composer (1881-1955)

60th anniversary of death

6

George Perle, composer (1915-2009)

100th birthday

7

Peter Tchaikovsky, composer (1840-1893)

175th birthday

7

Christy Moore, folk singer (b. 1945)

70th birthday

8

Keith Jarrett, jazz musician (b. 1945)

70th birthday

8

Karl Marx, composer (1897-1985)

30th anniversary of death

8

Luigi Nono, composer (1924-1990)

25th anniversary of death

9

Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo soprano (b. 1955)

60th birthday

13

Stevie Wonder, musician (b. 1950)

65th birthday

27

Nicolò Paganini, composer, violinist (1782-1840)

175th anniversary of death

June

7

Tom Jones, pop singer (b. 1940)

75th birthday

9

Carl Nielsen, composer (1865-1931)

150th birthday

9

Les Paul, guitarist, instrument maker (1915-2009)

100th birthday

24

Terry Riley (b. 1935)

80th birthday

25

Kurt Schwertsik (b. 1935) 

80th birthday