The Music House brings Peter Bergin Ragtime Concert as part of our concert series back by popular demand. Bergin’s 2015 was such a hit that we have invited him back! He will bring even more Ragtime fun while moving around and entertaining on many of our wonderful pianos.
Bergin is a pianist and vocalist whose refined singing and energetic ragtime has entertained audiences for over 25 years. After a long career as a computer scientist, Peter is now in full-time pursuit of his life-long desire to share music with the world. Join us for an evening of ragtime music and history as Peter moves around the museum playing on many of our pianos.
Ragtime is a musical genre that enjoyed its peak popularity between 1895 and 1918. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated, or “ragged,” rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of African-American communities in St. Louis years before being published as popular sheet music for piano. Ernest Hogan (1865–1909) was an innovator and key pioneer who helped popularize the musical genre, and is credited for coining the term ragtime. Perhaps its most famous composer was Scott Joplin who became famous through the publication of the “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899) and a string of ragtime hits such as “The Entertainer” (1902), although he was later forgotten by all but a small, dedicated community of ragtime aficionados until the major ragtime revival in the early 1970s. Ragtime fell out of favor as jazz claimed the public’s imagination after 1917, but there have been numerous revivals since the music has been re-discovered.
Peter Bergin: Gottschalk to Gershwin
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The Music House welcomes back the incredible ragtime pianist, Peter Bergin, as part of our concert series, back by popular demand. Bergin’s 2015 and 2016 concerts were such hits that we had to invite him back! He will bring even more Ragtime fun while moving around and entertaining on many of our wonderful pianos. This year’s concert will feature music from ‘Gottschalk to Gershwin’.
Bergin is a pianist and vocalist whose refined singing and energetic ragtime has entertained audiences for over 25 years. After a long career as a computer scientist, Peter is now in full-time pursuit of his life-long desire to share music with the world. Join us for an evening of ragtime music and history as Peter moves around the museum playing on many of our pianos.
Ragtime is a musical genre that enjoyed its peak popularity between 1895 and 1918. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated, or “ragged,” rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of African-American communities in St. Louis years before being published as popular sheet music for piano. Ernest Hogan (1865–1909) was an innovator and key pioneer who helped popularize the musical genre, and is credited for coining the term ragtime. Perhaps its most famous composer was Scott Joplin who became famous through the publication of the “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899) and a string of ragtime hits such as “The Entertainer” (1902), although he was later forgotten by all but a small, dedicated community of ragtime aficionados until the major ragtime revival in the early 1970s. Ragtime fell out of favor as jazz claimed the public’s imagination after 1917, but there have been numerous revivals since the music has been re-discovered.
Buster Keaton stars in Sherlock Jr. and One Week With Accompaniment by IAA’s Steve Larson
Buy Tickets OnlineThe Music House’s first Silent film of our series is a Buster Keaton double feature of laughter! These films will be accompanied by Interlochen Arts Academy Staff Pianist, Steve Larson.
Sherlock Jr.
The evening of fun begins with the hilarious, Sherlock Jr. A young theater projectionist and aspiring detective (Keaton) falls in love with a beautiful girl. Her father’s pocket watch is stolen and he vows to solve the crime.
But when planted evidence is found that makes him appear to be the thief he is banished from her house. He falls asleep in the projection booth and dreams his is a great detective and solves the crime despite hilarious attempts by the villain to thwart his efforts. Will he be able to solve the crime and win back the girl in real life?
One Week
This was Keaton’s first film on his own, without Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. In this 1920 comedy short, a newly wedded couple (Keaton and Sybil Seely) are given a prefabricated ‘build a house’ kit, that can be built in “one week”, as a wedding gift. They are unaware that a rival has sabotaged the kit’s component numbering. Hilarity ensues as Keaton’s character builds this house according to the false numbering and then they forced to move it when they discovered they built it on the wrong lot!!
At IAA, Steve Larson has played in recitals and chamber music festivals throughout the Midwest including the Absolutely Amadeus festival, the Manitou Music Festival and Chamber Music North. As a dance accompanist, Mr. Larson served as company pianist for the Milwaukee Ballet and has played for Minnesota Dance Theater, Alaska Dance Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Hispanico and others. He has made dance accompaniment CDs for Aquarian Sound and Brio Recordings. His compositions have been performed by violinist Hal Grossman, the Concord Chamber Orchestra, the Interlochen Arts Academy Choir and the Backyard Recorder Consort. His improvisational skills are frequently put to use accompanying silent movies. Mr. Larson is currently organist at Grace Episcopal Church in Traverse City, Michigan.
The Music House Museum’s Silent Film Series is a very popular event. It allows guests to experience silent films as they were originally screened, with live accompaniment. We bring world class musicians to the area who provide the sound track for these classic films. It is a perfect event for the entire family.
