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Articles by Libby Smigel
Category: Women in Music
The Welsh Connection: A Gift of Music for America 250 October 2, 2026 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres The Library of Congress has added a new musical gift from Wales to the collections, presented to mark 250 years of American independence. An excerpt of the work was first performed in the U.S. on September 1 in the Library's historic Coolidge Auditorium, with the score now available in the Library’s digital collections.
Sheet Music | In The Muse
Music Meets World Cup Fever June 11, 2026 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres Music has an important role in the World Cup. Whether through the performance of national anthems, featured concerts, or official songs and recordings, attendees and viewers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will find that music and soccer go hand in hand. Enjoy a glimpse into how the music of the World Cup intersects with the Library's collections.
Digital Collections | In The Muse
A Bugle, a Drum, and the Joy of Discovery July 3, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres Former Stanford University Liljenquist Fellow Ben Limric discusses his experience creating two StoryMaps for the Music Division. The StoryMaps are interactive digital webpages that share the stories of several Civil War instruments and the soldiers they belonged too.
Category: African American History
Marvin Gaye: Melancholy and Genius in Black Culture and Media July 22, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres Music Reference Specialist Morgan Davis recaps a lecture delivered by Dr. I Augustus Durham at the Library on June 5, 2025. His lecture, entitled “Marvin Gaye: Melancholy and Genius in Black Culture and Media,” explored the influence of creators such as George and Ira Gershwin, Marian Anderson and Mahalia Jackson, on music from the crime thriller “Trouble Man” scored by Marvin Gaye.
Category: New finding aid
Making Arrangements: Introducing the Gil Evans Music Manuscripts August 19, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel The Gil Evans Music Manuscripts are now available for research in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room! Evans is one of the greatest arrangers in jazz history, acclaimed for his arrangements, band leadership, and original compositions.
Guest bloggers | In The Muse
Making Arrangements: Introducing the Gil Evans Music Manuscripts August 19, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel The Gil Evans Music Manuscripts are now available for research in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room! Evans is one of the greatest arrangers in jazz history, acclaimed for his arrangements, band leadership, and original compositions.
South Indian Carnatic Music Materials Join Music Collections
The following is a guest post by Senior Archivist Maya Lerman, who introduces the Balambal Natarajan Papers, a new special collection held in the Music Division recently made publicly accessible. The Library of Congress Music Division is excited to announce the acquisition of its first collection documenting Carnatic music, an ancient system of South Indian classical music.
Sacred music | In The Muse
John Adams’ El Niño: A Modern Christmas Message December 24, 2024 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres In time for the Christmas season, Senior Music Specialist Kate Rivers explores manuscript sources of composer John Adams' opera-oratorio "El Niño." Composed in 2000 and recently presented at the Metropolitan Opera, "El Niño" is widely regarded as a masterwork of contemporary sacred music.
chamber music | In The Muse
Celebrating Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and 100 Years of Music at the Library of Congress December 18, 2025 Posted by: Libby Smigel Meet Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and the story behind 100 years of free concerts in the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress. Mrs. Coolidge's fascinating life and her support of chamber music in the United States is now fully discoverable through the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection held by Music Division.
Category: Music for Dance
Discover Martha Graham at the Library of Congress: A New Research Guide September 12, 2025 Posted by: Heather Darnell The Library of Congress Music Division is excited to announce the release of Martha Graham: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress, a comprehensive research guide showcasing the Library’s unique resources documenting the life and work of the influential American choreographer.
Archive: July 2026 (5 Posts)
Lessons on Creativity from Library of Congress Manuscripts July 31, 2026 Posted by: Heather Darnell In June, I had the opportunity to represent the Library of Congress at the World Creativity Conference at Seoul National University, South Korea. At first glance, a creativity conference may not seem like an obvious destination for a librarian. Yet it proved to be the perfect setting to demonstrate how archives and special collections can … Posted in: Composers, Musical Theater, Uncategorized
Charles Wuorinen: Composer and Wordsmith
In this guest blog post, Dr. Stephanie Akau, senior archivist in the Library of Congress Music Division, finds meanings and personal associations behind the intriguing titles composer Charles Wuorinen assigned to his music. Charles Wuorinen (1938-2020) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer known for his chamber music, orchestral works, and operas.
Lucille Has a Ball in the Kitchen
This guest post is provided by Ellie Hart, a member of the archival team processing the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Papers housed in the Music Division. Actress-comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989) and musician-actor Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) may be most remembered now for their husband-and-wife hit television series “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957), but within their papers are hints on their home life together.
The Anacreontic Song: The Melody of Our National Anthem
Loras John Schissel, senior music specialist in the Library of Congress Music Division, provides the following guest blog post about how “The Star-Spangled Banner” got its tune, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The Music Division in the Library of Congress is pleased to announce the acquisition of a first edition of “The Anacreontic Song,” from which the melody of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is derived.
Archive: June 2026 (8 Posts)
Music Meets World Cup Fever June 11, 2026 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres Music has an important role in the World Cup. Whether through the performance of national anthems, featured concerts, or official songs and recordings, attendees and viewers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will find that music and soccer go hand in hand. Enjoy a glimpse into how the music of the World Cup intersects with the Library's collections.
A Guide to the MARAC Spring 2026 Meeting for First-Time Attendees
Regina Dziergas and Ellie Hart, two of the archives processing technicians in the Music Division’s Acquisition and Processing Section, provide a guest blog capturing the experience of first-time attendees at one of the professional meetings of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC). What brought you to MARAC and its Spring 2026 meeting? Regina Dziergas: I joined MARAC in the spring of 2025, after moving to Washington, D.C., for my current position.
Staff Interviews | In The Muse
Five Questions: Melissa Young and the Many, Many Awards of Roger L. Stevens December 14, 2021 Posted by: Morgen Stevens-Garmon In this week’s post we are revisiting an older “In the Muse” series, Five Questions.
Military history | In The Muse
Shipboard Songs: Music of the United States Exploring Expedition June 4, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel The United States Exploring Expedition, undertaken in the 1840s, is best known for its confirmation of the Antarctic land mass. This newly acquired manuscript of sea shanties provides an intriguing example of shipboard musical culture and preserves the way that sea shanties were notated during this four-year excursion.
Shipboard Songs: Music of the United States Exploring Expedition
This guest post is contributed by Regina Dziergas, an archives processing technician in the Music Division. As we commemorate America’s 250th birthday, the Music Division is happy to announce the acquisition of the U.S. Exploring Expedition composer’s song book, 1840-1842, a volume extraordinary for both its contents and the circumstances of its creation.
Archive: May 2026 (4 Posts)
“The Pop Will Eat Itself”: American Popular Music, Anime and the Archive May 29, 2026 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres What makes music feel “authentic”—and who decides what is worth preserving? Using the anime "Carole & Tuesday" as a case study, this blog traces how the American singer-songwriter tradition, including Joni Mitchell to Carole King, was canonized through the archival and copyright collections of the Library of Congress and reimagined through Japanese anime for global audiences.
Category: Music Division history
“Let the People Hear It” Celebrates 100 Years of Concerts at the Library December 23, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres The Library of Congress recently published “Let the People Hear It: Concerts from the Library of Congress at 100” (Library of Congress, 2025). The book provides a visual journey through the history of the Library’s renowned concert series, which was established in 1925 by philanthropist Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and Carl Engel, then-chief of the Library’s Music Division.
Category: Women in Dance
Discover Martha Graham at the Library of Congress: A New Research Guide September 12, 2025 Posted by: Heather Darnell The Library of Congress Music Division is excited to announce the release of Martha Graham: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress, a comprehensive research guide showcasing the Library’s unique resources documenting the life and work of the influential American choreographer.
American Ballet Theatre, “America’s National Ballet Company”
In April and May 2006, both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress gave unanimous endorsement of their respective resolutions to honor American Ballet Theatre (ABT) as “America’s National Ballet Company.” Today, May 16, 2026, marks the 20th anniversary of the House’s resolution.
Category: Congress or Congressional action
American Ballet Theatre, “America’s National Ballet Company” May 16, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Congress’s action that proclaimed American Ballet Theatre as “America’s National Ballet Company,” enjoy a peek at selected archival materials found in the Music and the Prints & Photographs divisions that document ABT’s history and achievements.
set/lighting/costume | In The Muse
American Ballet Theatre, “America’s National Ballet Company” May 16, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Congress’s action that proclaimed American Ballet Theatre as “America’s National Ballet Company,” enjoy a peek at selected archival materials found in the Music and the Prints & Photographs divisions that document ABT’s history and achievements.
Choreographer Martha Graham Dances a “Letter” to Honor Emily Dickinson
In honor of National Poetry Month, we would like to share with you a much-admired dance work that celebrates in movement the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Martha Graham (1894-1991) was an avid reader: philosophy, drama, anthropology, … and poetry. Her choreography titled “Letter to the World” (Bennington College, 1940; New York City, 1941) created an episodic dance inspired by several of Emily Dickinson’s poems.
Archive: April 2026 (3 Posts)
Apply for the Daniel Nagrin Research Fellowship April 13, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel The Music Division announces the first year for the 2026 Daniel Nagrin Research Fellowship, which supports travel to the Library of Congress for research projects related to choreographers Daniel Nagrin or his first wife, Helen Tamiris. This new fellowship has been made possible by a generous donation of the Daniel Nagrin Theatre, Film and Dance Foundation.
Category: Fellowships or travel awards
Apply for the 2026 Fauser Carter Research Fellowship November 28, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres The Music Division is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for the 2026 Annegret Fauser and Tim Carter Research Fellowship, made possible by a generous donation of Drs. Fauser and Carter in 2022. For decades, Drs. Fauser and Carter have been regular researchers in the Performing Arts Reading Room and good friends to the Music Division.
Apply for the Daniel Nagrin Research Fellowship
The Music Division is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for the 2026 Daniel Nagrin Research Fellowship, made possible by a generous donation of the Daniel Nagrin Theatre, Film & Dance Foundation in 2024. The purpose of the award is to ensure access for in-person research by scholars, academic faculty, students in higher education, and others involved in serious inquiry into the legacies of Daniel Nagrin and his first wife, Helen Tamiris.
More New Finding Aids from the Music Division, Part 2
Here is the second installment relaying information about newly accessible special collections from Section Head Vincent Novara and the Music Division’s archival processing teams. The Music Division is again sharing with you some new finding aids from a recent batch completed collections. As a reminder, our finding aids (contextual guides to archival collections) are now appearing in a new look.
Lighting design | In The Muse
Finding Gus Solomons jr in the Beverly Emmons Papers February 17, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel Find out how materials found in a lighting designer's archive can shed light on a performing artist in unexpected ways. Music Division Senior Archivist Morgen Stevens-Garmon chooses choreographer Gus Solomons jr to reveal evidence of his dances among the papers of acclaimed lighting designer Beverly Emmons.
Discovering Choreographer Ruth Page at the Library
The Music Division is happy to make available an online finding aid for a curated set of programs, photographs, and reviews given to the Library by renowned American choreographer Ruth Page in 1972. This is a timely opportunity to share the breadth of the Library’s holdings on Page by showcasing some of the items that reflect her significance to the development of American dance in the 20th century. Ruth Page attired in a Romantic-style ballet tutu, 1926. Photographer: Arnold Genthe.
Archive: March 2026 (4 Posts)
Willie Colón: “El Juicio” March 13, 2026 Posted by: Claudia Morales This blog post reflects on the life and legacy of salsa pioneer Willie Colón following his death in February 2026. It highlights copyright deposits from the album "El Juicio" held by the Library of Congress. Through songs such as “Timbalero” and “Aguanilé,” it explores how Colón and Héctor Lavoe helped shape the sound of New York salsa by blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms with urban storytelling and musical innovation.
New Finding Aids from the Music Division: Part 1
Thanks to the Music Division’s archival processing teams and our Acquisitions and Processing Section Head Vin Novara, we can share the news of newly available finding aids for special collections in the Performing Arts Reading Room. This blog post is the first of two. Be on the lookout for more news next week! The Music Division is delighted to share with you a new batch of recently published “finding aids” (contextual guides to archival collections).
Archive: February 2026 (4 Posts)
Jazz Archiving Panel at Jazz Congress 2026 February 23, 2026 Posted by: Claudia Morales In January of this year, concert producer Claudia Morales served as a panelist at Jazz Congress, a multi-day gathering produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Finding Gus Solomons jr in the Beverly Emmons Papers
Senior Archivist Morgen Stevens-Garmon contributed this guest blog post on the fascinating and unexpected materials showing the artistry of dancer-choreographer Gus Solomons jr found within the Beverly Emmons Papers. For the past several months, I have had the privilege of processing the Beverly Emmons Papers here in the Music Division.
Love in the Stacks
Senior Music Specialist Mark Horowitz offers this Valentine’s Day guest blog post, which shares examples of love letters from the Music Division’s special collections. I first visited the Music Division of the Library of Congress in the 1980s. At the time, I was only interested in music scores, and I reveled in my discoveries.
Choreographer Leni Wylliams Commemorated in a Newly Available Special Collection
The Music Division’s finding aid on distinguished choreographer and dancer Leni Wylliams (1961-1996) is now available as a downloadable PDF! Despite his short life, Leni Wylliams made notable contributions to the dance field that can now be discovered through the collection assembled and donated by two of his colleagues, community archivist and artist Raymond Steehler and dance photographer David A. Fullard.
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and the Art of Saying No
This guest post is contributed by Amy Poe, an archives technician in the Music Division. For this topic, she selects examples from the correspondence in the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Papers that she organized last year.
Archive: January 2026 (3 Posts)
Top 5 Acquisitions for 2025 January 15, 2026 Posted by: Libby Smigel The Music Division staff spotlight the Top 5 acquisitions of 2025, including the 1690 Tuscan-Medici viola by Antonio Stradivari, Igor Stravinsky's holograph for "The Nightengale," the papers of the composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich and the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, and the archives of master of musical theater Stephen Sondheim.
Top 5 Acquisitions for 2025
The following is a guest blog by Vin Novara, Head of Acquisitions and Processing, Music Division. 2025 was another thrilling year of acquisitions for the Music Division. Our top 5 acquisitions were especially staggering in terms of breadth and impact. As always, it is not easy to select only five acquisitions or to even rank them. This year we really built on existing strengths (that is, composers, manuscripts, instruments) while expanding our holdings on notable performers.
Archive: 2025 (45 Posts)
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Library December 8, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres View "The Music of Oz," including treasures from the creation of "The Wizard of Oz," "The Wiz" and "Wicked," in the Thomas Jefferson Building from December 9 through January 31.
‘Tis the Season! Holiday and Greeting Cards in the Collections of the Music Division
Senior Music Specialist Loras Schissel contributes this guest blog post to share some of the holiday greetings found in the Music Division’s collections. We present some interesting and unusual holiday and greeting cards in celebration of the season. In some instances, the sender has created the cover art or composed a special musical greeting for the recipient. Click on images to enlarge them or use the links to explore the collections in which they are found.
The Musical Language of Anthony Braxton
The following blog post on composer Anthony Braxton is contributed by Dr. Stephanie Akau, senior archivist in the Library of Congress Music Division. She introduces the newly available resources in the Anthony Braxton Papers. In spring 2025, Processing Technician Jada Twitty and I processed the papers of composer, pedagogue and multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxton.
Celebrating Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and 100 Years of Music at the Library of Congress
The following guest blog post contributed by Senior Archivist Maya Lerman and Archives Processing Technician Regina Dziergas introduces the Music Division’s Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection, now fully processed and available to the public. The Music Division is pleased to announce that the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection has been fully processed and is open for research in the Performing Arts Reading Room.
Dawn Will Follow Dawn: Peggy Seeger and Renewal in the 1990s
We are pleased to share the following guest blog post from Case Western Reserve University doctoral student Mary Galvin. Mary’s research interests include women and performance in popular music, French Baroque vocal music, and film adaptations of American musical theater. Mary joined us for a 2025 summer fellowship at the Music Division, working with the processing team assigned to the Beverly Emmons Papers.
The Stephen Sondheim Collection: A Researcher Shares His Experience
In 2025, the Library of Congress acquired the papers of Stephen Sondheim, one of the most celebrated figures in twentieth-century musical theater. This is a guest post from Ed Zanders, a British composer and musical director based in London. Trained in classical composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Zanders works extensively as a pianist and improviser in the West End and worldwide and is currently writing a musical with Mischief.
Archive: August 2025 (4 Posts)
A Hungarian Rhapsody: Concerts from the Library of Congress at 100 August 26, 2025 Posted by: Nicholas A.
In Memoriam | In The Muse
Ned Rorem and the Library of Congress: An Appreciation November 30, 2022 Posted by: Morgen Stevens-Garmon The following is a guest post by Music Division Specialist Loras John Schissel who has compiled letters and diary entries from Ned Rorem illuminating the composer’s relationship with the Music Division at the Library of Congress. Look not to things that are seen, but to that which is unseen; for things that are seen pass … Posted in: Composers, In Memoriam
A Revolution in Song: Music and the Beginnings of French Democracy
We are happy to share the following guest blog post from Case Western University doctoral student Ellen Sauer Tanyeri. Ellen’s research interests include 19th-century American sheet music and the interplay of musical genre in France at the time of the French Revolution. Ellen joined us for a 2025 summer fellowship at the Music Division, working with the processing team assigned to the Kronos Quartet Archive.
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