Special Collections in Performing Arts
Performing Arts Organization Collections
Organizational archives contain official records as well as other materials related to the sphere of each organization's performing arts activity. These research collections offer unique strengths for study in band history, band performance, clarinet music, ethnomusicology, music education, music librarianship, music theory, musical instrument history, music recording history and wind and percussion ensemble music. Within the various collections are personal and organizational papers, oral histories, photographs, scrapbooks, subject files, and memorabilia. There is a SCPA biography file with information about many people active in one or more of the organizations housing their archives with us. Books, periodicals, music scores, and sound recordings are also represented in the organizational collections.
The Christopher Patton 20th/21st Century Consort Archives
The Christopher Patton 20th/21st Century Consort is a performing ensemble specializing in new music in residence at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The Archives contains scores, recordings, programs, and related materials.
American Bandmasters Association Research Center
491 linear feet
In addition to official ABA Archives, the ABA Research Center holds collections of concert programs, publications, recordings, scores, manuscripts, and personal papers.
Visit the ABA web site.
American Composers Alliance Scores on Deposit
800 linear feet
ACA is a membership organization serving over 300 professional American composers. Founded in 1937 to protect the rights of its members and to promote the use and understanding of their music, it is the oldest national organization of its kind. Scores of ACA members are here on deposit and may be examined by appointment. ACA scores are available for sale or rental through the ACA via their database.
Visit the ACA web site.
American College Dance Festival Association Archives
The American College Dance Festival Association's primary focus is to support and promote talent and creativity prominent throughout college and university dance departments.
Visit the ACDFA web site.
American Handel Society Archives
6 linear feet
Founded in 1986 by Howard Serwer, Paul Traver, and J. Merrill Knapp, The American Handel Society seeks to foster study of the life, works, and times of George Frideric Handel, and to encourage and support the performance of his music.
Visit the AHS web site.
American Musical Instrument Society Archives
3 linear feet
An international organization founded in 1971 to promote better understanding of all aspects of the history, design, construction, restoration, and usage of musical instruments in all cultures and from all periods.
Visit the AMIS web site.
American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association Archives
44 linear feet
American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association (ASTA with NSOA) is the professional organization for music educators who teach string instruments and conduct school orchestras. Included in the archives are administrative records, periodicals, and related collections.
Visit the ASTA web site.
Association for Recorded Sound Collections Archives
55 linear feet
Founded in 1966, the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) is dedicated to research, study, publication, and information exchange on all aspects of recordings and recorded sound.
Visit the ARSC web site.
College Band Directors National Association Archives
23 linear feet
The College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) is affiliated with the Music Educators National Conference and addresses the concerns and goals of college band directors. The CBDNA Archives has a rich variety of materials related to college bands. Included in the collection are administrative papers, recordings and scores.
Visit the CBDNA web site.
College Music Society Archives
The College Music Society is a consortium of college, conservatory, university and independent musicians and scholars interested in all disciplines of music. Its mission is to promote music teaching and learning, musical creativity and expression, research and dialogue, and diversity and interdisciplinary interaction.
Visit the CMS web site.
Concert Society at Maryland Archives
105 linear feet
The Concert Society at Maryland presented three series of concerts each year under the auspices of the University of Maryland: Chamber Music, Early Music, and WorldSong. The Archives consists of advertisements, promotional materials, posters, and papers regarding the concerts (such as contracts, correspondence, and programs). The Concert Society was formally dissolved in 1998, and its functions were transferred to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at Maryland. A history of the Concert Society at Maryland can be found here.
International Association of Music Libraries — U.S. Branch Archives
27 linear feet
The International Association of Music Libraries (IAML) is the international professional organization for music libraries and librarians. This collection consists of the administrative records and related collections for the U.S. Branch. The general IAML Archives is located in Denmark.
Visit the IAML web site.
International Clarinet Association Research Center
197 linear feet
The International Clarinet Association Research Center contains a score collection (over 6000 titles), approximately 1,700 clarinet recordings, the Jerry Pierce and Daniel Bonade Papers, and the Ierardi Collection of information files.
For information on purchasing a paper edition of the Inventory of the ICA Research Center Score Collection,click here. Borrowing of the scores is restricted to members of the ICA and students, faculty, and staff of the University of Maryland.
Visit the ICA web site.
International Society for Music Education Archives
49 linear feet
The international companion to the Music Educators National Conference, the International Society for Music Education (ISME) is concerned with those issues that affect music education on an international scale. The ISME Archives contains administrative records, and publications, as well as the papers of distinguished international music educators such as Vanett Lawler and Henning Bro Rasmussen.
Visit the ISME web site.
Kodály Center of America including Kodály Musical Training Institute 1969-1977
Archives forthcoming.
Visit the KCA with KMTI web site.
Maryland Dance Theater Archives
21 linear feet
Maryland Dance Theater, founded on the University of Maryland campus in 1971 by Dorothy Madden, performed contemporary dance in the DC and Baltimore metro areas until ending in 1988. The Maryland Dance Theater Archives consists of programs, photographs, correspondence, press clippings, publicity materials, various records of performance, and other organizational documents outlining its history. Paper documents, including photographs, are in Special Collections in Performing Arts.
View the box inventory of MDT Archives materials in Special Collections in Performing Arts.
Maryland Music Educators Association Archives
43 linear feet
An affiliated state unit of the Music Educators National Conference, the Maryland Music Education Association (MMEA) unites the music educators of the state of Maryland and discusses the concerns of today's music educator in Maryland. The MMEA Archives contains the records of the MMEA as well as concert programs and tapes of performance organizations within Maryland.
Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic Archives
80 linear feet
Founded in 1947, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic has been the showcase for many performers and organizations, as well as a valuable tool in instructing today's musicians. The Midwest Archives includes administrative records, photographs, scrapbooks, audio recordings and other materials.
Visit the MWIBOC web site.
Music Educators National Conference Historical Center
1,100 linear feet
Music Educators National Conference (MENC), the premiere music education association in the US, is devoted to assessing and improving music education in schools on all levels. The MENC Historical Center collection includes administrative records, MENC publications, papers of past presidents, eminent music educators, and other related historical collections. Special research resources include a textbook collection, curriculum guide collection, research papers, instructional recordings, oral histories, photographs, reference books, biography file, and an extensive serials collection.
Visit the MENC web site.
Music Library Association Archives
333 linear feet
The Music Library Association was established for music librarians and scholars alike to promote the establishment, growth and use of music libraries, encourage the collection of music and musical literature, and searching for ways to improve music libraries. The MLA Archives includes the administrative and financial records, as oral histories, publications and some regional chapter records and newsletters.
The MLA Newsletter is available online only after May-June 2000. For access to it after this date, go to the MLA web site.
Music OCLC Users Group Archives
27 linear feet
The Music OCLC Users Group Archives (MOUG) is a collection related to the Music Library Association Archives. his group is concerned with the use of the OCLC database and its applications to music materials. The collection includes administrative records and publications.
Visit the MOUG web site.
National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Research Center
61 linear feet
The National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI) address the needs and concerns of instrumental instructors on college and university campuses and play a key role in the education of today's young wind and percussion musicians. In the Research Center there is a vast collection of scores and recordings. The Research Center also contains the papers of composer and former percussion instructor, Geary Larrick.
Visit the NACWPI web site.
National Association of Teachers of Singing Archives
7 linear feet
Founded in 1944, NATS encourages the highest standards of singing through excellence in teaching and the promotion of vocal education and research. Organizational goals include the professional advancement of the talented and the enrichment of the general public.
Visit the NATS web site.
National School Orchestra Association Archives
31 linear feet
Founded to promote school orchestras and to improve instruction of orchestral instruments, the National School Orchestra Association (NSOA) was a national voice for orchestra directors and young musicians. The Archives holds administrative papers, scores and related materials. NSOA joined with ASTA (above) in 1998.
Organization of American Kodály Educators Archives
16 linear feet
The Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) is dedicated to the educational innovations developed by Zoltán Kodály. The OAKE Archives consist primarily of administrative papers.
Visit the OAKE web site.
Society for Ethnomusicology Archives
54 linear feet
The Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) is an organization of scholars interested in studying music within a cultural context. The SEM Archives has administrative papers, and serial publications.
Visit the SEM web site.
Society for Music Theory Archives
19.5 linear feet
The Society for Music Theory was established in 1977 in order to promote music theory as both a scholarly and a pedagogical discipline. The Archives consists of correspondence, professional papers, publications, and conference materials.
Visit the SMT web site.
TUBA/International Tuba and Euphonium Association Archives
Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association (TUBA) is an international organization comprising performers, teachers, students, and others promoting the literature, pedagogy, and performance of the euphonium and tuba.
Visit the TUBA web site.
Viola da Gamba Society of America Archives
The Viola da Gamba Society of America (VdGSA) support activities relating to the viola da gamba in the United States and abroad comprised of players, builders, publishers, distributors, restorers and others.
Visit the VdGSA website.
Virginia Music Educators Association
20 linear feet
An affiliated state unit of the Music Educators National Conference, the Virginia Music Education Association (VMEA), the VMEA Archives contains the records of the VMEA as well as concert programs and tapes of performance organizations within Virginia.
Visit the VMEA website.
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