Carol,

I could see maybe "...always the accordian"  or "...always the knee
cymbals". But then again, as a banjoist I know that
musicologists/folklorists often feel the need to manufacture a reality that
fits their particular agenda. Be ever watchful!!

Mark Payne, Program Officer
West Virginia Humanities Council
304-346-8500
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Harsh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: update on New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music


> David,
>
> I agree with you.  Not sure what introductory piece you are referencing,
> not to worry.  We are not even close to the final wording. This sort of
over
> generalizing statements would be caught in the editing phase.
>
> Carol
>
> Carol Harsh
> Co-Director
> Museum on Main Street
> Smithsonian Institution, SITES
> (202)357-1760
> (202)465-5267 (cell)
> [log in to unmask]
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 03/30/05 11:24AM >>>
> Carol,
>
> Concerning the Roots Music exhibit, an introductory piece that I saw
> referenced the importance of the drum, and I agree. However there is a
> statement that read "... always the drum." With this I do disagree.
> Although I am certainly not a musicologist I can think of several types
> of music including bluegrass, mass choir gospel, and much of the blues
> wherein drums are not an integral part. Perhaps this statement has
> already been altered or done away with. Just thought I'd mention it.
>
> Thanks,
> David
>
> PS Looking forward to seeing you on Tues. Sept 13 in Decatur for our
> Between Fences installation workshop.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum on Main Street [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Carol Harsh
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 9:38 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: update on New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music
>
> Thought I would take a few minutes to give you a quick update on the
> development of New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.
>
> As you know developing an exhibition from scratch is a long, thoughtful
> process.  Our curatorial team is comprised of Bob Santelli (curator) and
> an
> Advisory Group including Alan Jabbour, Kip Lornell, and Portia Maultsby,
> a
> SITES project director and a writer. They are hard at work fine tuning
> and
> articulating more precisely the conceptual thematic outline  and
> crafting
> the text so as to tell a story. They are culling through and selecting
> images, artifacts, instruments, lyrics, folk art and musical clips that
> evoke the feel of and best illustrate the various musical styles
> included
> in
> the exhibition. This process will take six months or so more, then the
> exhibition will be designed and go into full production in about an year
> from now.  The exhibitions will open in five states in March 2007.
>
> Simultaneously, a group of exhibit designers at the Smithsonian's Office
> of
> Exhibits Central are working on a design for a new structural system for
> the
> New Harmonies exhibition.   We are reviewing and evaluating design
> concepts
> that will be a new approach to MoMS exhibitions.  It is very exciting to
> see
> their creative ideas.  We have the opportunity to work with some of the
> Smithsonian's best exhibit designers. This concept work will continue
> for
> the next few months and then be applied and used for the New Harmonies
> exhibition.
>
> We have big plans for this exhibition and look forward to rolling it out
> in
> the next two years.  We will keep you posted with periodic updates.
>
> Carol
>
>
>
> Carol Harsh
> Co-Director
> Museum on Main Street
> Smithsonian Institution, SITES
> (202)357-1760
> (202)465-5267 (cell)
> [log in to unmask]
>