Armstrong Archives: Now Available Around the World
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World Class Tennis Team 4 . QC Hosts Park 51 Forum 6 . Rocking Geology World 7 . QC Joins Apple's iTunes U 8 Civil Rights Archive Acquisition CLICK HERE QUEENS COLLEGE FacuLTY | Stafff NEWSyFEBruariY 2011 Something to Sing Armstrong Archives: Now Available Around About: Choral Society Celebrates the World Louis Armstrong, one of America’s 70th Anniversary jazz greats, lived for almost three decades in a modest house in the working-class neighborhood of Corona, just four miles from Queens College. After the death of his wife, Lucille, in 1983—a dozen years after Louis’ passing in 1971—the house became the property of NYC’s De- partment of Cultural Affairs. Queens College was given the job of operating it as a museum. Members of the QC Choral Society When caretakers entered the house, in performance in December. they discovered a treasure trove of materials left by Armstrong in the attic It had been a long wait—since 2006. and closets: photos, home music tape- But on December 11, those soaring recordings, scrapbooks, manuscript hallelujahs in Handel’s Messiah band parts, and five trumpets—several resounded once more in the packed of them gold-plated. Colden Auditorium. Poised to conduct That collection, along with three A photo of Louis Armstrong playing with 171 performers, Queens College other Armstrong-related collections clarinetist Joe Muranyi is among more than 25,000 photos in the Louis Armstrong Archives. Choral Society (QCCS) musical subsequently acquired by the museum, director James A. John (Music) was forms the world’s largest archives devoted relaxed, centered, smiling. to a single jazz musician. On Dec. 16 the scrapbooks, and 20 linear feet of letters “There’s a lot of subconscious com- museum announced that a catalog of its and papers. munication between the podium and the three largest collections had just been put The museum’s holdings offer “an group,” reflects John. “People pick up on online at: http://www.louisarmstrong- intensely personal look at who he was,” house.org/collections/online_catalog.htm. says Michael Cogswell, a one-time profes- CONTINUED ON pagE 3 The archives include more than 5,000 sional jazz saxophonist turned archivist sound recordings, 15,000 photographs, who directs the Louis Armstrong House the 30 films Armstrong appeared in, 100 CONTINUED ON pagE 2 ARMSTRONG ARCHIVES - from page 1 Museum. The archives are routinely used one, and putting them online along with Making Do with Less by jazz scholars, authors, and docu- generous amounts of digitalized photos Like other publicly funded institutions, QC are reducing their offerings. “Given the mentary filmmakers. All the Armstrong and text, was funded by a $105,384 two- has had to tighten its belt in the current diversity of this borough, we want to photos in Ken Burns’s epic 2000 filmJazz year grant from the Institute of Museum economy. “We had a 2.5 percent overall increase our foreign language instruction,” came from the LAHM. and Library Services. reduction in our budget, which is a cut of says Muyskens. The painstaking work of combining the close to $3 million,” reports Kathy Cobb The administration also remains com- various paper and computer catalogs into (VP Finance & Administration). “We’ve set mitted to providing an affordable educa- aside another 1.25 percent—nearly $1.5 tion, despite the recession; for full-time million—to cover anticipated midyear cuts. undergraduates from relatively affluent Progress on Armstrong House Visitors Center In addition, personnel costs have risen over last year’s.” The Armstrong Archives, currently been increasing, going from 10,500 in Some of these losses may be recouped housed at the Rosenthal Library, are 2009 to an estimated 12,000 in 2010. through increased tuition payments and slated to be moved to a new visitors The museum has raised $15 million savings realized from the early retirement center to be built on an empty lot to build a 14,000-square-foot, two- of staffers and faculty. But these adjust- across the street from the Armstrong story structure, designed by Caples ments are not enough to balance the bud- House. The lot was acquired and do- Jefferson Architects. The visitors center get. Consequently, bathroom, classroom, nated by the Louis Armstrong Educa- will provide “state-of-the-art exhibition and floor upgrades are being deferred; no tional Foundation, a nonprofit entity space” for the museum’s collections. It technological upgrades are in the works established by Louis that took over his will also have “a little jazz club with a apart from changes needed to implement estate after Lucille’s death. stage for performances, lectures, film CUNYfirst. In the next fiscal year, starting Nearly four decades after Arm- screenings, class visits, and many other July 2011, QC will move to zero-based strong’s death, Cogswell says, “the uses,” says Cogswell. Construction is budgeting, in which each expenditure, no world seems to be more interested than scheduled to begin this year and be matter how small, will have to be justified ever in Louis Armstrong.” Visits by the completed in 2013. in terms of the college’s goals. Issues will public to the Armstrongs’ house have be discussed this spring in meetings of the budget committee of the P&B and in a President James Muyskens will hold a town hall meeting on Feb. 14 at 12:15 town hall session on campus. pm in Rosenthal 230 to discuss budget “All of public education today is fac- challenges. ing the same challenge we are,” explains President James Muyskens. “State govern- ments are depleted, so we get less funding. households, the tuition increase equals Even before this latest sharp downturn, only $115 a semester. With financial aid, things were trending this way.” To compen- many of our students get what is essen- sate, the college has been putting a high tially a free ride, the president notes. emphasis on fundraising and outreach to “QC may be a little better off than alums, QC’s best source of philanthropy. other CUNY schools,” he observes. “Our The news isn’t entirely grim. Although enrollment has grown each year, which the college is hiring very few faculty mem- brings enhanced revenue. We’re always bers, private funding is supporting several looking at efficiency and how to deploy positions in areas that have been identi- our resources in the best way possible. fied as critical to the Strategic Plan. Other We are trying to follow the objectives in outside resources, such as the Mellon our Strategic Plan. But, given the crunch, A digital representation of the planned visitors center at the Louis Armstrong Foundation, are helping QC add foreign some things may have to be deferred to a House Museum. language professors while many colleges later time.” 2 Asian-American Program Launches Community Collaborations One participant called it “history in the Asian/American Center, which is adminis- making” as leaders from 13 Asian com- tering this program. “This is the beginning munity organizations gathered recently at of a larger initiative as we work closely the college to launch a partnership with with our partners in the months to come, QC’s Asian-American Pacific Islander drawing on their expertise and experience Community Studies (AAPICS) program. to better serve the needs of Asian-Ameri- The organizations— including the Queens can populations in Queens and the rest of Museum of Art and the Organization of New York City.” Chinese Americans—were chosen to col- Nearly a quarter of QC students laborate on community research projects are first- or second-generation Asian with QC faculty and to offer internship Americans. opportunities for students. The involvement of community-based Among the joint projects planned are advocacy groups is the most innovative as- Asian-American literary readings and oral pect of the AAPICS program, which was histories, children’s and senior citizens’ established in November 2009 through a arts and culture programs, citizenship and $1.2 million U.S. Department of Educa- crime-prevention workshops, needs-assess- tion grant awarded to the Asian/American ment surveys, and roundtables on gender- Center. A minor in AAPICS is expected It was all smiles as representatives of more than a dozen Asian community based violence among domestic workers. to be available to students this fall. organizations gathered on campus to launch a partnership with QC's Asian- “We are very excited about this col- American Pacific Islander Community Studies program. laboration,” says Madhulika Khandelwal (Urban Studies), the director of QC’s SOMETHING TO SING - from page 1 That 1961 concert was one of 25 consecu- community organization must raise about tive Messiahs conducted by John Castellini, $10,000 a year to cover expenses, including that confidence and joy, and I really felt that the society’s founding director. QCCS now hiring an orchestra for the Winter concert. was present. They were singing new energy presents the oratorio approximately every As a conductor, John “wants the music to into the piece.” four years. be authentic,” explains Bob Braine, including John, who has guest-conducted Messiah In their two concerts annually, members making sure that their 17th-century Latin sing-alongs at Avery Fisher Hall, has beautifully blend voices that range from 16 has a Germanic accent where appropriate. directed the QCCS since 2002. He also James John conducts a rehearsal years to 80-plus. Community residents, many “Professor John is very good. He teaches. of the QC Choral Society. is director of QC’s choral activities and of them QC alumni, sing side-by-side with He has patience,” he observes, and the director of the Manhattan-based chamber QC students, faculty, and staff and a small music director was a wonderful counselor toire that has never been performed before choir Cerddorion.