The year 1985 marks the 300th birthday of three masters of Baroque music: Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederic Handel, and Dominico Scarlatti. A summary of the history of Baroque music and a profile of the three composers, which can be used to teach secondary students about the period, are provided. (RM)

Historians of American music education have yet to recognize a Black music educator as important and worthy of observation. This article discusses a candidate--Major Nathaniel Clark Smith, a little-known Black music educator, composer of more than a hundred works, businessman, humanitarian, and teacher of numerous big-name jazz musicians. (RM)

Provides a chronology of Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington's career divided into four periods (Sound and Style, Creative Explosion, Beyond Jazz, and The Last Decade). Offers a synopsis of his musical development, listing compositions written during each phase. Includes a list of resources and a sample lesson for "Koko" by Duke Ellington. (CMK)