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Are you interested in scheduling an entertaining program for your organization or educational institution? 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, retired teacher, and cable television producer.
He has presented over 150 music lectures and workshops and they 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.
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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" -- at "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, Massachusetts.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.
2004: "Ode to Contentment: -- Travels of a Shaker Missionary and Tunesmith" -- Hancock Shaker Village, Hancock, Massachusett.
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" -- Franklin Public Library, Franklin, Massachusetts.
2009: "Lincoln and Liberty: Music of Abraham Lincoln's Era"-- Stoughton Public Library,
Stoughton, Massachusetts.2009: "Runnin' Wild: Molasses and Music Merriment" -- Stoughton Public Library.
2009: "Gentle Words" - Shaker Music in the 20th Century --
Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, New Hampshire, Scott Swank Lecture Series.:
The lectures and workshops are available for a general audience (senior groups, business conventions or meetings, college or museum lecture series, historical society meetings, public library programs); or a specific audience (church or community choirs, music schools or colleges, workshop for specialists in music or the arts).
Any music sheets will be provided by the presenter and copies can be made by the sponsoring group. Supplemental materials, such as CDs and music books, 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 each topic.
[L] = Lecture (from 45 minutes to 90 minutes)
[W] = Workshop (from several hours to a full day)
To discuss fees and scheduling, write to:
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. CD: "A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time (AMRA No. 13) .
2. Lincoln and Liberty [L or W] - PowerPoint computer presentation with 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.
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 survey at the Stoughton Musical Society from Stoughton, Massachusetts, from its beginnings in 1786 to its bicentennial observance in 1986.
Book and CD: Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey . A DVD titled: A Stoughton Musicfest is also available.
MEDIA MEMORIES
(Radio, Television, Movies)
4. Hooray for Hollywood - Memorable Movie Music [L or W] - audio and video examples - the lecture will look at selected movie songs and themes from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workshop will highlight major films by watching clips of film songs and scores.
Ebook and accompanying music: A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores
5. Hoppy, Gene and Me [L] - audio or video examples - a nostalgic look back at the career on radio, television and in the movies for two major cowboy stars: Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy (played by William Boyd). The lecture will show how these stars provided a more wholesome example for both children and adults, and highlight selected songs from their films, such as "Back in the Saddle" and "Following the Stars" and the stories behind them.
Ebook on CD-ROM with music: Dream World - Songs, Poems and Stories6. Remembering Radio [L or W] - audio examples - 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 with songs by vintage songwriters like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter.
Book and CD: Remembering Radio - Great Songwriters and Singers
7. Forgotten 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. CDs from the American Music Recordings Archive.
8. "Goin' Home" - The Heritage of Great American Songs [L or W] - slides or video - a look at the rich history of songs in America from live singing during the Colonial days to the popular songs on radio and in concerts from the 1920s. The workshop includes more historical background and performance of selected songs.
Song sheets and CDs: America in Song, Vol. I: From American Revolution To World War I
and America in Song, Volume II: From the Civil War to Cold War9. Lore and Legends of New England Songs [L] - slides with audio examples - features a sampling of familiar tunes with different texts from England and New England, and also legends of selected songs, including patriotic, religious, seafaring, Christmas carols, Native American, and Shaker spirituals.
CD: New England Song Treasury and Christmas Music From New England
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: Lincoln and Liberty: Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era.
11. Electric Elvis: The Emergence of a Superstar [L] - audio/ video clips - so much is known about Elvis Presley in his later years, but what about his beginnings? This lecture will focus on the emergence of Elvis between 1954 and 1960, and will trace his days from a rockabilly singer to an "electric" performer in concerts, records, radio, TV and movies.
Ebook on CD-ROM: "Shake, Rattle and Roll" - Electric Elvis and Bill Randle.12. I Got Rhythm: The Genius of George Gershwin [L or W] - an audio-visual 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 CD: A Guide to George Gershwin.
SHAKER SIMPLICITY
(Music, Folk Art and Architecture)
13. Let Zion Move: Music by Shaker Women Composers [L or W] - slides or video examples - a survey of music and poetry written by Shaker sisters, from their spiritual founder Mother Ann Lee in the 1780s to the Victorian era of the 1880s. Workshop includes a video with recent Shaker sisters, and a discussion of Shaker women composers and the songs and hymns written by them.
CDs: Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers and Blended Together.14. The Simple Gifts of Shaker Music [L] - slides - a survey of Shaker music 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."
eBook with audio and viceo bonus features: The Story of 'Simple Gifts': Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song.15. Symbols and Symmetry: Shaker Music, Art and Architecture [L or W] - slides or video - comparison of the symetrical designs in Shaker spirituals, gift drawings, and building designs. Workshop includes slides and/or video with a detailed study of the relationships between Shaker music, drawings, and buildings.
CDs: Gentle Words - A Shaker Music Sampler and Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals.
To discuss fees and scheduling, write to Roger Lee Hall at this link:
American Music Recordings Archive [AMRA]
Essential American Recordings Survey [EARS]
New England Music Archive [NEMA]
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
Please help support the preservation mission of this website
Use this handy Search Box for your purchases from Amazon.com
American Music Recordings Archive [AMRA]
Essential American Recordings Survey [EARS]
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