The Library of Congress National Book Festival is always a booklover’s dream. This year’s festival, which takes place on Saturday, August 24, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, also offers several opportunities for music lovers to engage with the Library of Congress. “Books Build Us Up” is the theme for the 2024 festival. The festival showcases how reading can help connect us and inform our lives. Author talks, book signings, family activities, and opportunities to engage with Library staff provide ample opportunities for visitors to be in community with fellow booklovers.
“Music Is Medicine”
Opera superstar and author Renée Fleming will be joined by renowned neuroscientist and author Daniel J. Levitin for a conversation on “Music Is Medicine.” The discussion will be moderated by Michael Andor Brodeur of The Washington Post. They will discuss themes from their recent books, “Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts and Health and Wellness,” edited by Renée Fleming, and “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine” by Daniel J. Levitin.
Saturday, August 24, 2024
“Music is Medicine: Renée Fleming and Daniel J. Levitin on the Arts and Wellness”
Book Talk: 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, West Salon GHI
Signing: 6:45-7:45 p.m. | Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Fleming will also appear on PBS on Wednesday, August 21 at 8 p.m. ET for an interview with Heather-Marie Montilla of PBS Books. Click here to learn more.
Visit the Music Division at the Library of Congress Pavilion
Music Division staff will be on hand at the Library of Congress Pavilion from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to share information about the Library’s performing arts collections and concert series. This is a great opportunity to meet some of our friendly staff, learn how to access our collections online and in the Performing Arts Reading Room, and hear about our fall 2024 concert season.
Attendees who would like to learn a bit about the history of Concerts from the Library of Congress are invited to attend “What Do Stevie Wonder and Arnold Schoenberg Have in Common?” at the Library of Congress Pavilion at 11:00 a.m. The concert series is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary and we will be celebrating with a range of commissions, concerts, talks, and films. The session will feature trivia, fascinating images from the collections, and tips for registering for fall 2024 concerts.
Saturday, August 24, 2024
“What Do Steve Wonder and Arnold Schoenberg Have in Common?”
Library Expert Presentation: 11:00-11:30 a.m. | Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
