Erie Canal Museum Weekend Events

 

LOW BRIDGE, EVERYBODY DOWN: AN ERIE CANAL MUSIC 

CELEBRATION


Friday, November 2:   Evening events at Erie Canal

Museum, 318 Erie Blvd., Syracuse, NY


7 pm - 7:45 pm: KEYNOTE PANEL DISCUSSION: "THE SONG WE KNOW AND LOVE". A panel discussion moderated by Steve Zeitlin about "Low Bridge Everybody Down" from a 

variety of perspectives. Panel discussants will 

include Dan Ward, George Ward, Bill Hullfish, Dave 

Ruch, Rich Bala, and Rob Snyder. 

8 pm: SHOWCASE SAMPLER CONCERT. $10. This will be a 

way to preview some of the topics, themes, etc. in thenext day: Dennis Lafontaine, Dave Ruch, Rich Bala, 

George Ward, Bill Hullfish, Chris Holder, and others.




Saturday, November 3:  Public Symposium events at Erie Canal Museum

8:30 - 9am: Coffee/tea/doughnuts

9 - 9:50 am: THROUGH A COOK'S EYES: Panel including 

Aaron Walker, Merlyn Fuller and Gretchen Sepik, with 

Intro to discussants and timekeeping by Lisa 

Overholser. Panel focuses on aspect of female canal 

cooks and that life as portrayed through song.  

10 - 11 am: RECREATING AND REVIVING: Panel with GeorgeWard, Bill Hullfish,Dave Ruch and Rich Bala, and 

moderated by Dan Ward. This panel will focus on a veryimportant source of Erie Canal songwriting-the use of

archival and do cumentary sources to re-create and 

revive period songs.

11:15 - 12:00 pm: SINGING, DANCING AND COMMUNITY: 

Panel including Nils Caspersson and Ted McGraw, with an Introduction to discussants and timekeeping by Lisa Overholser. This panel will focus on both the idea of
community, and instrumental/dance music along the 

canal. 

12:15 - 1:00 pm: KIDS/FAMILY CONCERT. Lunchtime kids and family concert with Dave Ruch and Rich Bala.

1:15 - 2:30 pm:  THE BIRTH OF A SONG: Panel including George Ward, Rick Heenan, Dave Ruch and Dennis Lafontaine, and moderated by George Ward. This panel will 

center around a discussion of various types of 

songwriting and sources of inspiration

2:45 - 3:15 pm: "LIVE STEAM VOICES", A LEGENDARY TRIBUTE TO THE EMPIRE STATE IN MUSIC AND STEAM: George Ward will discuss the musical flotilla that travelled the Hudson River and Erie Canal in 1988 and the stops theymade along the way, including performances of a 

musical suite composed just for the occasion. He will have some video clips and audio, and will discuss some
of the interviews he's conducted in doing his researchabout this event.

3:30- 4:15 pm: MINSTRELSY ON THE CANAL: Panel 

including Jim Kimball, Rich Bala and Rob Snyder, and moderated by Jim Kimball. This panel will focus on the canal as an important conduit of the spread of 

minstrel shows and songs, which in turn led to a 

distinctively American form of music

4:30 - 5:15 pm: THE MUSIC OF PLACE:  Panel with Pamela Vittorio and Rick Heenan, and moderated by Dan Ward. These presentations will focus on present-day canal 

communities and how the idea of "place" is conveyed
through musical activities


5:30 - 7:30: DINNER BREAK / FREE TIME


7:30 pm: BILL HULLFISH AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE STRING

BAND, "AN IMMIGRANT'S JOURNEY". $10. This performance will cap off the entire celebration, and takes a 

listener from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the 

Great Lakes.