Exhibition at WheatonArts Explores Roots Music Traditions

MILLVILLE – WheatonArts, in cooperation with the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, will explore this and other aspects of America’s roots music as it hosts the local showing of New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. New Harmonies will be on view beginning Nov. 8 and continuing through Dec. 31, 2011 in the Museum of American Glass.
This exhibition tells the story of a nation through the music of its people. Bringing together photographs, recordings, instruments, lyrics, and artist profiles, this Smithsonian Institution touring exhibition explores the distinct cultural identities of gospel, country, blues and other forms of roots music as they record the history of the American people and set the foundation for many musical genres appreciated worldwide today.
As a host of the New Harmonies exhibition, WheatonArts will also present a wide spectrum of public programs including two concerts that will feature local performers of old time country and bluegrass music as well as gospel singers. As part of its continuous effort to educate audiences of all ages through participation in various creative experiences, Wheaton Arts will provide several programs involving local instrument makers and musicians.
WheatonArts and the surrounding community has been expressly chosen by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities to host New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music as part of the Museum on Main Street project – a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition toured several communities in New Jersey beginning in March 2011. The exhibition concludes it New Jersey tour at WheatonArts.
Through a selection of photographs, recordings, instruments, lyrics and artist profiles, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music will explore the distinct cultural identities of American roots music forms. The exhibition will examine the progression of American roots music, as rich and eclectic as our country itself. Other musical genres profiled include zydeco, tejano, bluegrass and klezmer.
“We are very pleased to be able to bring New Harmonies to our area,” said Iveta Pirgova, WheatonArts Folklife Center Director. “It allows us the opportunity to explore this fascinating aspect of our own region’s musical history and we hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life of our community.”
“Allowing all of our state’s residents to have access to the cultural resources of our nation’s premiere museum is a priority of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities,” said Mary Rizzo, Interim Director. “With this special tour, we are pleased to be working with WheatonArts to help develop local exhibitions and public programs to compliment the Smithsonian exhibition.”
New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about New Harmonies and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions visit www.museumonmainstreet.org. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
SITES connects millions of Americans with their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of art, science and history exhibitions. State humanities councils, located in each state and U.S. territory, support community-based humanities programs that highlight such topics as local history, literature and cultural traditions. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu and www.njch.org.
WheatonArts is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 31, 2011. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission: Adults $10.00, $9.00 Senior Adults and $7.00 Students. Children five and under are free.
All children 17 and under are admitted free on Sundays through December 18, 2011. (WheatonArts received a $35,000 PNC Arts Alive grant by The PNC Foundation. Through this grant WheatonArts offers free admission to all children 17 and under every Sunday through December 18.) Free to shop and stroll except during outdoor special events. For more information about WheatonArts, call 856-825-6800 or 800-998-4552, or visit www.wheatonarts.org.
WheatonArts strives to make exhibits, events and programs accessible to all visitors. Provide two weeks notice for additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) 800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. WheatonArts receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State. Additional funding provided through a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.