Thursday, January 15, 2009
«  Initial Summary of American Recovery a... | Main | [ECP] K-12 Newsletters Raptors in the Ci... »
Registration Now Open for Burns Symposium at Library of Congress
Robert Burns At 250: Poetry, Politics & Performance

To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s
national poet, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress,
in collaboration with The Scottish Government, will present a free
public symposium on Burns’s life and work, as well as his impact on
America and American culture. The event takes place February 24 and 25,
2009, in the Mumford Room at the Library of Congress’s James Madison
Memorial Building.

More than a poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796) has served as an icon and
inspiration for generations of artists, politicians, social activists,
and cultural reformers throughout the world. The 250th anniversary of
his birth provides an ideal opportunity to bring together prominent
scholars, poets, and musicians from Scotland and the United States, and
other special guests, including the U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan, to
celebrate Burns’s career and contributions, as well as his continuing
impact on contemporary poetry. The two-day event is produced by the
Library’s American Folklife Center (AFC), in cooperation with the
Library’s Center for the Book, the Library’s Poetry and Literature
Center, and the Scottish government, as part of the Homecoming Scotland
2009 celebrations.

The symposium begins at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, with a
presentation on “Burns, Politics, and Politicians,” and a talk on
“America’s Bard” by Robert Crawford, professor of literature at the
University of St. Andrews. Crawford is one of contemporary Scotland’s
leading poets, a noted literary critic, and a widely published scholar.
Crawford’s address will be followed by readings of Burns’s poetry and
performances of his songs by renowned Scottish scholars and performers
Margaret Bennett and Ed Miller, and award-winning Scottish journalist
and broadcaster Billy Kay.

The symposium reconvenes on Wednesday, February 25 with a panel on Burns
and His World. Speakers include Nat Edwards, from the National Library
of Scotland, who will give an overview of Burns’s life and career; noted
University of Glasgow professor of Scottish history Ted Cowan, who will
compare and contrast “18th Century Scotland and 18th Century America”;
and a presentation on “Robert Burns and the Scots Language,” by
documentarian Billy Kay, author of the influential history of the Scots
language, Scots: The Mither Tongue.

Following lunch, Panel Two explores Robert Burns’s relationship to the
folk and traditional culture of Scotland. Valentina Bold, Head of
Scottish Studies at University of Glasgow/Dumfries Campus, speaks on
“Robert Burns and Scottish Traditional Song.” The acclaimed singer
and scholar Margaret Bennett, assisted by folklorist/performer Ed
Miller, follows with a lecture/demonstration on “Robert Burns: A Life in
Song.”

“Poetry, Celebrity, and the Public” is the topic of next panel. The Poet
Laureate of the United States, Kay Ryan, joins celebrated Scottish poet
Robert Crawford, and Myra Sklarew, former president of the Yaddo artist
community, poet, and professor emerita of literature at American
University, to explore the role of poets as “literary lions” in both
18th-century Europe and the contemporary world.

The symposium closes with an overview of Burns materials at the Library
of Congress by Stephen Winick of the American Folklife Center, and a
discussion entitled “Tomorrow’s Bards: Promoting Reading and Literacy
in Scotland and the United States.” Cate Newton, director of collections
development at the National Library of Scotland, Marc Lambert, chief
executive of the Scottish Book Trust, and John Y. Cole, founder and
director of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress, will
explore how reading, cultural literacy, and creativity are fostered on
either side of the Atlantic.

Robert Burns at 250: Poetry, Politics, and Performance is free and open
to the public, but space is limited. Advance registration is strongly
suggested. For more program information and to register on-line, visit:
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Symposia/Burns/ For further information,
contact: Nancy Groce, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress;
Phone: 202-707-1744; Email: ngro@loc.gov.

Arts | K12 Newsletters Mailing List | Literacy | NetHappenings Mailing List
Thursday, January 15, 2009 7:00:31 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Disclaimer  |   |  Related posts:
Fair Use The Google Scholar service has been extended so that users can choose to search legal opinions and journals for information that they need.
The Bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act Needs Your Support!
Tweet Black Friday Deals
[ECP] K-12 Newsletters Native Village
[ECP] K-12 Newsletters Awards and Scholarships for Creative Teens
[ECP] K-12 Newsletters Education News Parents Can Us