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Category: NLS Music Section

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What’s New on BARD

Posted by: Juliette Appold

Let’s look at some new additions to BARD. Next to our most recent music appreciation catalog, we have added flavors from Norway (Grieg), Italy (Pergolesi), Poland (Chopin), France (Ravel and Debussy), and the US (Carole King). There’s more to come, so please keep checking by exploring the link Music Collection and then clicking on Recently …

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Celebrating that “Parisienne Gaiety”

Posted by: Gilbert Busch

When I was a teenager, I began learning about classical music by listening to radio programs in the evening. Often the shows would begin with an overture or “light classic”, such as the Light Cavalry Overture (which our school band played), or the William Tell Overture (the “Lone Ranger” to me). There was also a …

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The Music and Sounds of the Vietnam Era

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Like many other Americans, I have been tuning in to the documentary The Vietnam War by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick this past week. This 10-part series depicts the grim realities of the Vietnam War at home and abroad, and the soundtrack of the movie transports one back to the late 1960s quite perfectly. With …

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We Just Keep Adding…to BARD!

Posted by: Mary Dell Jenkins

One of the fun and interesting parts of working at the NLS Music Section is being able to upload files to BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download). Our patrons are always checking to see what is new in the “Recently Added” link, and we frequently remind them that not all the NLS Music Section collection is …

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American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: A (Part 1 – Adams, John)

Posted by: Katie Rodda

The following is a guest blog post from the new section head of the NLS Music Section, Juliette Appold. Have you ever thought about listing classical and contemporary composers by their last names from A to Z? How about identifying American composers from A to Z? And how about filling the alphabet with names of …

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Back to School: Method Books Edition (Part 2)

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Last week, we detailed method books in the collection for wind instruments. This week, we are highlighting method books in our collection for string instruments and percussion, with some jazz method books thrown in for good measure! If there is anything here that could be useful to you or your student, please don’t hesitate to …

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Back to School: Method Books Edition (Part 1)

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Although for most of us it still feels like the middle of summer outside, it is time for many folks to begin thinking about back-to-school, and the new books and supplies for the year. That, of course, includes books for music classes, band, and orchestra. In the past, we’ve discussed books for college students, and …

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A Gem in the Music Appreciation Collection

Posted by: Donna Koh

One of the most nerve-racking events I ever experienced as a music student was participating in master classes. I remember one class in particular vividly; the feeling of slight panic as the master class teacher repeated for the fourth time, “no, not like that, try again.” I could hear the audience shifting in their seats …