Ragtime: The First American Form of Popular Music

With its origins in the late 19th century, ragtime burst onto the American scene and quickly became the first uniquely American musical style. Its influence affected early jazz, blues, country and even European classical music with its infectious syncopation and melodic ingenuity. In this lecture, you will hear about the roots of ragtime: how it developed from 19th century marches, cakewalks from slavery days and its origins in the saloons and juke joints of the American Midwest. In addition to learning about the lives of ragtime greats like Scott Joplin, we’ll hear examples of rags and their effect on popular music in the early 20th century, played on instruments such as piano, banjo, mandolin and even full orchestras.

Cary Ginell is a music historian and leader of the Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra, a group that keeps alive the sounds of vintage as well as contemporary ragtime music. Additionally, Cary is a Grammy-nominated writer and author of 12 books on American music. 

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Register

Register by 3 p.m. April 1