The music that starts and ends each Special English program was written by a different American composer. For example, George Gershwin wrote “Prelude Two,” the music we use for the program “People in America." The theme for “This Is America” is music composed by Aaron Copland called “Simple Gifts.”
The theme for the Special English program “Words and Their Stories” is “Maple Leaf Rag." African-American composer Scott Joplin wrote the music in eighteen-ninety-nine.
An American Indian, R. Carlos Nikai, wrote the music we use for another Special English program, “Explorations.” The music is called “All Souls Waltz."
You can find the names and composers of all the theme music for Special English programs on our Internet web site. The address is www.voanews.com/specialenglish.