From Richmond to Charlotte (Sorta) to the NC Outer Banks-March 2026
Spirituals in Richmond I had been invited to be a panelist for a discussion of spirituals for the 2026 Society for American Music (SAM) annual conference in Richmond, Virginia, so I decided to add a side trip to the Outer Banks of my home state, North Carolina. It would be only my second visit to the area, when my mother and I made it as far as Buxton, NC, in 2017. Shortly before the trip was scheduled to begin, I saw a Facebook notice that the American Spiritual Ensemble (ASE) was scheduled to perform in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Sunday after the conference. As the departure date neared, however, two events caused me to debate whether I would complete the trip as planned. First, I got an email notification that a different conference had just experienced numerous confirmed cases of COVID. While I had gotten my annual COVID vaccine a…
Look Out, Cincinnati… The Music Librarians Are Here! (Part 1)
So, let me start by saying “I missed RB!” Since the trip for the Music Library Association conference was work-related, I decided to get a rental. They gave me this monstrous six-passenger mini-van that I had to get used to driving. Discovered halfway there that I had put the van into S4, which is better suited for mountain driving and burns gas like crazy. The vehicle was okay, but I just didn’t have fun driving it like I normally do with RB. This is, basically, the trip route: Anyway, the conference was headquartered at the Hilton Netherland Plaza in the middle of Cincinnati. Arrived much later than I’d planned–partially due to missing my I-74 exit in Indianapolis and taking a much longer trip around their beltway than expected, so I missed visiting the Underground Railroad museum (will have to make a later trip to get it done). Thursday, March 3…
2016-On the Road Again,… I hope
My travel plans for 2015 kept changing, which forced me to postpone adding my last three of the contiguous 48 states to this year. Had my 35th college class reunion–the official photo to the left, traveled to visit family, and I saw some sites around Iowa (covered on my Iowa?!? blog). Otherwise, a pretty quiet travel year. Hopefully, that will change in 2016. First driving trip on the agenda is for the annual Music Library Association conference. This year’s conference is in Cincinnati. Northern climes in early March, oh joy!! Forecast is for rain and highs in the 40’s. Not great when I’d love to go somewhere warmer this time of year, but it could’ve been colder and snow. This looks like a busy conference for me. I’m scheduled to perform Margaret Bonds’ Five Creek-Freedmen Spirituals on Thursday, coordinate the Paraprofessional Interest Round table and host a dinner at a…
Ease on Down the Road (Day Five–the Home Stretch)
Got started at 5 a.m. Monday because I knew I had a medical procedure sometime that day in Iowa City and couldn’t remember what time I’d set the appointment. I also really wanted to avoid the morning rush hour in Indianapolis that, combined with all of the eternally ongoing road construction, was a fate I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Made excellent time through Indiana and Illinois. Reached Iowa City at 10:30 (got an hour back crossing into Illinois). Called the hospital and learned I had nearly three hours before my appointment, so I spent the time getting both me and the RB cleaned up and then had some lunch. At the appointment, the doctor told me that while the growth on my face appeared benign, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to remove it. So, after a shot of Novocaine, the doctor took less than 30 seconds to…
Ease on Down the Road (Day 4)
Nearly bit off more than I could chew today. I’d spent several hours in the gracious company of Eugene Simpson, with whom I discussed several research approaches to Hall Johnson’s compositional philosophy and ways I should prepare for a much more extended visit and study of the Johnson collection. I then visited and got a tour of the home of my host daughter, Tianhan. We went out for an enjoyable dinner of shrimp (me) and grilled octopus (Tianhan) at an uptown restaurant in Philadelphia. (BTW, if you know of a dignified way to eat corn-on-the-cob and take the head off of shrimp, please let me know.) I am so proud of how well she is adapting to her new surroundings, which are so very different than Iowa. Since she’s now graduated from the college, I guess I’m not technically her host mother any more, but I hate giving up the…
On the Road (Day Three)
Took the Ohio Coastal Trail on the way to Oberlin in the hope I’d get to see something interesting along the way. The only thing that got my attention was the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant. I don’t think I’ve ever been that close to one before. Spent most of the afternoon doing research at the Oberlin Conservatory’s music library. They have a beautiful goldfish pond outside the building, where I ate lunch and enjoyed the fish. Found a number of scores by Margaret Bonds, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Edward Boatner, and Wiliams Arms Fisher that I didn’t have. Got to Erie, Pennsylvania, in the early evening and found the campus identified on the Web as connected with the H. T. Burleigh collection. However, as I suspected, it was too late to find anyone around to ask about it. So, checked into my home for the night. Decided it…
On the Road (Day Two)
Got an early start from Princeton. There was lots of construction along I-80. Illinois has definitely taken advantage of federal stimulus money. If I-80 looks and drives as well when it is finished as I-74 now does–talk about a nasty ride before the construction, it’d be worth the cost and current inconvenience. Speaking of driving, I’d love someone to explain why drivers who–at best–are driving speed limit settle into the left lane and won’t move out of the way. I was taught that slower drivers should be in the right lane or at least should move over and allow the faster driver to pass. After being stuck behind slow drivers more times than I can count, I find it rather frustrating. My pet peeve, I suppose. On a much better note, I reached the University of Michigan this afternoon. After a brief visit to the school’s music library–where I found…
On the Road (Day One)…
Well, I’m on the road to Canada!! Went to work for a few hours this morning. One of my co-workers took this picture just as I was leaving for the trip. Had a pretty good voice lesson at the University of Iowa this afternoon. Final hearing of the four spirituals I’ve prepped for the symposium. At least that part of my presentation is in very good shape. Immediately afterward, started heading East. With only two hours of sleep last night (really this morning), it was no surprise that I only got as far as Princeton, Illinois, before I was too tired to safely continue onward. Princeton, by the way, is proud to say it’s the hometown of President Ronald Reagan. I won’t hold that against them as long as they have a clean place for me to sleep. The route for Day 1: http://mapq.st/nsXTYv Off to a (hopefully) good night…