Welcome

See Actual Program  HERE

Learn about the creation of “The Song of America” – Click HERE

“Say-The-Poem” $50 Prize Invitation” – for age 12 & under students

sponsored by 4/Arts Productions  - all details Click HERE

“THE SONG OF AMERICA”

As presented by George Jarden

A Toss-Up:   ? more Entertaining? or ? more Educational?

“A story with songs for all ages – about America's History”

duration: – under 2 hours, including Intermission

George Jarden,  87 year-old conductor and performer –  (learn about George Jarden – Click HERE) sings and narrates the history of America using songs based on writings of great poets and important Americans,  along with period and historical songs and insightful storytelling.

Catchy and Riveting –  for Children and Adults !!

HIGHLIGHTS

The Voyage of Columbus – thru The Civil War & the Assasination of Abraham LIncoln

nearly 100 songs, with narration

Columbus, the Pilgrims, Hiawatha, Evangeline, the Frontier, French/Indian War, Tea Party!, Paul Revere, Declaration of Independence, and much,  much more

“Manifest Destiny” - Strife!!/Slavery/Abolitionists/Slave Songs/The Civil War/Lincoln

The survival of the U.S.A. and the forward proogress of “The Ship of State”

In Jarden's words:  “The Song of America” is the classic history of America set to    songs and storytelling -   

              with writings and songs, from the 1600s to the 2000s! -

          - Some familiar ‘Americana’ ditties, too!”

“Some 100 writings, poems, and songs  immortalized the country's history (and some beloved myths also!)” 

“The names come tripping off the tongue: Longfellow (“Evangeline,” “The Song of Hiawatha”), Emerson, Whittier, Whitman (“O Captain, My Captain”), Julia Ward Howe (“The Battle Hymn of The Republic”), Holmes, Lowell, and over a dozen more.”

Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Brown, Abolitionists, 

Abraham Lincoln” 

“In 'The Song of America' these poems and writings are performed as songs, along with a narrative of the country's history – from the New World's 'discovery', tales of the Native Americans, the saga of the founding of the United States and its events – through the end of the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln's assassination.”

Songs of: 

Daniel Boone 

“Old Ironsides” 

The French and Indian War 

War of 1812 

Civil War (“We Are Coming, Father Abraham, Two Hundred Thousand More”)

Plantation Songs and “Spirituals” of enslaved & escaped African Americans

Civil War Era folk songs

   North and South songs

Jarden has re-worked and added to the 1951 original “Song of America” of 

Roy Ringwald, the great composer and arranger for the popular band and chorus Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians.  Ringwald created music to many famous poems, along with a narration.  It was performed by full orchestra and full chorus.  

“I do it solo, no accompaniment,” says Jarden, “Singing Ringwald's songs of the poems, doing some 'vocal instrumentation', and adding my own narration of the history.”

Jarden has tripled the content of the  original “Song of America” with his own additions of other famous songs and writings.

---It lasts just under 2 hours, including Intermission ---

“I Don’t Plan To Make Them Bored!” 

Jarden thinks it is a thrilling and fun, entertaining – if only a briefly told – musical and poetic reminder of United States history, “Stimulating, I think, to both 'old folks' who have heard this music and history since childhood, and to young students – of a new generation who likely have had little exposure to it.  You bet,   I don't plan to make them bored!”

“I think receptive kids of about any age would like it.”