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Posted by: Cait Miller
Yesterday came the announcement we all look forward to in the Music Division: the naming of the next Gershwin Prize recipient! Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced singer-songwriter Carole King as the next recipient of the distinguished Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The Gershwin Prize “celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects …
Posted in: Composers, Women in Music
Posted by: Cait Miller
Last week the Music Division learned that American film composer Richard Robbins (1940-2012) had passed away earlier this month of Parkinson’s disease. Robbins, a well-respected composer, made his mark on late 20th-century/early 21st-century film music, having composed for dozens of films and earning two Academy Award nominations in his career. He is survived by his …
Posted in: Composers, In Memoriam, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Senior Music Specialist Loras John Schissel, Curator of the Victor Herbert exhibit currently on display in the Performing Arts Reading Room and now available as an online exhibit. Regarded as the most famous American composer of his era, Victor Herbert was born in Dublin, Ireland on February 1, …
Posted in: Composers, Digital Collections, Exhibitions, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Music Specialist David H. Plylar. We were all saddened by the loss on Monday of the great American composer Elliott Carter, who passed away at the age of 103. A colleague of mine mentioned that given Carter’s nonstop productivity, we were all unconsciously assuming that he was eternal. …
Posted in: Composers, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from David H. Plylar, Producer in the Concert Office. For those who love music and the people who create it, it would be difficult to match some of the perks of working at the Library of Congress. Perhaps the most rewarding, artistically and intellectually, is having the opportunity to …
Posted in: Concerts and Events, Curators
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist in the Music Division’s Concert Office. American composer Nico Muhly’s (b. 1981) latest work Compare Notes receives its world premiere in the Library’s historic Coolidge Auditorium on Friday, October 12 at 8:00pm. Written for violinist Daniel Hope and pianist Jeffrey Kahane, this intriguing …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events
Posted by: Cait Miller
Next Tuesday, October 2, 2012, Dr. Barbara Heyman will present a lecture in Coolidge Auditorium entitled “Samuel Barber: Serendipitous Discoveries.” This is another in a series of lectures co-sponsored by the Library of Congress and the American Musicological Society that provides an opportunity for scholars, students and enthusiasts to hear about the kinds of research …
Posted in: Composers, Digital Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
As many of our readers know, this past weekend was darkened by the death of legendary lyricist Hal David (1921-2012). David’s collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach won countless awards, nominations, and accolades as he touched millions with his simple, honest, catchy, and moving lyrics. This past spring the Library of Congress was privileged to honor …
Posted in: Composers
Posted by: Cait Miller
Tomorrow, August 25, marks American composer, conductor, and educator Leonard Bernstein’s birthday (he would be 94 years old!). Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was without a doubt one of the most significant and influential musical figures in American history. The Music Division is incredibly fortunate to hold the Leonard Bernstein Collection. One of the most heavily used …
Posted in: Birthdays, Composers, Pic of the Week, Special Collections