ARSC, National Parks and More (Conference and Greenwood)–May 17-18
The ARSC Conference Although I was rather tired when I finally reached my hotel room, I had already missed ARSC sessions on Thursday and that Friday morning. So, instead of answering the call of the hotel bed, I showered and changed clothes then attended the afternoon sessions. ARSC, or the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, is an interesting mix of professionals and amateurs covering the fields of sound production, preservation, research, etc. I have maintained my membership beyond my retirement because my research interests have a direct correlation with the organization, and there are colleagues whose interests tie directly with mine. I got a very pleasant surprise when, looking through the printed program to decide what to attend, I saw that the publisher of my second book had taken out an ad featuring the book. Thanks!! This year, my proposed presentation, “Porgy and Bess at 90,” had been selected for…
April and May Travel Update
I’m hoping for a very active travel summer in 2025. This has been made easier by an award I recently received. The Music Library Association (MLA) bestowed its 2025 Vincent H. Duckles Award–given for the best book-length bibliography or other research tool in music–for my second book, Recorded Solo Concert Spirituals, 1916-2022. With their monetary award, I was able to fully prep the Silver Bullet for distance travel, pay for registration and hotel for the upcoming Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and have funds left to register for next year’s MLA conference. The fun is scheduled to begin with a full day in Baltimore consisting of a road tour of the city, my second visit to the National Aquarium, and a dinner cruise that evening. This is contingent on my full recovery from whatever bug I brought back (in addition to the Kong-sized shot glass and…