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|| Venue Information ||
Oxford, MS
Date: March 21, 2006
Venue: University Mississippi/ Ford Center Main Hall
Venue Web Site: www.olemiss.edu
Seating Capacity: 1167
|| Highlights ||
The only college campus the Library of Congress visited on its inaugural “Song of America” concert tour, the University of Mississippi, in Oxford, was the host institution for the eighth stop on the itinerary. A welcoming reception was held on Monday, March 20, 2006, at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. During the reception, a combined exhibit of musical treasures, featuring the Library of Congress’s “Treasures on Tour” and a special display of manuscripts from the University of Mississippi Archives and Special Collections, was available to the public. Following the reception, Thomas Hampson conducted a master class for University of Mississippi vocal students.
To complement the academic setting of the host city, the Library brought a variety of educational programs to the University of Mississippi campus. On Tuesday, March 21, 2006, curators from the Library’s Music Division presented a web-based tutorial on using the Library’s online collections for musicological research to University of Mississippi undergraduate music majors and music department faculty. Later that afternoon, the Library’s Educational Outreach team presented a Teachers’ Institute to K-12 in-service teachers.
The “Song of America” concert, featuring baritone Thomas Hampson and pianist Craig Rutenberg, took place on Tuesday, March 21, 2006, at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. For the first time during the inaugural tour, the concert was broadcast live on Mississippi Public Radio and NPR. The co-hosts and commentators for the live broadcast were Greg Waxberg, Mississippi Public Radio, and Dr. Stephanie Poxon, Music Specialist, Library of Congress. Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington, Dr. Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Library Services, Dr. Gloria Kellum, Vice Chancellor for University Relations, and Congressman Roger Wicker were interviewed during the intermission of the broadcast. Following the concert, attendees were invited to view the Library’s “Treasures on Tour” display, as well as the “Preservation on Parade” booth, where Library of Congress conservators demonstrated preservation methods and gave free advice on storing and preserving papers, books, documents, photographs, and other personal mementos.