Ed Zanders, a British composer and musical director based in London, shares some of his discoveries of Sondheim's creative process, found amongst the Stephen Sondheim Papers held by the Library of Congress Music Division. The finding aid to the newly acquired Stephen Sondheim Papers is now available online, and a small set of materials from the collection is on display in the Performing Arts Reading Room.
The Music Division is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for the 2026 Annegret Fauser and Tim Carter Research Fellowship, made possible by a generous donation of Drs. Fauser and Carter in 2022. For decades, Drs. Fauser and Carter have been regular researchers in the Performing Arts Reading Room and good friends to the Music Division. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 15, 2026.
Claudia Morales of the Music Division recounts the life and legacy of the "Salsa Queen," Celia Cruz, whose centennial of birth was commemorated this past October.
As the Concerts from the Library of Congress series approaches the final months of its centennial celebration, staff will share several memorable episodes from the series’ history here on "In the Muse." The first in this series recounts the famous story of how Joseph Szigeti, one of the great violinists of the twentieth century, and composer Béla Bartók came to connect with the Library.
Former Stanford University Liljenquist Fellow Ben Limric discusses his experience creating two StoryMaps for the Music Division. The StoryMaps are interactive digital webpages that share the stories of several Civil War instruments and the soldiers they belonged too. The instruments were generously donated to the Library by James Madison Council member Tom Liljenquist and provide insights into the life of Union musicians during the Civil War.
A fitting blog post for the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations on July 4th, Morgen Stevens-Garmon, senior music archivist in the Library of Congress Music Division, reminisces about a favorite Broadway show, "1776," and other musicals set during the American Revolution.
In commemoration of the Library's acquisition of the Stephen Sondheim Collection, Senior Music Specialist Mark Eden Horowitz reflects on the work and legacy of Stephen Sondheim.
May 29 marks the birthday of film and concert music composer Erich Korngold, whose papers are held by the Music Division. Learn more about this important twentieth century composer.
The Library of Congress Music Division announces in the acquisition of the 1690 Tuscan-Medici viola made by Antonio Stradivari. Now rechristened Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, viola, Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici, the acquisition was made possible through an extraordinary gift to the nation from David and Amy Fulton and the Baird family’s Tuscan Corporation. Learn about this historic addition to the Library's instrument collection.
