Musician’s declaration
Russian-born pianist, conductor, and composer Igor Stravinsky is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He immigrated to the United...
New lyrics for an old song
The original lyrics of “The Battle Cry of Freedom” were written by George Root and supported the Union. Composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted...
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial
On Easter Sunday 1939, African American contralto Marian Anderson sang from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, before a crowd of 75,000 people....
Petition for Naturalization for Hiao-Tsiun Ma
Composer and conductor Hiao-Tsiun Ma was born in Ningpo, Chekian, China, on July 11, 1911. He filed this petition for naturalization on October 11, 1972. He had two...
Singing in America
Maria von Trapp became a household name when her story was turned into the 1959 musical, The Sound of Music, but before that, she and her family immigrated to...
"The glorious voice"
By 1939, African-American singer Marian Anderson had toured Europe impressing crowds and composers alike. But in this country, she was banned from many concert halls...