The Bulletin OF THE S OCIETY FOR A MERIC A N M U S IC FOUNDED IN HONOR OF O S C A R G . T. S ONNECK Vol. XXXV, No. 1 Winter 2009 Denver Update tations and performances covering the night events: the traditional SAM Sacred entire historical, ethnic, geographic, and Harp Sing and the induction of the 2009 stylistic range of American music. We are honorary member Tony Isaacs, founder particularly glad to note that the main and chief recordist of Indian House Re- themes of the conference—Native Ameri- cords, which will follow the sing. Isaacs can music and music in the West—are has recorded the music of Native Ameri- very well represented on the program. No can singers and drummers for over forty fewer than seven sessions will be devoted years, and Indian House has one of the to Native American/First Nations/Indig- largest catalogues of recorded native mu- enous musical traditions of the United sic making available commercially. He will States, Canada, and Mexico, surely a first present a lecture on the Plains music of for SAM. And sessions devoted to topics the powwow, illustrated with live perfor- as wide-ranging as Canadian compos- mances by a prominent Colorado drum ers, Cage and Sousa, popular music in and singing group. On Friday after lunch, Los Angeles, music in Colorado and the Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy band, featuring Pacific Northwest, Julius Eastman and performers from Wyoming and Montana, experimental music in New York City, will present a visually illustrated and nar- 18th- and 19th-century repertories, film rated concert of the music of Buffalo Bill’s music, and musical theater also appear on outdoor traveling Wild West Show, which the program. The diversity and depth of defined and mythologized early popular – John Koegel American music research as represented notions of American cowboys and Indi- Program Chair on the program is truly amazing. Inter- ans in the American West. The Curator of California State University, Fullerton est in the conference was very strong, as the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyo- – Larry Worster reflected in the large number of propos- ming will serve as narrator, and the Buf- Local Arrangements Chair als received (more than 260). Because of falo Bill Grave and Museum in Golden, Metropolitan State College the strength of the proposals, the Program Colorado is a co-sponsor of the event. Committee was pleased to schedule four A Saturday afternoon concert at Trinity Please join us in Denver for the 2009 concurrent paper sessions for each time Church by St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, SAM conference at the Denver Marriott slot throughout the conference. Two continued on page 3 City Center, March 18-22, 2009. The poster sessions and a wide range of spe- Program and Local Arrangements Com- cial interest group meetings further enrich mittees have prepared an outstanding the meeting. The lecture-performance ses- in this issue: conference! Building upon the extraordi- sions highlight three varied themes: the narily rich and diverse SAM conference traditional New Mexican indita, the work Winners at ARSC | 06 in San Antonio in 2008, and in keeping of Sylvia Glickman and Hildegard Pub- with the Society’s mission to encourage lishing Company in issuing the music of Center for American | 06 the understanding of American music in American women composers, and Ameri- all of its facets, the Program Committee can piano music (including a presentation Music Receives National (John Koegel, Michael Pisani, Ann Sears, honoring the 100th anniversary of com- Leadership Grant Cecilia Sun, Patricia Woodard, Mina poser Elie Siegmeister). Yang) and Local Arrangements Commit- Special conference events will be rich SAM 2010 in Ottawa | 07 tee (Larry Worster, Joice Gibson, Petra and numerous. Denver’s first church, Meyer-Frazier, Peter Schimpf, and Trudi Trinity Church (1859), is two blocks Reviews | 07 Wright) are pleased to sponsor presen- from the hotel and will host two Thursday continued from page 1 FROM THE New from EXECUTIVE one of the finest choral ensembles in Den- DIRECTOR 2 ver, will feature the choral compositions of Colorado Springs native Cecil Effinger, MUSIC IN THE USA THE MUSIC OF and German-born pianist, composer, and On behalf of the Board of Trustees and music educator Jean Berger, a long-time myself, I extend to everyone heartfelt best A Documentary Companion JONI MITCHELL Colorado resident. wishes for a peaceful, healthy, and gratify- JUDITH TICK, Editor, with LLOYD WHITESELL The conference will be at the Denver ing new year. May all of your endeavors PAUL BEAUDOIN, Assistant Editor “Whitesell’s splendid study illuminates an Marriott City Center, located two blocks be successful and your travels safe. impressive span of Joni Mitchell’s music, “Everyone who has an interest or a passion for off the fifteen-block-long 16th-Street 2009 will bring one exciting change this nation’s music will want to become offering fans and scholars alike new ways Pedestrian Mall with its many fine res- for the Society, and that is the format for immersed in Music in the USA.”—George of hearing these songs. A magnificent taurants and shops. Free shuttle buses Boziwick, Curator, American Music achievement.”—Ellie M. Hisama, the 2010 annual conference, to be held in Collection, The New York Public Columbia University that run every few minutes throughout Ottawa. As announced recently, we are Library for the Performing Arts 2008 288 pp.; 75 music examples the day and evening allow for easy travel slightly amending the traditional design 2008 920 pp.; 40 halftones, 25 line illus. paper $21.95 cloth $99.00 anywhere between the beautiful Capitol to include lengthier and in-depth sessions paper $45.00 cloth $149.95 and Denver Art Museum complex to the on a specific topic, called “seminars.” south and the historic Larimer Square and City Opera House capped off by a gour- These will not replace the regular sessions, SWING ALONG New in Paperback! Union Station district to the north. The met dinner of buffalo and quail and a per- but will augment the program with op- The Musical Life of Will conference will be on the same weekend formance by yodeling cowboy singer/poet portunities to convene extended conver- Winner, Association for Recorded Sound Collections Award for as several fine cultural events. In addition Gary McMahan at the world-renowned sations based on pre-submitted papers. Marion Cook Excellence for Best Research in Recorded Country Music to the Denver March Powwow, the newly Fort Restaurant. The traditional Saturday American music is our main interest and MARVA CARTER expanded Denver Art Museum will be night SAM banquet will be closed by an our passion; these seminars will allow us “This book will be must reading for teachers COUNTRY MUSIC RECORDS featuring a fine collection of Western art. old-fashioned high plains hoe down, led to share and investigate related ideas in a and professors of music, and certainly A Discography, 1921-1942 The acclaimed Colorado Symphony Or- by Chris Kermiet with old-timey band worthwhile reading for the public at-large, TONY RUSSELL meaningful way. Visit the website to read chestra will present a masterworks concert Poultry in Motion. We are ready to show especially those how want to know more BOB PINSON the call for seminar proposals. about the sources of the musical heritage of on Friday and Saturday nights, including off our hospitality. See you in Denver! Although change can often be excit- “This volume has turned out to be mightily impressive, beyond Puccini’s Preludio sinfonico, Stravinsky’s [Photo 2 goes about here. Credit: Den- the United States of America.”—Samuel even what aficionados could possibly have hoped for. The American ing, there is one change that is consis- Floyd, author of The Power of Black Music arm of Oxford University Press have served the project in the finest Symphony in Three Movements, and ver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau] tently troublesome, at least from my 2008 208 pp.; 7 halftones, 20 music examples possible manner.”—Musical Traditions Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. For hotel information, conference reg- viewpoint: Address changes. If you are cloth $27.95 2008 1200 pp. Three SAM Friday afternoon excur- istration, and the conference program, see moving, please let us know ahead of time. paper $49.95 sions will be offered to pique your curios- the SAM website: http://www.american- We ask the Postal Service to inform us THE HEARING EYE ity: a visit to the Denver March Powwow; music.org/. Registration deadline by mail: of changes and they are happy to do so. Jazz & Blues Influences in THE UNCROWNED KING OF SWING a walking tour of historic Denver sites February 15, 2009. (Mail-in registration However, they charge us for this service Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz with afternoon tea at the luxurious Brown must be received by that date; register on- and your Bulletin is tossed into their gar- African American Visual Art Palace Hotel; or a grand mountain tour line or on site after that date.) JEFFREY MAGEE bage. Please help us keep the landfills a Edited by GRAHAM LOCK and to the Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum in DAVID MURRAY “Magee does an excellent job of placing his subject in the context of little emptier and our pocketbook a little Golden, Colorado and the 1876 Central The widespread presence of jazz and blues in uncertain social changes in the African American community. Well fuller by letting us know when and where African American visual art has long been researched and highly readable.”—Library Journal you are planning to move. An email is all overlooked. The Hearing Eye makes the case 2008 336 pp.; 22 b/w halftones, 122 music examples it takes: [email protected].