Series to highlight ‘250 Years of Local Music’ in Charlottesville, Albemarle

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society will be partnering with The Front Porch to host a seven-month program series entitled “250 Years of Local Music: Exploring Musical Traditions of Charlottesville & Albemarle,” which is set to kick off in September.

The series begins with a two-part program on Thursday, Sept. 2, and Friday, Sept. 3, exploring the history and tradition of shape note singing in Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.

Part I, led by noted shape note masters Kelly Macklin and John delRe, will be held on includes both a lecture on the history of shape note singing as well as a demonstration and introduction to the practice.

This event will be held at the Friends Quaker Meeting House of Charlottesville.

Part II, held at The Front Porch, will be an expert-led workshop held for those who are interested in learning more and practicing the art of shape note singing themselves.

“We are really looking forward to working with The Front Porch to show how history and music are intertwined. Arts and culture are part of our local history, and this program series is the perfect way for us to bring those two areas together,” ACHS Executive Director Olivia Brown said.

“The Front Porch is excited to join ACHS in presenting a series of programs that celebrates the rich musical traditions of Central Virginia by grounding them in historical perspective,” said Sam Cushman, the artist booking and venue manager at The Front Porch. “This series allows us to bring a valuable historical lens to the rich traditions of American music that many of us enjoy in our day to day lives.”

October’s program is a co-sponsored documentary screening with Preservation Piedmont of the film “Black Fiddlers” by filmmaker Eduardo Montes-Bradley. “Black Fiddlers” delves into the profound legacy of African American musicians who have shaped the cultural landscape of American folklore through violin music.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Richard Will, professor of Critical & Comparative Studies in Music at the University of Virginia.

Panelists include fiddler Earl White, who is featured in the film, and Auriana Woods, the director of Monticello’s Getting Word African American History Department.

This screening will be held at Vinegar Hill Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Future programs in the series will include historical talks and performances on blues, jazz, classical and popular music.

For more information, visit albemarlehistory.org/programs.