Faculty Forum with John Myers and Friends

Paintings in Song: Visions of Norman Rockwell 

Join composer Dr. John Myers, chief curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum Stephanie Plunkett and Crescendo’s artistic director Christine Gevert for this conversation about “Paintings in Song:'Visions of Norman Rockwell,'” a multimedia work with choruses, instrumentalists, and graphic animation. Dr. Myers’ work celebrates Norman Rockwell’s timeless images in a musical setting and highlights the continued relevance of the emotional themes represented in Rockwell’s paintings. 

Myers bases his composition on the iconic “Four Freedoms” and five other paintings by Rockwell. His music reflects the subject of each painting as well as referencing the music style of the time period in which it was created. The texts of the choral pieces use the titles, images and embedded texts of the paintings, supplemented by original lyrics written by Myers. It is believed that this is the first extended work for chorus inspired by the paintings of Norman Rockwell. 

Myers’ music is accompanied by simultaneous large-screen projected animations based on each of the paintings. Graphic artists Alice Myers and Anna Sabatini created them using digital technology to portray the paintings as dynamic visual elements, while retaining much of their original character. The Norman Rockwell Museum has provided critical conceptual and interpretive support in the realization of these animations.

The concept of community, and especially multi-generational community, is important to Rockwell’s work. The Berkshire Children’s Chorus plays a key role in expressing Rockwell’s portrayals of childhood, families, and life in the Berkshires.  

Dr. Myers, Ms. Plunkett, and Ms. Gevert will offer insights into the composition and the process of creating a multimedia work, and talk about the relevance of Rockwell’s art today. 

A longer panel discussion on “Paintings in Song” with Dr. Myers, Ms. Gevert and documentary producer Rich Bradway will take place on March 18 at 5:30 pm at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. For details please visit www.nrm.org 

The full premiere of Paintings in Song: Visions of Norman Rockwell, will be performed by singers and instrumentalists from Crescendo and the Berkshire Children's Chorus at Saint James Place in Great Barrington, MA on Saturday, April 1, and at the Mattison Auditorium, Kent School in Kent, CT on Sunday, April 2. For more information, please visit www.worldclassmusic.org