Tuesday, August 20, 2013

George Gershwin & the American Popular Song

Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.




After seeing the Gershwin musical, Nice Work If You Can Get It, on Broadway last fall, Tim was inspired to explore the lives and music of the Gershwin brothers, George and Ira. Holt will perform and play songs from the musical, including "'S Wonderful" and "Do Do Do," as well as selections from Porgy and Bess, and other works by the Gershwin team. He'll discuss their contribution to American popular music and give a behind-the-scenes look at how they weaved music and words seamlessly together. Tim will also discuss the work of other great composers from that era: Harold Arlen ("Somewhere Over The Rainbow"), Irving Berlin ("Cheek To Cheek") and Jerome Kern ("'Ol Man River"). As in his other programs, Tim will encourage audience members to celebrate our musical heritage by singing right along with him.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Across the Pacific Ocean with Paddle Steamship China

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.



Historian Hillary Don discusses his book, Across the Pacific Ocean with Paddle Steamship China. From 1867 to 1879, the wooden, sidewheel-paddle steamship boldly carried thousands of transpacific ocean passengers- including William Seward and Anson Burlingame—over 6,000 hazardous nautical miles from San Francisco, California, to Yokohama, Japan, and Hong Kong, China. It helped unite the East and West coasts of the United States and developed trade between the youngest and two of the oldest civilizations in the world. Now only the aft deckhouse of the ship survives as “China Cabin” in Belvedere.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase.