Esperanza Spalding

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/esperanza-spalding

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Esperanza Spalding born?October 18, 1984
2. Where was Esperanza Spalding born?Portland, Oregon, USA
3. What was Esperanza Spalding's job?Performed as a violinist at age five
4. What is the grammy awards?Five, including Best New Artist (2011), Best Jazz Vocal Album (2013, 2019)
5. Who is Esperanza Spalding?Esperanza Spalding is a Grammy‑winning musician from Oregon who plays bass, sings, composes, and teaches music.
6. How old was she when she started playing music?She began playing the violin when she was just five years old, performing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon.

Virtuosic: Showing exceptional technical skill and mastery in the performance of music.
Avant-garde Jazz: A style of jazz that pushes boundaries, often experimental and unconventional.
Holistic Approach: Considering something as a whole, interconnected system rather than just its parts.
Contemporary Music: Music created in the present day, often characterized by innovation and diverse influences.