Thomas Hampson 'Song of America' program September 30, 2009

San Francisco Performances begins its 30th Anniversary season with baritone Thomas Hampson's "Song of America" program, a collaboration with the Library of Congress that celebrates the majesty and diversity of American song. Included are songs by Foster, Copland, Ives and Bernstein, based on poetry by Walt Whitman, William Blake, Tennessee Williams and others. The accompanist is Wolfram Rieger.

San Francisco Performances will also host a free community event at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 29 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Hampson will give a presentation, "Song of America - A Diary," joined by the Library of Congress curators for a Q&A session. An exhibition at this event and during the concert will feature sheet music, original scores, photographs and other music-related items from the Library of Congress collection, with Library music curators available to answer questions.

First introduced during the 2005-06 season, the "Song of America" project has evolved to include live-streaming of some of the concerts, along with podcasts and downloads, even an iPhone application. In addition, Hampson will be releasing a new CD, "Wondrous Free - Song of America II," on his own label, Thomas Hampson Media.

In February 2008, the Library of Congress named Hampson a Special Advisor for the Study and Performance of Music in America, and it is his goal to create - through his Hampsong Foundation - an archive of American song that makes music scores, CDs, DVDs, video, books, essays and other materials available to performers, students and the public.

It is generally accepted that the history of American song began 250 years ago with the composition of "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free," composed in 1759 by Francis Hopkinson, a Philadelphia lawyer, poet, inventor, painter and judge who was also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

$49/$32.

Official Website: http://www.performances.org