December 16, 2008 Public Events at the Library of Congress

January – April 2009 (Events subject to change; all telephone numbers are 202 area code) ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Thursday Jan. 1 NEW YEAR’S DAY All Library buildings will be closed in observance of the federal New Year’s Day holiday. Wednesday Jan. 7 GALLERY TALK Gerard Gawalt, curator of “Creating the United States,” discusses the formation of the Electoral College, at noon in the Southwest Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Monday Jan. 12 LECTURE Anat Berko, visiting Schusterman Professor at George Washington University, discusses her book “The Path to Paradise: The Inner World of Suicide Bombers and Their Dispatchers” in a program co-sponsored by the Embassy of Israel at noon in the West Dining Room. Contact: 707-9897. Wednesday Jan. 14 GALLERY TALK Janice Ruth of the Manuscript Division presents a talk titled “Abigail Adams’ Letter Asserting the Rights of Women” at noon in the “Creating the United States” exhibition, Southwest Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Monday Jan. 19 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY All Library buildings will be closed in observance of the federal Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday holiday. Tuesday Jan. 20 INAUGURATION DAY All Library buildings will be closed in observance of the presidential inauguration. Wednesday Jan. 28 GALLERY TALK Mark Dimunation, curator of the Jefferson’s Library exhibition, discusses “The Miscellaneous World of Thomas Jefferson’s Library” at noon in the Southwest Pavilion of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. *** End January 2009 *** FEBRUARY 2009 Tuesday Feb. 3 SYMPOSIUM Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, convenes a discussion on the effects of depression on creativity. Speakers are Antonio Damasio, professor of neuroscience, neurology and psychology and co-founder and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California; Terence Ketter, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and chief of the Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford University; and Peter Whybrow, director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles. The symposium begins at 7 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Contact: 707-8432. Wednesday Feb. 4 GALLERY TALK John Hébert of the Geography and Maps Division speaks on “John Mitchell’s Map of the Colonies” at noon in the “Creating the United States” exhibition, Southwest Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday Feb. 6 PRE-CONCERT LECTURE Composer Kevin Puts talks about his new quartet–commissioned by the Library, the Cypress String Quartet, the Lied Center of Kansas and the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center in Illinois–at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets required. Contact: 707-5502. Friday Feb. 6 MENDELSSOHN ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The Cypress String Quartet presents the world premiere of a Library commission by Kevin Puts, written in “response” to Mendelssohn’s first string quartet and Beethoven’s last, at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Dec. 24. Although the supply of tickets may become exhausted, there are often empty seats at concert time. Interested patrons are encouraged to try for standby seats at the will-call desk in the Jefferson Building by 6:30 p.m. on concert evenings. Contact: 707-5502. Saturday Feb. 7 COMPOSER KURTÁG PREMIERES COMMISSION Pianists György and Márta Kurtág present a new work by György Kurtág, Hommage à Bartók for Two and Four Hands, commissioned by the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation that pays tribute to Béla Bartók at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. The concert is being cosponsored by the Hungarian Cultural Center and the Embassy of Hungary. Tickets are available Dec. 24. See Feb. 6 entry for contact and ticket information. Tuesday Feb. 10 PRE-CONCERT LECTURE Susan Clermont of the Music Division talks about the Mendelssohn collections in the Library of Congress at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets required. Contact: 707-5502. Tuesday Feb. 10 MENDELSSOHN ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The Mira Trio performs the rarely heard Piano Trio, op. 11, by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, along with her brother’s second piano trio, op. 66, and some of their “Songs without Words” at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Dec. 31. See Feb. 6 entry for contact and ticket information. Wednesday Feb. 11 GALLERY TALK Barbara Tenenbaum, curator of the “Exploring the Early Americas” exhibition, discusses “La Florida” at noon in the Northwest Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday Feb. 11 LECTURE Ariel Sabar discusses his book “My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq” in a program sponsored by the African and Middle Eastern Division at noon in LJ 220. Contact: 707-3779. Thursday Feb. 12 EXHIBITION OPENING "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition" charts Lincoln's growth from prairie lawyer to preeminent statesman and runs through May 9. The exhibition premieres from 5-9 p.m. on the second floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Normal visitor hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Saturday, recommence the following day. Contact: 707-4604. Friday Feb. 13 MENDELSSOHN ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The Atrium Quartet also performs works by Shostakovich and Borodin at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Dec. 31. See Feb. 6 entry for contact and ticket information. Wednesday Feb. 18 GALLERY TALK Barbara Bair of the Manuscript Division presents a talk on “Lincoln’s Family: His Wife Mary and Their Sons” in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday Feb. 18 PRE-CONCERT LECTURE R. Larry Todd, Mendelssohn scholar from Duke University, discusses the life and work of the composer at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets are required. Contact: 707-5502. Wednesday Feb. 18 MENDELSSOHN ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The Trio con Brio Copenhagen with violist James Dunham performs Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio along with Mendelssohn’s Piano Quartet in B minor, op. 3, at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Jan. 7. See Feb. 6 entry for contact and ticket information. Thursday Feb. 19 LECTURE R. Larry Todd, author of “Mendelssohn: A Life in Music” (2003), presents a talk titled “Reflections on the Mendelssohn Bicentenary” at 7 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets are required. Contact: 707-5502. Monday Feb. 23 LECTURE Yoram Peri, head of the Chaim Herzog Institute for Media, Politics and Society at Tel Aviv University, presents “A New Administration Israel and the U.S.: A New Hope For Peace?” in a program cosponsored by the Embassy of Israel at noon in Dining Room A. Contact: 707-9897. Wednesday Feb. 25 GALLERY TALK John Sellers, curator of the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, discusses “Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Addresses” at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Thursday Feb. 26 KLUGE CENTER LECTURE Maurice Jackson discusses his book “Let This Voice Be Heard: Anthony Benezet, Father of Atlantic Abolitionism” at 4 p.m. in LJ 119. Contact: 707-2692. Thursday Feb. 26 PRE-CONCERT LECTURE Dance curator Elizabeth Aldridge talks about the genesis of Stravinsky’s 1928 ballet “Apollon-Musagète,” commissioned by the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation, at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets are required. Contact: 707-5502. Thursday Feb. 26 INSIGHTS: EXPLORING THE COLLECTIONS Chamber players from the Curtis Institute perform Igor Stravinsky’s “L’histoire du soldat” (“A Soldier’s Tale”) at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. No tickets are required. Contact: 707-5502. Friday Feb. 27 MENDELSSOHN ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh performs Psalm 55, Sechs Sprüche, op. 79, in addition to works by Haydn and Handel at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Jan. 24. See Feb. 6 entry for contact and ticket information. *** End February 2009 *** MARCH 2009 Tuesday March 3 LECTURE Molly Brown, senior research scientist at NASA, presents a lecture on “Farming, Food Security and Climate” in a program sponsored by the Science, Technology and Business Division at 11:30 a.m. in the Mary Pickford Theater. Contact: 707-5664. Wednesday March 4 SYMPOSIUM An all-day Lincoln symposium celebrates the 148th anniversary of Lincoln’s first inauguration and features six award-winning scholars: William Lee Miller, presidential morality during the Lincoln administration; James M. McPherson, Lincoln as commander-in-chief; Douglas L. Wilson, Lincoln and the power of words; Lucas Morel, Lincoln and race; Harold Holzer, Lincoln as president-elect; and Elizabeth D. Leonard, Lincoln and justice. The program begins at 9 a.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Reservations are required; e-mail specialevents@loc.gov. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday March 4 GALLERY TALK John Sellers, curator of the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, discusses “Lincoln’s Cabinet” at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Thursday March 5 MUSIC AND THE BRAIN SERIES Steven Brown from McMaster University discuss “From Mode to Emotion in Musical Communication” in a program co-sponsored by the Library’s Music Division and Science, Technology and Business Division, in cooperation with the Dana Foundation, at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Contact: 707-8432. Thursday March 5 CONCERT The Belcea Quartet performs works by Haydn, Schubert and Prokofiev at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Jan. 21. Although the supply of tickets may become exhausted, there are often empty seats at concert time. Interested patrons are encouraged to try for standby seats at the will-call desk in the Jefferson Building by 6:30 p.m. on concert evenings. Contact: 707-5502. Friday March 6 CONCERT French guitarists Biréli Lagrène and Sylvain Luc conjure the music and stylings of the legendary Django Reinhardt in their performance at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. The concert is being cosponsored by the Embassy of France. Tickets are available Jan. 21. See March 5 entry for contact and ticket information. Wednesday March 11 GALLERY TALK Clark Evans of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division presents a lecture on “Lincoln Campaign Memorabilia” at noon in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday March 13 MUSIC AND THE BRAIN SERIES Jacqueline Helfgott, criminal justice department at Seattle University, and Norman Middleton, Library of Congress Music Division, present a lecture titled “Halt or I’ll Play Vivaldi! Classical Music as Crime Stopper” in a program co-sponsored by the Library’s Music Division and Science, Technology and Business Division, in cooperation with the Dana Foundation, at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Contact: 707-8432. Friday March 13 CONCERT Quatuor Ébène performs works by Debussy, Fauré and Ravel at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Jan. 28. See March 5 entry for contact and ticket information. Tuesday March 17 BOOKS AND BEYOND Bibi Gaston discusses and signs her book “The Loveliest Woman in America: A Tragic Actress, Her Lost Diaries and Her Granddaughter’s Search For Home” in a program cosponsored by the Center for the Book and the Manuscript Division at noon in the Mary Pickford Theater. Contact: 707-5221. Wednesday March 18 GALLERY TALK Carol Johnson of the Prints and Photographs Division discusses “The Changing Image of Lincoln” in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday March 20 CONCERT World grandmaster of the jazz guitar Jim Hall and his band perform in concert at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Feb. 4. See March 5 entry for contact and ticket information. Wednesday March 25 GALLERY TALK John Sellers, curator of the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, presents a talk titled “The Gettysburg Address: 145 Years Later” at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday March 27 MUSIC AND THE BRAIN SERIES Michael Kubovy and Judith Shatin of the University of Virginia discuss the semantic elements of music in a lecture titled “The Mind of the Artist” in a program co-sponsored by the Library’s Music Division and Science, Technology and Business Division, in cooperation with the Dana Foundation, at 6:15 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Contact: 707-8432. Friday March 27 CONCERT The New Zealand Quartet, with Richard Nunns performing on traditional Maori instruments, presents works by Schubert, Mendelssohn and Whitehead at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Feb. 11. See March 5 entry for contact and ticket information. *** End March 2009 *** APRIL 2009 Wednesday April 1 GALLERY TALK Adrienne Cannon of the Manuscript Division discusses “Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln” at noon in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday April 3 CONCERT The Dominant Quartet plays selections by Beethoven, Vainberg and Haydn at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available Feb. 18. Although the supply of tickets may become exhausted, there are often empty seats at concert time. Interested patrons are encouraged to try for standby seats at the will-call desk in the Jefferson Building by 6:30 p.m. on concert evenings. Contact: 707-5502. Wednesday April 8 GALLERY TALK John Sellers, curator of the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, presents a talk titled “The Civil War Comes to an End” at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday April 15 GALLERY TALK Sara Duke of the Prints and Photographs Division discusses “Sketch Artists in the Time of Lincoln” in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition at noon in the South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday April 15 BOOKS AND BEYOND Paul Dickson discusses and signs the third edition of his book, “The Dickson Baseball Dictionary,” in a program cosponsored by the Center for the Book and the Humanities and Social Sciences Division, at noon in the Mumford Room. Contact: 707-5221. Thursday April 16 GALLERY TALK Pam Craig of the Law Library of Congress discusses the Emancipation Proclamation in celebration of Emancipation Day at noon in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday April 17 CONCERT The Brentano Quartet, with pianist Peter Serkin and reciter Richard Lalli, presents the Washington premiere of Wuorinen’s New Piano Quintet, along with works by Beethoven, Schoenberg and Haydn, at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available March 4. See April 3 entry for contact and ticket information. Saturday April 18 CONCERT Quatuor Mosaïques performs works by Beethoven and Haydn at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available March 4. See April 3 entry for contact and ticket information. Wednesday April 22 LECTURE Edward F. Guinan, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Villanova University, presents a talk titled “Our Sun: Its Influence on Life and Climate” in a program sponsored by the Science, Technology and Business Division at 11:30 a.m. in the Mary Pickford Theater. Contact: 707-5664. Wednesday April 22 GALLERY TALK Clark Evans of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division discusses “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln” at noon in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Friday April 24 CONCERT The Geringas Baryton Trio presents works by Haydn, Rossini, Paganini and Tomasini at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are available March 11. See April 3 entry for contact and ticket information. Saturday April 25 MASTER CLASS David Geringas of the Geringas Baryton Trio presents a cello master class from noon to 2 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Contact: 707-5502. Wednesday April 29 GALLERY TALK Ford Peatross of the Prints and Photographs Division presents a talk on “The Making of the Lincoln Memorial” at noon in the “With Malice Toward None” exhibition, South Gallery of the Jefferson Building. Contact: 707-9203. Wednesday April 29 LECTURE Michael Coe, Yale University professor emeritus, delivers the Jay I. Kislak lecture titled “The Kislak Oyohualli: Dancing and War Among the Toltecs” in a program co-sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center and the Hispanic Division at 7 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Contact: 707-4298. Thursday April 30 LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION Frank P. Baer, curator of historic instruments at the German National Museum in Nuremberg, and fortepianist Ludwig Semerjian present “Touching History – Pianos in Perspective” at 7 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. No tickets are required. Contact: 707-5502. *** End April 2009 *** The Library of Congress occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill. The Thomas Jefferson Building is the original Library of Congress building; it is located at 10 First St. S.E., across from the U.S. Capitol. The John Adams Building is directly behind the Jefferson Building to the east on Second St. S.E. The James Madison Memorial Building, at 101 Independence Ave. S.E., is just south of the Jefferson Building. Room locations: JEFFERSON BUILDING: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor; Whittall Pavilion, ground floor; LJ 119, first floor; Great Hall, first floor; Southwest Gallery, second floor; Northwest Gallery, second floor. MADISON BUILDING: Madison Hall, first floor; LM 139, first floor; Pickford Theater, third floor; Mumford Room, sixth floor; Montpelier Room, sixth floor; West Dining Room, sixth floor; Dining Room A, sixth floor. When attending events at the Library, allow extra time to pass through Library security. Request ADA accommodations five days in advance at 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov. CONCERTS: Tickets are required for all Library of Congress Music Division concerts. They are available five weeks ahead of the event for a nominal charge of $2.75 per ticket (maximum of two tickets per person), with additional charges for phone orders and handling, from Ticketmaster by calling (301) 808-6900, (410) 752-1200, (800) 551-7328, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets for popular events are claimed quickly, but there are often empty seats at concert time. Interested patrons are encouraged to request standby seats by appearing at the will-call desk by 6:30 p.m. on concert evenings. All concerts are held in the Coolidge Auditorium, located on the ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., at 8 p.m., unless otherwise noted.