Top of page
Posted by: Libby Smigel
The archival materials in the Music Division's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Collection are now discoverable through an online finding aid. Archivists Stephanie Akau and Maya Lerman provide a sneak peek into the vast contents of this intriguing collection by selecting some sample images.
Posted in: African American History, Birthdays, Choreographers, Dance, Guest bloggers, New finding aid, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
Connect with research guides published by Music Division reference staff in 2024, including a guide to finding music by Jewish composers and composer-specific guides on Victor Herbert, Felix Mendelssohn, and Darius Milhaud.
Posted in: Research Guides
Posted by: Claudia Morales
Library of Congress Announces Spring 2025 Concert Series. Concerts from the Library of Congress continues to celebrate a century of landmark concerts in spring 2025, offering a rich and diverse kaleidoscope of classical music, jazz, pop, folk and dance events, with a major focus on American contemporary voices across genres.
Posted in: Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Dance, Early Music, Electronic Music, Film Music, Instrumentalists, Jazz, Music Division history, Musical Instruments, Uncategorized, Women in Dance, Women in Music
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Learn about new collection finding aids that have been published by the Library's Music Division. These finding aids provide bibliographic access to the Milton Ager Music Manuscripts, Marvin Hamlisch Papers, Arthur Mendel Correspondence with Igor Stravinsky and Others, Trude Rittmann Papers, William Schuman Music Manuscripts, Robert Wright and George Forrest Papers and more.
Posted in: Arrangers, Composers, Curators, Guest bloggers, Jewish American History, Musical Theater, Musicians, New finding aid, Special Collections, Theater, Women in Music
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
In this guest blog, Senior Music Specialist Ray White discusses the Music Division's recent acquisition of "Last Rites and Matins of the Dead" (ca. 1375-1425), which represents liturgical text, traditions and music of the "Triduum," a three-day period (that includes Halloween and Día de los Muertos) focused on honoring the departed in Western Christian faiths.
Posted in: Early Music, Guest bloggers, Holidays, Latin American History, New Acquisitions, Newly Cataloged, Sacred music, Sheet Music, Uncategorized
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
The Music Division commemorates the 160th birthday of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, a trailblazing American philanthropist and musician who founded the Library's concert series and commissioning program, and established the longstanding tradition of public-private philanthropic partnerships at the institution. Explore previous Founder's Day concerts and learn more about this storied titan of American music history.
Posted in: Birthdays, Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Digital Collections, Exhibitions, In Memoriam, Instrumentalists, Musicians, Special Collections, Webcasts, Women in Music
Posted by: Claudia Morales
On Friday, October 18, the Music Division had the honor of presenting 10-time Grammy winner, NEA Jazz Master, “El Sonero Mayor,” American pianist, composer, arranger, band leader and social activist, Mr. Eddie Palmieri. In 1975, Palmieri won the first-ever Grammy in the category of Best Latin Music Recording with his album “The Sun of …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events, Instrumentalists, Jazz, Latin American History, Musicians, Sound recordings, Special Collections
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: Heather Darnell
On June 27, 2024, actor and comedian Jim Belushi visited the Library of Congress, where he received a special tour of the collections of the Music Division, Recorded Sound Division and American Folklife Center. Belushi took part in “Live! At the Library: The House of Blues Moves into the Library of Congress,” an event celebrating …
Posted in: Uncategorized