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Vermont Performing Arts

A guide to resources on Vermont performing arts (dance, music and theater) in Silver Special Collections.

Papers of Performers, Composers, and Educators

David Budbill Papers

Content: The papers of poet David Budbill (1940-2016) include materials related to his collaborations with bassist WIlliam Parker and other musicians.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: Collection is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Louis Calabro Papers

Content: Louis Calabro was an American composer and conductor who taught at Bennington College in Bennington, VT 1955-1991. The collection contains papers from Calabro's professional life, including musical compositions, audio recordings, correspondence, performances, clippings, grants, teaching files, and a small amount of personal papers.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: Collection is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Alan Carter and the Vermont State Orchestra Papers

Content: Conductor Alan Carter founded the Vermont State Symphony Orchestra in 1934, taught music at Middlebury College from 1939 to 1969, and founded the Composers Conference and Chamber Music Center in 1945. The collection consists of Vermont State Symphony Orchestra and Composers' Conference and Chamber Music Center papers, and some personal papers. The VSO materials include photographs, programs, newspaper clippings, tape recordings and organizational material.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: Collection is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Craftsbury Chamber Players Records

Content: A group of musicians founded the Craftsbury Chamber Players in 1966 to play chamber music in northern Vermont. The collection includes the files of publicity director Pat Searles (1973-1990), the files of the Burlington Committee (1997-2003), programs (1984-2007) and photographs.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: The collection has not been processed. It is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Charles Jerome Hopkins

Content: Charles Jerome Hopkins (1836-1898) was a musician, composer and educator. The Hopkins and Canfield Family Papers include copies of his compositions, recital announcements and programs, clippings and a scrapbook that document his performances, and lecture texts and pamphlet drafts on a variety of musical topics.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: Collection is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

George B. Lane Series

Content: The Lane Series at the University of Vermont has been presenting live performing arts--music, theater, film, dance--at UVM since 1955. The collection includes programs and press clippings.
Finding aid: Available in Special Collections.
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: The collection has not been processed. It is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Joseph Lechnyr Papers

Content: Joseph Lechnyr (1896-1959) was a musician and conductor who directed a remarkable number of bands, orchestras and choirs at the University of Vermont, Middlebury College, St, Michael's College, Cathedral High School, and a Burlington church. The collection contains correspondence, clippings, original music, collected music, notebooks, programs, and other materials documenting Lechnyr's career.
Finding aid
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: The collection has not been processed. It is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

Martha Pellerin Collection of Franco-American Song

Content: The Martha Pellerin Collection of Franco-American Song is an online database of French and English language songs drawn from two sources: nine song-book manuscripts collected by Martha Pellerin that date to the mid-twentieth century, and a series of six interviews conducted by Martha with Alberta Gagné of Highgate, Vermont in 1998. The songs that make up the collection include traditional French Canadian materials, commercial popular songs from Canada, France and the United States, family songs, personal songs, bawdy songs and religious songs.
Available online.

University of Vermont, George B. Lane Series

Content: The Lane Series at the University of Vermont has been presenting live performing arts--music, theater, film, dance--at UVM since 1955. The collection includes programs and press clippings.
Finding aid: Available in Special Collections.
Shelf location: Library Research Annex
Notes on use: The collection has not been processed. It is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.

University of Vermont, Academic and Extracurricular Music Programs

To find records of and information about academic programs and extracurricular music activities, consult Special Collections.

Books and More

The Vermont Research Collection includes books and other materials about  Vermont music and musicians, recordings by Vermont musicians, and sacred music and song books published in Vermont. To find them, search the library catalog. Tip: Limit your search results by selecting "Special Collections" under Library Locations on the left. 

The Vermont Sheet Music Collection contains over 150 pieces sheet music with Vermont themes, lyricists, composers, publishers or retailers, produced between 1841 and 1982. The collection and a print finding aid are housed in Silver Special Collections.

Photograph Collections

L. L. McAllister Photographs

Summary: Burlington photographer Louis L. McAllister photographed many groups of Vermont musicians during the course of his career, including music festivals; summer camps; Burlington and Milton high school school bands, orchestras, and choral groups; and the University of Vermont chorus, jazz band, orchestra and ROTC band.
Finding Aid
Location: Prints are in the Library Research Annex. Digital collection available.
Notes on use: Prints are stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or 802-656-2138 to arrange access.