Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

271 results found

Vaughan, Sarah

(Encyclopedia)Vaughan, Sarah (Sarah Lois Vaughan), 1924–90, American jazz singer, b. Newark, N.J. Nicknamed “Sassie” and “the divine one,” she studied piano and organ, began singing in her church choir, a...

Fort Worth

(Encyclopedia)Fort Worth, city (2020 pop. 918,915), seat of Tarrant co., N Tex., on the Trinity River 30 mi (48 km) W of Dallas; settled 1843, inc. 1873. An army post...

ebony

(Encyclopedia)ebony, common name for members of the Ebenaceae, a family of trees and shrubs widely distributed in warmer climates and in the tropics. The principal genus, Diospyros, includes both ebony and persimmo...

Strayhorn, Billy

(Encyclopedia)Strayhorn, Billy (William Thomas Strayhorn), 1915–67, African-American jazz composer, arranger, lyricist, and pianist, b. Dayton, Ohio. Classically trained, he was drawn to jazz, and early in his ca...

Campion, Jane

(Encyclopedia)Campion, Jane, 1954–, New Zealand film director, b. Wellington; grad. Victoria Univ., Wellington (1975), Sydney College of the Arts, Australia (1979), Australian School of Film and Television, Sydne...

Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio

(Encyclopedia)Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio jōäk-kēˈnō äntôˈnyō rōs-sēˈnē [key], 1792–1868, Italian operatic composer, one of the great masters of the Italian opera buffa. His parents were both musicia...

Ratmansky, Alexei Osipovich

(Encyclopedia)Ratmansky, Alexei Osipovich, 1968–, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. He studied with the Bolshoi Ballet school (1978–86), then danced with the Kiev Ballet; he later danced with the Royal W...

Previn, Sir André

(Encyclopedia)Previn, Sir André prĕvˈĭn [key], 1929–2019, American conductor, composer, and pianist, b. Germany as Andreas Ludwig Priwin. His family fled Nazi Germany in 1938, and he became an American citize...

Dvořák, Antonín

(Encyclopedia)Dvořák, Antonín änˈtônēn dvôrˈzhäk [key], 1841–1904, Czech composer. He studied at the Organ School, Prague (1857–59) and played viola in the National Theater Orchestra (1861–71) under...

Brubeck, Dave

(Encyclopedia)Brubeck, Dave (David Warren Brubeck) bro͞oˈbĕk [key], 1920–2012, American pianist an...