Allan Harris: Cross That River

Students go on a musical journey with Allan Harris and the Cross That River Band as they go back in time and explore America’s West during the 19th century. Through song, narration, and imagery, students experience an incredible story of triumph as the lives and struggles of African American cowboys are depicted in this song cycle that chronicles their escape from slavery and their journey to freedom in the West. Interweaving fiction with historical fact, each song in the cycle presents a different page in this chapter of American history.

Telling Stories: Carole Boston Weatherford

Carole Boston Weatherford’s love for writing developed at an early age. The award-winning author composed her first poem in the first grade and soon after she began publishing her poems with the help of her father, a printing teacher. In her most recent stories, BIRMINGHAM, 1963 and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, Weatherford brings the pages of history alive through stories, poems, and pictures. During this discussion with moderator Maria Salvadore, Weatherford shares her unique talent of making music with the language of poetry and talks about developing her own voice as both a poet and author through the celebration of family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles.

Telling Stories: Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out

Nationally recognized creators of books for young people, Katherine Paterson, Steven Kellogg and Mary Brigid Barrett, share insights into a recently released book titled Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. This book is a compilation of history, historical fiction, personal essays, poetry, drama, and original art by 108 renowned authors and illustrators that offers a view of American history as seen through the eyes of the White House. Our White House was created by the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, NCBLA, in an effort to combat illiteracy and to get students excited about reading.

Theater: Frost/Nixon

Frost/Nixon is a chilling recount of one of the most monumental interviews of all time. The fast-paced production depicts former President Richard Nixon in his first interview since his resignation following the Watergate scandal. Frost/Nixon tells the story of how the historic interview came about and how it played out on television as British talk-show host David Frost elicits the apology from Nixon that the rest of the world was waiting to hear. In this program with cast members from the production and teachers of history and political science, students get a look into the historic context surrounding this play, and see how history and theater come together to reveal not only the facts but the human and emotional aspects of history.

Dr. Billy Taylor and Young Jazz Musicians*

Join Dr. Billy Taylor, the Kennedy Center’s artistic director for jazz, and his trio (Chip Jackson on bass and Winard Harper on percussion) as they coach and perform with three young jazz musicians. Experience the best jazz has to offer from both seasoned professionals and up-and-coming students in this lively and informative program.

Martha Graham Dance Company*

Known as "one of the great companies of the world" (The New York Times), Martha Graham Dance Company is the oldest contemporary dance company in America and one of its most celebrated. In this program, company members discuss the legacy of Martha Graham, demonstrate the technique that continues to influence dancers today, and perform excerpts from some of the company’s most celebrated works, including the 1944 classic Appalachian Spring, Graham’s ode to pioneer families of America.

Theater: Twelve Angry Men*

Join members of the cast of Twelve Angry Men as they explore the connections between the play’s themes and such relevant issues as the infl uence of personal history and perspective on decision making, the balance between civic responsibility and personal goals, and the power of a persuasive argument. Emmy winner Richard Thomas (TV's The Waltons) and 30-year TV, film, and Broadway actor Randall Mell discuss this gripping revival of an American classic the New York Times trumpeted as "the undeniable hit of the Broadway dramatic season!"

China: Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble

Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble is a multidisciplinary performance troupe that focuses on ethnic dance drama. Drawing from various traditional Chinese genres, artistic director Huang Doudou seeks to reinvent Chinese dance, skillfully weaving East and West, old and new, and interpreting history through a modern filter. In this demonstration and performance, the company helps students achieve a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Understanding Arab Music with Simon Shaheen

Western music is very connected to the rich history of Arabic music. Many of our Western musical instruments are direct descendents of Arabic stringed and reed instruments as well as the use of complex melodies and improvisation in performance. Master musician and composer Simon Shaheen, along with his ensemble Qantara, demonstrates the unique sound and range of several Arabic instruments, performs traditional Arabic music with jazz and classical influences, and involves students in learning rhythms and patterns used most frequently in traditional/classical Arab music.

Telling Stories: Craig Hatkoff

The Hatkoff Family, father Craig and his two daughters Juliana and Isabella, are authors of a collection of amazing animal stories featuring real-life animals from Africa, Germany, and Florida. These naturally wild animals, as seen in their books Owen and Mzee and Looking for Miza, have overcome great adversity and have captured headlines and the hearts of people both young and old. With moderator Maria Salvadore, Craig Hatkoff discusses the inspiration for writing about these animals, the process of research and documentation, and introduces real world issues to students to empower them to affect change on our planet.

Sweet Honey In The Rock

Join members of internationally renowned a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock for a unique sound experience as the group captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, and hip hop using their vocal prowess. During this performance and demonstration, students learn how the ensemble uses their collective voice as an instrument to create music that is filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms. The Grammy Award®–winning group discusses how they blend musical idioms and styles to create a sound that can only be described as SWEET!

The Making of Ragtime

Go behind the scenes of the new Kennedy Center production Ragtime with moderator Michael Kerker, director of Musical Theater at ASCAP, as he explores the musical partnership between composer and lyricist. Joined by acclaimed lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty, they discuss their successful collaboration and their body of work, including the brand-new production of Ragtime. Students also get a glimpse of the many elements—stage sets, lights, and costumes—needed to make a production come to life and hear some of the well-known songs from the musical performed by cast members.

Nnenna Freelon & Harolyn Blackwell
Ellington Voices: Classical to Jazz

In this Kennedy Center commission, two of today’s top vocalists explore how classical sounds intertwine with improvisational jazz in the music of Duke Ellington, one of DC’s native sons. Bringing together their respective expertise from the jazz and classical worlds, Nnenna Freelon and Harolyn Blackwell demonstrate how Ellington’s compositions blended European classical traditions with syncopated rhythms and African American work songs, blues and spiritual music.

All programs are broadcast 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET.

*Note: a re-broadcast of a previously recorded program.