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Posted by: Claudia Morales
The Music Division is excited to present the premieres of two newly commissioned works by renowned living women composers, Tania León and Jlin.
Posted in: African American History, American history, Arrangers, Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conductors, Electronic Music, Latin American History, Music Division history, Musicians, New Acquisitions, New Music, Women in Music
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
University of Kentucky MLS candidate Jay Stringer-Vaught discusses a unique item in the Music Division’s collections written by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 to Francis Maria Scala, then-leader of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Also learn about several past appearances by "The President's Own" on the Concerts from the Library of Congress series, which celebrates 100 years in 2025.
Posted in: American history, Arrangers, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conductors, Instrumentalists, Musicians, Sheet Music, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
In time for the Christmas season, Senior Music Specialist Kate Rivers explores manuscript sources of composer John Adams' opera-oratorio "El Niño." Composed in 2000 and recently presented at the Metropolitan Opera, "El Niño" is widely regarded as a masterwork of contemporary sacred music. Learn about the primary sources related to the work in the John Adams Music Manuscripts and Papers in the Music Division.
Posted in: Composers, Conductors, Holidays, New Acquisitions, Sacred music, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Save the date for the return of the Library's concert series to the airwaves on December 30, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET on WETA. Enjoy a broadcast of the February 12, 2024, "Rhapsody in Blue" at 100 concert featuring The U.S. Air Force Band and pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The Library of Congress is home to the George and Ira Gershwin Collection.
Posted in: Arrangers, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conductors, Instrumentalists, Jazz, Jewish American History, Music Division history, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Outreach, Sound recordings, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The Library of Congress Music Division recently acquired the Rudolf Barshai Papers, consisting of scores and orchestral parts enriched with the composer-ochestrator's personal annotations. Though the collection is not yet processed, interested researchers are encouraged to contact the Music Division to inquire about accessing its material.
Posted in: Conductors, Guest bloggers, New Acquisitions
Posted by: Libby Smigel
Film music and musical theater buffs can now explore the scores and papers of composer-arranger Marvin Hamlisch in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room. Archivist Janet McKinney describes the range of materials, which include photographs, programs, scrapbooks, staging lists, and even Hamlisch's entertainment trophies.
Posted in: Composers, Conductors, Film Music, Guest bloggers, Musical Theater, New finding aid
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Learn about six new collection finding aids that have been published by the Library's Music Division. These finding aids provide bibliographic access to the Irwin Bazelon Papers, Harry Chapin Collection, Ann Murphy Collection on the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall, Alfred Newman Film Music Manuscripts, Park Avenue Synagogue Commissioning Project Correspondence and Hans Spialek Papers.
Posted in: Commissions, Composers, Conductors, Curators, Dance, Film Music, Guest bloggers, LGBTQ+, Musicians, New Acquisitions, New finding aid, New Music, Sacred music, Sheet Music, Special Collections, Women in Dance
Posted by: Cait Miller
Nearly 16,000 pages of material from the Library of Congress Leonard Bernstein Collection have been transcribed and reviewed via our "By the People" crowdsourced transcription campaign. Transcriptions will ultimately be made available in loc.gov, and the Leonard Bernstein Digital Collection will soon be keyword searchable.
Posted in: By the People transcription campaigns, Composers, Conductors, Curators, Digital Collections, Musical Theater, Outreach, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
The Library of Congress Music Division and Koussevitzky Music Foundation commemorate Serge Koussevitzky's 150th birthday with new commissions, the launch of a digital collection, a collaboration with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and more. Learn about this legendary composer and conductor who is responsible for commissioning and premiering many 20th century masterworks, including music by Leonard Bernstein, Béla Bartók, Benjamin Britten, and more.
Posted in: Birthdays, Commissions, Composers, Conductors, Curators, Digital Collections, Exhibitions, Musicians, Special Collections