Allen Memorial Library

Justice Dance Performance Project and Hartford Public Library will co-host a special edition of JDPP’s signature performance series by artists of color, ‘A Response and a Call,’ on September 26 at noon at the library’s Center for Community Culture, 500 Main St., Hartford.

Called, ‘Story Power: Reclaiming the Narrative,’ this event will explore the critical ways that books help us recognize and affirm culture and identity and how libraries create communities of growth, empathy, and compassion.

Opinion: How the Justice Dance Performance Project and a CT library join to mark Banned Books Week Moving for change since 1989, Justice Dance Performance Project, or JDPP, is a critically acclaimed dance and multi-arts organization.

Happy 150th birthday to Serge Koussevitzky! Koussevitzky was a noted bassist, composer, and conductor. His appointment with the Boston Symphony Orchestra helped make a name for the BSO as a leading orchestra, also establishing the acclaim of Tanglewood. He championed new music and upcoming artists throughout his career. Koussevitzky also established Éditions Russes de Musique, buying and publishing the catalogs of many great composers of the time.

Happy 300th birthday to Maria Antonia, Princess of Bavaria, Electress of Saxony! Duchess Maria was a German princess, composer, singer, harpsichordist, and patron of the arts, known particularly for her operas: Il trionfo della fedeltà (“The triumph of fidelity”) and Talestri, regina delle amazoni (“Talestri, queen of the Amazons”). Her work was published by Breitkopf and her opera and singing were praised by critic Charles Burney.

Today we bid farewell to Lisa Read, Public Services Librarian, as she moves on to further adventures as the Music Librarian at Princeton University. Thank you, Lisa, for everything you have accomplished here in the Allen Library and at the University of Hartford, and for all of the help you have given to faculty, staff, and students in your seven and a half years here. Princeton is lucky to have you, and we wish you the all the best in your new role.

Happy centennial birthday to János Starker! Hailed as one of the greatest cellists of all time, Starker played principal cello with the Budapest Opera, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Finally settling in Bloomington, Starker taught at Indiana University.

We (and the university) will be closed Thursday and Friday, July 4-5 for Independence Day.

Happy centennial birthday to Ezra Laderman! While serving in the US Army, Laderman composed his Leipzig Symphony in the weeks after the second World War and was assigned as orchestrator of the GI Symphony Orchestra. He would go on to study at Brooklyn College and Columbia University, ultimately teaching at Yale, and throughout his career wrote pieces for solo instruments, voice, film music, and large-scale choral and orchestral music, including his opera And David Wept.

Happy birthday to Stéphanie d'Oustrac! D'Oustrac is a French mezzo-soprano, noted for her performances in Glyndebourne, Madrid, Cologne, and more, and has performed numerous French opera roles and recitals of French song.

Happy bicentennial birthday to Carl Reineke! Reneike was a German composer, conductor, and pianist in the mid-Romantic era. He taught numerous students, and composed nearly 300 works. At the turn of the 20th century, at 80 years old, he created several recordings on piano roll, making him the earliest-born pianist to have his playing preserved in any format.

We (and the university) will be closed today in honor of Juneteenth.

Louisville Public Media has created a wonderful playlist featuring LGBTQIA+ artists for pride month!
https://www.lpm.org/classical/2024-06-13/celebrating-pride-with-classical-music

This week's new additions! We've just added a bunch of albums by Bang on a Can, Björk, John Hollenbeck, Brandee Younger, Tyshawn Sorey, and a whole lot more, so come take a listen!

Happy Pride! 🌈 We have a plethora of materials by LGBTQIA+ artists for you to explore!

It might be summer, but we're always getting new stuff! Come check out our newest selection of books, scores, CDs, and DVDs!

The University, including the Allen Library, will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observation of Memorial Day. You can view our hours here: https://tinyurl.com/uhart-lib-hours

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Verdi's Requiem. After failing, in his lifetime, to materialize a performance of a collaborative requiem mass for Rossini by various Italian composers, Verdi composed his requiem in memory of Italian writer and humanist Alessandro Manzoni, including a revised version of the "Libera me" he originally composed for Rossini.

Happy birthday to Tamara Rojo, CBE! Rojo is a Spanish ballet dancer. She directed and was principal dancer with the English National Ballet and is currently the director of the San Francisco Ballet.

As we head into summer, our hours are changing! This Thursday and Friday, we'll be open 9-4:30. Starting next Monday, May 13, we'll be open 9-6 Monday through Thursday and 9-4:30 on Fridays, through June 9. For more information on our hours, please check out https://tinyurl.com/uhart-lib-new. Have a great summer!

The tortilla chip dip battle is still too close to call!! Which do YOU think is best?

Tonight at 7:00 PM in Lincoln Theater, the Hartt Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band will present a concert of music in memory of Glen Adsit, Hartt's director of bands who passed away earlier this year. More information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/UNotesAdsit

Tonight at 7:30 PM in Lincoln Theater, Foot in the Door, the Hartt School's new music ensemble, will present a concert in memory of Glen Adsit, Hartt's beloved director of bands who passed away earlier this year. More information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/UNotesAdsit

This week, the Hartt School will present several concerts in memory of Glen Adsit, Hartt’s former director of bands who passed away earlier this year. Friday 4/26 will feature the Foot in the Door ensemble at 7:30 PM, and Saturday 4/27 at 7:00 PM will be the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band. Additionally, we've made a LibGuide to assist in finding recordings with Glen here: https://libguides.hartford.edu/glenadsit

Happy centennial birthday to composer Arthur Frackenpohl! Frackenpohl studied with Milhaud and Boulanger and taught at the Crane School until his retirement. He published over two hundred works for both choral and instrumental ensembles.

Happy centennial birthday to Gerhard Samuel! Born in Germany, Samuel emigrated to America and taught at a number of esteemed institutions including the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the California Institute of the Arts. He conducted some of the top orchestras in the country, championing new music in his programming As a composer, Samuel wrote dozens of pieces in a variety of genres.

Happy centennial birthday to Henry Mancini! Recognized as an accomplished film composer, Mancini won 4 Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, and 20 Grammy Awards. His most noteworthy titles include The Pink Panther, Hatari!, and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

For this week's poll, we want to know who YOU think is the most underrated musician or band!

Happy centennial birthday to Sir Neville Marriner! Renowned violinist and conductor, Marriner established the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and is known for his prolific recorded output with that group. He also supervised the soundtrack for the film Amadeus, which became one of the most popular classical music recordings of all time.

We're wrapping up ! What's your favorite library element? Find more here: https://ilovelibraries.org/whats-your-library-element/

continues! Tell us what you love about your libraries!

Today is National Library Worker's Day! Many thanks to our amazing team of student workers and full-time staff members for everything they do!