The Museum of Texas Tech University
9/12/15
3:00-4:00PM
The Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Federal Music Project program focuses on the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, particularly his creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Federal Music Project (FMP). Creating the Federal Music Project showed the creative American spirit in the face of the Depression with new compositions that glorified and reminded people of the things Americans had to be proud of. Composers such as Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, and Virgil Thomson wrote mostly orchestral works for the FMP, but also wrote a large body of chamber music. Pairing music with its historical context can elucidate connections between art and the people it serves. This program highlights the chamber music of these American composers, some of whom are not often heard; discusses the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt and how he created the WPA and the FMP; and looks at their positive impact on the American people.
