Thomas Hampson’s program for our Poets & Patriotism recital at the U.S. Library of Congress has gone to press. It offers a historical survey of how American lyricists have confronted the issues of life in the United States, celebrating, negotiating, and inspiring public dialogue about what it means to be a citizen. UPDATE: the full…
Category: Blog
Free Sheet Music for Your RaiseItUp! Flag Day Celebration
The Star Spangled Music Foundation is pleased to offer a free series of historical sheet music arrangements of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and related songs in celebration of the anthem’s bicentennial. In partnership with the Smithsonian’s RaiseItUp! Flag Day celebration, we are happy to recommend the 1918 “Service Version,” the same edition recommended by the 1942…
Social Media Intern Needed
The Star-Spangled Music Foundation seeks an unpaid intern to work and learn alongside volunteer media professionals and help develop our social media presence. This opportunity could be accomplished by someone living in or near Ann Arbor, Michigan but could also be done remotely. We are looking for someone willing to undergo an initial training and…
Happy Memorial Day—What is Patriotism to You?
The sacrifice and heroism of America’s soldiers is remembered today—Memorial Day. And patriotic song, including “The Star-Spangled Banner,” has and will be part of this day of somber reflection and fun-filled celebration. In fact, in many ways it is the sacrifice of the nation’s fighting men and women that has sanctified music as patriotic. Key’s…
Francis Scott Key & George Washington's Birthday (aka. Presidents Day?)
NOTE: In celebration of George Washington’s Birthday, the Star Spangled Music Foundation will present Poets & Patriots in recital at Stamps Auditorium on the University of Michigan’s north campus at 8:00 p.m. Click here for more information. The wandering apostrophe in the name of Presidents’ Day / President’s Day / Presidents Day has a logical…
Poets & Patriots Recital—Live Stream & CD Release on Feb. 17
Join us on Monday, February 17 at 8:00 p.m. to celebrate the release of our landmark recording project—Poets & Patriots: A Tuneful History of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The recital will be streamed live via uStream (click here) and anyone near the University of Michigan’s campus can see the show live at Stamps Auditorium on Michigan’s…
Year 200 Guest Post—On Teaching “The Star-Spangled Banner” in American Studies and Music Courses by Will Fulton
For Music in the U.S.: A Cultural Perspective, an interdisciplinary course that is cross-listed in American Studies and Music, I scheduled the opening unit on “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In beginning the course with the “Banner,” my aim was to examine changing performance practices of the anthem, and to explore ways that different performances of this…
Year 199 Guest Post—Sheryl Kaskowitz on "Songs as History"
What can we learn from a song? This is a question I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, as the 75th anniversary of the radio premiere of “God Bless America” (click here) was approaching. I’ve noticed press about a few other diamond anniversaries that put the song’s debut in historical context, recapturing significant moments from…
Indiegogo Success! K-12 Campaign Breaks through Goal!
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS!!! Our “TeachSSB200!” Indiegogo campaign has been a huge success with $13,497 raised from 144 supporters, totaling 115% of our goal. These funds allow the Star Spangled Music Foundation to publish both our 2-CD Poets & Patriots set of recordings as well as a Star Spangled Songbook including the vocal-choral…
"The Star-Decorated Flag"—by F.S. Key with a Little Help from Incline Village Elementary
Orchestral conductor and Star Spangled Music Foundation board member Laura Jackson introduced the youth concert version of Michael Gandolfi’s Chesapeake this past week and in the audience were the third graders of Incline Elementary School of Incline Village, Nevada. Music teacher Rita Whitaker-Haun (who performed in the cello section of the orchestra) brought her students…