Since colonial times, generations of families from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England have settled in Knoxville and East Tennessee. Early on, they arrived with ballads, stories, instruments, and folk music from their former homes. "Songcatchers," including Francis James Child, Olive Dame Campbell, Maud Pauline Karpeles, Cecil J. Sharp, William Francis Allen, Lucy McKim Garrison, Charles Pickard Ware, and George Pullen Jackson, journeyed deep into the remotest areas of East Tennessee to ...

We all know we can do more together than we can alone. But collaboration is hard, takes time, and can go against human nature. Collaboration is also at the heart of musicianship. In this dynamic and inspiring book, Tim Sharp guides us with a practical, step-by-step vision for improving the collaborative spirit of any ensemble or organization. The potential results can be dramatic. Sharp provides insights into how to develop sustainable collaboration and work towards a common vision that wi...

Innovation in the Ensemble Arts caps a trilogy of volumes that delves into the building blocks necessary for a vibrant, growing music organization. In the first volume—Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their Voice—author Tim Sharp examines the mentor/prote´ge´ dynamic and its critical impact on the lives of ensembles and their conductors. In the second volume—Collaboration in the Ensemble Arts: Working and Playing Well with Others—he challenges us to think beyond our trad...

Nashville is a name synonymous with music. Years before the first radio broadcast of country music from Nashville�s Grand Ole Opry, music and publishing were central to Nashville�s self-identity. Thousands of songs flooded into the Cumberland and Tennessee River valleys from Southern Appalachia, sung by folk performers. These songs became the foundation for the folk-hymn traditions that grew throughout Tennessee. Into this stream flowed a body of African American spirituals, gospel, and mi...

Memphis means music. That relationship was solidified in 1909 when W. C. Handy wrote the song �Mr. Crump� and later published it as the �Memphis Blues.� As Handy�s songs were sung and played in streets and music halls, a spotlight began to shine on a new mecca for innovation in music�Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis Music: Before the Blues surveys the people, music, and events that contributed to the rich musical life that emerged against the backdrop of the Civil War and yellow fever in the 19...

American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) was formed in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 24, 1959, by 35 choral directors from around the United States. They aimed to create an organization that would meet the professional needs of all choir directors. To achieve this goal, they made the promotion of excellence in choral music through performance, composition, publication, research, and teaching their central purpose. In addition, ACDA strives through arts advocacy to elevate choral m...

"After Dinner Conversation" Magazine - December 2021The Truth As We Know It: Celia's child, Theo, is continually bullied at school and his new step-father tries to "make a man" out of him.For Your Safety: Zoe is visited by the government for having sexual relations without first filing an "Intimate Partnership Agreement."The Growing And Weeding Of Dandelions: A space arc arrives a...

Thomas knows the truth! But as he unravels the reality of his father’s death, the truth turns out to be far more horrific than he could possibly have imagined. There are more things in heaven and earth…than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Flailing in the wake of so much violence, Thomas must choose his path—but what if his bloody, knife-handed guide has his own dark agenda? What if Luther is playing by his own demented rules?

It’s Thomas against Luther?! Bad news for Thomas. With all of the horror, and slaughter, and terrifying power Luther has displayed as he was “helping” Thomas get some most bloody revenge, what does Thomas possibly think he can do when his loved ones are in Luther’s crosshairs? Now that the terrifying truth has been revealed about just how personal this trail of vengeance is for Luther, Thomas must try and kill this shark-toothed, knife-handed, hate-filled monster before everything he loves...

Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters is a collection of stories focused on strange creatures in the vein of Pacific Rim, Godzilla, Cloverfield, and more. Opening with a foreword by Jeremy Robinson—author of Project Nemesis, the highest selling Kaiju novel in the United States since the old Godzilla books—the collection features work from New York Times bestsellers to indie darlings. Authors include Peter Clines, Larry Correia, James Lovegrove, Gini Koch (as J.C. Koch), James Maxey, Jonat...

Today’s RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M University System’s emerging educational, technological, and research reserve, carries with it a proud heritage forged from more than 75 years of remarkable and kindred achievement. First established as Bryan Army Air Field at the outset of World War II, the site has been and will continue to be a hub for learning, leadership, and history in the making.Bryan Field was one of the key domestic military installations during America’s involvement in...

Relevance in the Choral Art is a collection of essays from leading practitioners in the choral field that challenges musicians to reflect on the role choral music plays in today's culture and what can be done to keep it relevant. Now more than ever we must face the challenge of the relevancy of choral music in our culture, for artistic directors and their role within choral organizations, for members of choral organizations, and for the community that choral music education and performance...