Lecture Series - The Great American Songbook: What Makes it Great? Carolyn Leigh Edition

4Kerrytown Concert House is honored to conclude its exciting new lecture series, The Great American Songbook: What Makes it Great? featuring the incomparable Brent Wagner (University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Musical Theatre) with pianist/vocalist Tyler Driskill (U-M Asst. Prof of Musical Theatre).

This final installment of a 4-part lecture series centers around the great Carolyn Leigh, undoubtedly best known as the main lyricist for Peter Pan in 1953, and for her longtime collaboration with Cy Coleman. Her songs were among the favorites of Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and Mabel Mercer. In this presentation, Wagner and Driskill will give a lecture/demonstration about Leigh’s contributions to the ‘Great American Songbook’ with an emphasis on the impact of the combination of music and lyrics to make a powerful new work.

About the series…

Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter — these marvelous writers created so many lasting standards in the early 20th century that their contribution to that era has been termed ‘The Great American Songbook.’ These songs have been recorded hundreds of times by pop singers, jazz artists, dance bands, and even opera singers, and new generations of performers are constantly discovering and rediscovering the depth and artistry of these mini-masterpieces.

But why have these songs lasted so long? What exactly makes them ‘great’? Professor Wagner will explore the repertoire, detailing and demonstrating some of the characteristics that make these songs part of an enduring and rewarding legacy.    

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