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Are you interested in scheduling an informative and entertaining program
for your organization or school?Then you should look at the lectures and workshops listed below.
All of the programs listed are presented by Roger Lee Hall, a Massachusetts composer, music preservationist, singer, former radio host, and cable television producer.
His music lectures and workshops have received raves from audiences everywhere.
A few of the rave reviews of his programs:
"Your lecture was enthusiastically received and I have heard nothing but very positive comments from registrants." -- Dr. Robert Bishop, Director, Museum of American Folk Art,
New York, New York."Thank you very much for such a delightful and informative lecture."-- Mary Frazier,
Braintree Historical Society, Braintree, Massachusetts.
Sample lectures and workshops presented by Roger Lee Hall:
1973: "Songs and Dances of the Shakers" -- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
1975: "Shaker Hymnody" -- National Meeting of Hymn Society of America, Wittenberg University, Ohio.
1979: "Isaac N. Youngs: The Ingenuity of a Shaker Craftsman" -- Shaker Conference,
Museum of American Folk Art, New York, New York.1980: "Old Stoughton in Old Boston" -- Musick in Old Boston Festival (for Jubilee 350 Celebration), Old West Church, Boston, Massachusetts.
1981: "The Humble Heart: A Pageant of Shaker Verse and Song" -- Elmira College Shaker Seminar, Groton, Massachusetts.
1982: "Symbols and Symmetry - Music, Art and Architecture of the Shakers" (workshop) -- Heritage Series at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Sabbathday Lake, Maine.
1983: "Early American Music" (workshop) -- Kodaly Center, Newton, Massachusetts.
1983: "The Handel of Maine - The Musical Life of Supply Belcher" -- Maine Humanities Council, Westbrook College, Portland, Maine.
1984: "Charles T. Griffes - A Centennial Tribute" -- New England Conservatory of Music, Boston.
1984: "Musical Iconography in Shaker Folk Drawings" -- Museum of American Folk Art Symposium (Religious Folk Art in America), New York, New York.
1985: "Simple Gifts: The Ingenuity of Shaker Craftsmanship" -- Westport Historical Society, Westport, Massachusetts.
1986: "Beautiful Dreamer - The Life and Music of Stephen Foster" -- Brookline Woman's Club, Brookline, Massachusetts.
1986: "Two Centuries of Piano Music in New England" and "Two Centuries of Choral Music in New England"-- Old Stoughton Musical Society Bicentennial Exhibit, Lexington, Massachusetts.
1990: "Singing Stoughton - The Story of America's Oldest Choral Society" -- Braintree Historical Society, Braintree, Massachusetts.
1993: "More Love: Music of the Canterbury Shakers" -- Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington, Massachusetts
2003: "The Sidewalks of New York: Old Songs and Stories " (singing workshop) -- Conkling Hall, Rensselaerville, New York
2004: "Hooray for Hollywood: Memorable Movie Music" -- Bridgewater Public Library and Newton Free Library, Massachusetts.
2005: "It's Magic: A Centennial Celebration of Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Jule Styne" -- Newton Free Library, Newton Centre, Massachusetts.
2005: "The Lore and Legends of New England Songs" -- Bridgewater Public Library, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
2008: "Remembering Radio: Music and Memories" -- Franklin Public Library,
Franklin, Massachusetts.2009: "Lincoln and Liberty: Music of Abrham Lincoln's Era" -- Stoughton Public Library,
Stoughton, Massachusetts.
The lectures and workshops are available for a general audience (adult groups, company employees, business conventions or meetings, historical society, public library or museum lecture series); or a specific audience (church or community choirs, college or university students).
All the music materials will be provided by the presenter and copies can be made by the sponsoring group or institution, if preferred. Supplemental materials, such as CDs and songbooks, will be available for sale on the day of the event.
The titles listed below have links to other pages which have additional information
about the topic.
[L] = Lecture (from 45 minutes to 90 minutes)
[W] = Workshop (from several hours to a full day)
1. Music of George Washington's Time [L or W] - audio examples - During the early years of America there were more songs being sung than might be expected, and a number of them were written in tribute to George Washington, as Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Army and later as first U.S. President. The workshop deals with this era in more detail with more attention to the songs in the historical context of 18th century America. Music Collections: The Stoughton Songster and Music in Early Canton.
2. Lincoln and Liberty [L or W] - audio examples - The lecture features stories about songs and hymns from Abraham Lincoln's lifetime, especially during the Civil War. The workshop has more detail about selective songs, and some will be sung with those attending. Listener's Guide and CD: Lincoln and Liberty: Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era.
3. Singing Stoughton - The Story of America's Oldest Choral Society [L] - slides or video - a look at the Stoughton Musical Society from Stoughton, Massachusetts, from its roots in 1786 to its bicentennial observance in 1986. Includes patriotic and religious music.
Book and CD: Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey .
A 90 minute DVD titled: Now and Then: Stoughton History and Music is also available.
MEDIA MEMORIES (Radio, Television, Movies)
4. Hooray for Hollywood - Memorable Movie Music [L or W] - slides or video clips - Lecture includes movie songs and themes from the 1930s to the 1970s. Workshop includes singing popular movie songs and watching film clips focusing on film scores.
Book and accompanying CD: A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores.
5. Hoppy, Gene and Me [L] - audio/video clips - a look back at the career on radio, television and in the movies for two cowboy stars: Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy. The lecture will show how they provided a more wholesome example for both children and adults, and highlight selected songs such as "Back in the Saddle" and "Following the Stars" and the stories behind them. The workshop involves selected songs and movie scenes from the westerns of Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy and how they were used in the films.
Ebook on CD-ROM: Dream World - Songs, Poems and Stories.6. Remembering Radio [L or W] - audio clips - a nostalgic look back at music featured on various radio broadcasts from the 1920s to 1950s. The workshop will include a re-creation of a typical old-time radio program.
Reference Guide and CD: Remembering Radio - Great Songwriters and Singers.
7. Great American Composers [L or W] - an examination of selected American composers from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries who are worthy of rediscovery and performance. The workshop includes analysis and performance of a few selected short works. Music and CDs from the American Music Recordings Collection.
8. "Goin' Home" - The Heritage of Great American Songs [L or W] - slides or video - a look at the history of songs in America from the Colonial days in the 18th century to the 20th century, with examples of signifcant songs from each era. The workshop provides more historical information and performance of selected songs.
Song sheets and CD set: America in Song, Vol. 1 (1759-1859) and Volume 2 (1861-1961).9. Lore and Legends of New England Songs [L or W] - slides or video - the lecture features a sampling of familiar tunes with different texts from England and New England, and also a variety of songs, such as patriotic, religious, pirate ballad, American Indian, and Shaker dance song. The workshop goes into more detail with these songs and includes a sing-along of familiar songs, from the 17th to 20th centuries.
Song sheets from the New England Music Archive
CD: Singing New Englanders: From the Pilgrims to the Shakers
POPULAR SONGS (Songwriters and Singers)
10. Beautiful Dreamer: The Life and Music of Stephen Foster [L] - the life of America's first great songwriter, featuring a slide show and rare recordings of his songs and hymns. CD and DVD available of concert with performance of hymns by Stephen Foster.
11. Electric Elvis [L] - audio/ video clips - so much is known about Elvis Presley in his later years, but what about his beginnings? The lecture will focus on the emergence of Elvis between 1954 and 1958, and will trace his days as a hillbilly singer to an "electric" performer in live concerts, records, radio, TV and movies.
Ebook on CD-ROM: Dream World - Songs, Poems and Stories.12. I Got Rhythm: The Genius of George Gershwin [L or W] - a tour of George Gershwin's life and music, featuring his Broadway, Hollywood and concert works. Workshop includes a video showing of Gershwin's life and rare recordings performed by Gershwin himself.
Book and accompanying CDR: A Guide to George Gershwin.
SHAKER SIMPLICITY (Music, Folk Art and Dance)
13. Let Zion Move: Music by Shaker Women Composers [L or W] - slides or video - a survey of music and poetry written by Shaker sisters, from their leader Mother Ann Lee in the 1780s to the Victorian era of the 1880s. Workshop includes a video about recent Shaker sisters, and a discussion of Shaker women composers and the songs and hymns written by them.
2-CD Set: Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers and
Gentle Words: A Shaker Music Sampler.14. The Simple Gifts of Shaker Music [L] - slides or video - a survey of Shaker music and dance from its beginnings in England to its development in America during the 19th and 20th centuries. Included will be the most famous Shaker song, "Simple Gifts."
Music book with CDR: A Guide to Shaker Music - With Music Supplement. CDs available.15. Symbols and Symmetry: Shaker Music, Art and Architecture [L or W] - slides or video - comparison of the symetrical designs in Shaker songs, gift drawings, and building designs. Workshop includes slides and/or video with a detailed study of the relationships between Shaker songs, drawings, and buildings.
CD collections: For the Love of Zion: Singing Arrangements
and Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals. Other CDs also available.
To discuss fees and scheduling, write to Roger Lee Hall at:
American Music Recordings Collection [AMRC]
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
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