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Music

How gospel music gave birth to rock and soul
dixie hummingbirds on stage at wxpn

How gospel music gave birth to rock and soul

Capping a 16-month project funded by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, WXPN will debut a four-part radio documentary on Feb. 4, sharing the stories of the early beginnings and influence of gospel music.
Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
Two women and a man playing large bongo drums.

Mary Javian, chair of career studies at the Curtis Institute, Tempy Small, a program participant, and Adam Pangburn, coordinator of community performance at Curtis, participated in a drum circle to close out the final “Creative Expression through Music” session. Nick DiBerardino (not pictured) lead the classes, which were coordinated by Penn graduate students Sarah Bujno and Matt Volpe (in the background).

Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?

That’s the aim of a recently completed pilot program connecting Penn Memory Center patients, Penn graduate students, and Curtis Institute musicians.

Michele W. Berger

Marian Anderson’s legacy lives on
Penn-Libraries-April-James-shows-Philadelphia-elementary-school-students-sheet-music-for-Marian-Anderson-song.

April James of the Penn Libraries shows students from Philadelphia's Edwin M. Stanton elementary school four different versions of the original sheet music for a song the renowned contralto Marian Anderson sang about her cat, Snoopy. 

Marian Anderson’s legacy lives on

Philadelphia elementary school students visit the Penn Libraries to learn about the world-renowned singer (and the cat she dedicated an entire album to) through her collection.

Louisa Shepard

Musical magic
Musical magic with William Parberry

Penn Choral Director William Parberry conducts the University Choir through an intense section of “The Circus Band,” a piece by Charles Ives, performed just before intermission.

Musical magic

For 45 years, Penn Choral Director William Parberry has conducted thousands of Penn singers through hundreds of music scores, resulting in more than 270 concerts by his three ensembles.