Big Bands of the 30’s and 40’s

Moderator: Jean-Pierre Berwald
Role of participants: Each participant will make a presentation on one of the Big Bands from the Big Band era (1930-1950), including information and musical excerpts, and lead discussion.
Number of participants (including the moderator): 17
Time: Wednesdays, 1:30–3:30 pm
Place: Loomis Village, 3rd Floor Conference Room, 20 Bayon Drive (off Route 116), South Hadley
Parking: Ample parking on site

The Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. Each participant will report on a band of this era and provide musical excerpts to illustrate characteristics of the group chosen.

The Big Bands of the 30s and 40s had common stylistic elements, but also evolved characteristic differences. Presentations could trace a band’s development in terms of instrumentation and popularity and incorporate significant historical background of the era as well. The moderator encourages, but does not require, PowerPoint presentations, and will provide technical help with PowerPoint as well as with music files or CDs. The first seminar meeting will include a workshop on the technology.

Format: Seminar

Resources: Participants will use the Internet and library resources including texts and music for their presentation. Sound clips can come from YouTube.

The Moderator: Jean-Pierre Berwald, retired professor of French at the University of Massachusetts. Was clarinetist in a Dixieland Band as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan and has been a life-long devotee of music from the Big Band era.