Music History

Our Music History series for July is jam packed!

Katherine McGrath has created this wonderful series for those who love music and want to learn a little history. The first week highlighted Robert Johnson and his influence on later generations of musicians. Next, How Classical Music Shapes Popular Songs, and today we heard about the Harlem Renaissance. I had the pleasure of sitting in on this class. So many artists came out of Harlem during this time. We listened to Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and others. Katherine started the class by sharing the painting, Subway, 1934 by Lily Furedi, showing passengers of different races, classes, genders, and national backgrounds all riding together with no sign of friction. Her presentation referenced the Smithsonian American Art Museum's publication, "New York City: The Harlem Renaissance and Beyond."   

Katherine is masterfully presenting this month’s series making it very relatable to her audience. Next week’s topic is an “Intro to Big Band Composers.”  Katherine has her undergraduate degree in Music Therapy and she is currently working toward a Masters in Thanatology. The classes are fun and interactive. There was lots of discussion today about the Harlem Renaissance and the great music that came out of this period. It's music that we all know and love.