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Category: Interviews

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A Tribute to Marian McPartland & “Piano Jazz”

Posted by: Katie Rodda

This blog post looks back on the life of pianist, composer, educator, and radio host Marian McPartland. Materials in the NLS Music Collection from her show "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz" are featured.

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A Moveable Musical Feast: New Music Appreciation Talking Books!

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Have you ever wondered what music sounds like in Zimbabwe, Colombia, or Hawaii? Well, prepare your ears for a global journey of sonic discovery! This week the NLS Music Section is taking you around the world in sound. In today's blog post, we want to share some of the incredible musical voyages that await you in our collection of Music Appreciation talking books.

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American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: X-Z (Part 1–Zwilich, Ellen Taaffe and Mana-Zucca)

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Celebrate Women's History Month by learning about Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for music, and Mana-Zucca, composer, pianist, singer, and one of the most photographed women of the early 20th century.

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Virtual Concert: Jazz Pianist Matthew Whitaker

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress, will kick off its 90th anniversary celebration with a free virtual concert by jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker on Wednesday, March 3, at 8:00 p.m. (EST), and you're invited!

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Braille Music Transcends Prison Walls, Part 2

Posted by: Donna Koh

Continued from last week Part 2 DK: What motivates your incarcerated students to enroll in the braille music certification program, especially after toiling for months or years to achieve literary braille certification? KG: The opportunity to work in a prison braille program is a high honor which the prisons award to inmates who demonstrate ability, …

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NLS Music Magazine Roundup!

Posted by: Katie Rodda

The following is a guest blog post by new Music Reader Services librarian Lindsay Conway. Did you know that the National Library Service offers subscriptions to music magazines, free of charge to NLS patrons? The NLS Music Section produces Musical Mainstream, Contemporary Soundtrack, and Popular Music Lead Sheets. NLS also offers free subscriptions to five …

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Braille Music Transcriber and Renaissance Woman, Karen Gearreald, Part 2

Posted by: Donna Koh

Continued from last week. Part 2 Q. What percentage of students who enroll in the program become LOC certified braille music transcribers? What are the most common obstacles to successfully completing the program? A. After concentrated study for a length of time ranging from several months to several years, about 50% of enrollees achieve certification …