Curating Oral History: Derek Piotr and the Fieldwork Archive

About this event

Derek Piotr - folklorist, researcher and performer - is lead archivist and creative director of The Fieldwork Archive, which contains over 2,200 audio recordings collected as proof of oral tradition persisting in the twenty-first century. The Archive preserves diverse representations of folklife; ballads, hymns, tales, poems, children's songs, and interviews among them. The focus of this collection is on the "non-singer": someone with no background in musical performance who can nevertheless relate a song or folkloric memory.

Join Derek as he walks us through the process of journeying everywhere from Iceland to Appalachia to record these songs from non-musicians, as well as the organization and development of the Archive as a web-based repository.

In browsing the Archive you will hear singing from all walks of life: from nuns to bartenders, children to centenarians, folk-song scholars, authors, the remaining members of the Shaker community, residents of nursing homes, farmers singing murder ballads, and legends of the folk scene sharing their earliest remembrances of learning through home-singing. You will hear memories of hospice journeys, faith healing practices, tornado survival, and supernatural hauntings recorded everywhere from hotels to farms, libraries to supermarkets, and churches to train stations.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to a part recall for our lift, we cannot guarantee handicap access to the Lang Auditorium at this time. We are doing everything we can to rectify this situation as soon as possible, and we apologize for the inconvenience. If you need further assistance, please call 413-568-7833.