Symposia for Saturday morning

9:30-10:30 a.m.

"Scott Joplin's St. Louis: Reexamining Joplin's St. Louis environment"

Seminar by Bryan Cather

St. Louis historian Bryan Cather's "Scott Joplin's St. Louis" re-examines the world in which Scott Joplin lived and worked during his time in that city.  Using materials directly from Joplin's neighborhood, some never before seen in public, Cather's presentation will challenge your understanding of the environment in which Joplin lived, and deepen your understanding of his importance as a composer.

10:30-11:30 a.m.

"Keeping Ragtime Alive: The Disney Way"

Seminar by Bill Edwards

One of the most revered men in our country's social history was in no small way responsible for keeping not only ragtime music a constant in his domain for the past 56 years, but the whole paradigm about life in the ragtime era. His name is Walt Disney, and through his cartoons, films, television shows and particularly theme parks, the Disney organization has managed to keep "that ragtime feeling" alive. This will be a personal history of Disney and his ragtime influences as well as several key examples of how that continues to work visually and aesthetically. Should be a "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" good time.