May 28, 2004 Feature
The
Mountain West Symposium on Song: A Tapestry of Cultures
After speech itself, song may be the most common
form of human communication. With that philosophy and focus,
Utah State University will explore the interdisciplinary study
and celebration of song with concerts, lectures and workshops
in a three-day event centered on music of different cultures
and ethnic groups of North America.
 Musicians
will perform and discuss songwriting at the Mountain West
Symposium on Song: A Tapestry of Cultures June 3-5 in the
mountains of northern Utah at Utah State University.
 "With
this year's theme being A Tapestry of Cultures, we
have chosen to bring a wide variety of cultural traditions together
to share ideas and music," said Elaine Thatcher, associate
director of the Mountain West Center for Regional Studies and
co-director of the symposium. "The program includes music
from the traditions of cowboys, bluegrass, Native Americans,
Mexico, African-American gospel, contemporary song, old-time
Utah and more."
 The
symposium was originally created through many conversations
and meetings between Bruce Saperston, head of the Music Department
at Utah State, and Michael Martin Murphey, an adjunct professor
of music and American Studies at Utah State, and an internationally
famous western singer and composer of such hits at Wildfire
and Cowboy Logic.
According to Saperston, the event was created to broaden learning
experiences for Utah State students and the community by bringing
to campus renowned scholars from a variety of disciplines, as
well as musicians and songwriters, to lecture, perform and conduct
workshops related to areas of study on campus.
 "This
year's symposium will expose members of the university and northern
Utah communities to songs of diverse cultures and styles not
often performed here," said Saperston. "Song occurs
within a cultural context and contact with songs from other
cultures enhances understanding of these cultures."
Aside from the cultural experience, public school teachers
who attend will be provided both university credit and licensure
points for their professional development. Utah State students
who register and pay tuition can also receive two academic credits
for attending the symposium.
Saperston said he and Thatcher hope to develop the symposium
program as an annual or bi-annual even that will be self-supporting.
He said future symposia will continue to maintain a focus on
the songs of the Intermountain West, but will also feature specific
themes. For example, they are thinking about dedicating much
of the next symposium to the study of Native American music.
However, sessions on a wide range of other topics related to
song would also be provided.
Funding for this year's event is from a variety of sources,
including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Utah
Arts Council, Utah Humanities Council, Marie Eccles Caine Foundation
and private donors.
Thatcher and Saperston agree that the event will be unique
and will promote discovery so that information is not only shared,
but also results in the development of new ideas.
For a complete look at the schedule of events, performers and
invited scholars, see the Music
Department's Web site. A ticket order form is available
at the site as well.
Writer: Tracey Fox, (435) 797-5506, taf@cc.usu.edu
Contact: Elaine Thatcher, (435) 797-0299, elainet@hass.usu.edu
Bruce Saperston, (435) 797-3036, bsaperston@hass.usu.edu
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