SC Connecticut News

The Irving S. Gilmore Music Library is co-hosting a weekend of events to honor the 150th anniversary of Charles Ives, a notable modernist composer from the 20th century. Ruthann McTyre, the Music Library's director, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with Yale’s School of Music, Department of Music, and Schwarzman Center: “The library is so pleased to share sponsorship of this weekend-long celebration of Charles Ives."

The celebration features various activities such as an exhibit from the Ives archival collections and discussions on his influence on popular music. On Saturday evening, pianist Jeremy Denk will perform several works including Ives’s "Concord Sonata" at Battell Chapel.

Saturday's schedule includes a curators’ talk at 11:00 a.m., focusing on "150: Charles Ives in Context," followed by a session on Ives's organ music at 2:00 p.m. At 4:00 p.m., there will be a panel discussion about Ives's impact on art and music.

Sunday's agenda offers more discussions and performances centered around Ives’s influence on different music genres. Notably, at 3:00 p.m., Neely Bruce will speak about Ives vocal music with performances by Yale Voxtet among others.

Ives was born in Danbury, Connecticut in 1874 and graduated from Yale in 1898. His papers are held at the Gilmore Music Library Special Collections along with other materials documenting his career both as a composer and businessman.