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 Library of Congress

The provocative sounds of sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar and an insightful journey into the creative process of experimental electronic performers M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel of Matmos are part of a new innovative collection that will enrich the Library of Congress’ unparalleled audiovisual holdings. The Library announced today its collaboration with Snapshots Music and Arts Foundation to acquire video and audio tapes, along with thousands of accompanying photographs, of in-depth interviews and exclusive performances by some of the world’s most groundbreaking musicians and industry leaders. This ongoing gift from the Snapshots Foundation will ensure that the works of these cutting-edge artists and thinkers will be forever preserved and made accessible to scholars and future generations.

"The Library's acquisition of the Snapshots videos fills an important niche in our collections in the areas of world jazz, international classical, crossover, and electronic music," said Gregory Lukow, chief of the Library’s Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. "The collection not only includes unique artistic performances, but also in-depth artist profiles through taped interviews and master classes that provide rare insight into the personal history of each artist."

Library of Congress

"We are honored to give artists a new platform to share their stories with people everywhere," said Jonathan Bewley, founder and executive producer of the Snapshots Foundation. "Our goal is to provide a lasting and valuable resource through our films, education and industry profiles for other musicians, professionals, students and listeners."

In addition to Shankar and Matmos, the collection also includes interviews and performances by an impressive array of artists including classical guitarist Celino Romero, jazz flutist Holly Hofmann and crossover percussionist Steven Schick. Also included in the initial gift is the foundation’s video series, which includes "Snapshots: Musicians on Music" and "Artists Profiles."

Library of Congress Reading Room

The Snapshots Foundation will add performances and interviews to the collection on a continuing basis. Among the early installments are tapes of new-music pianist Luciane Cardassi, composer Herb Deutsch, organ-builder and curator Manual Rosales, electronic artist Jason Soares, composer John Eaton, organist Cherry Rhodes, performer and Juilliard School professor David Dubal, bassist/composer Mark Dresser, musicologist Sylviane Falcinelli, Tower Records founder Russ Soloman, and Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation.

A unique characteristic of the collection is the superior audio quality of the performances, which were recorded in such state-of-the-art venues as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library in La Jolla, Ca. and the Warren Music Center Studio at the University of California San Diego.

The collection of tapes and photos will be housed at the Library’s Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, a leading-edge facility funded as a gift to the nation by the Packard Humanities Institute. The Packard Campus is the site where the nation’s library acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of motion pictures, television programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings (www.loc.gov/avconservation/ ). The Packard Campus is home to more than six million collection items.

Library of Congress:

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

The Snapshots Music and Arts Foundation:

The Snapshots Music and Arts Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to using film and new media to connect people with the musical arts. Its mission is to educate, inspire and to preserve music history by documenting the voices of today’s most innovative musicians and industry leaders who shape the sound and creative direction of music.

Tags: Anoushka Shankar, Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, Bob Moog Foundation, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, California, Celino Romero, Cherry Rhodes, David Dubal, Drew Daniel, Gregory Lukow, Herb Deutsch, Holly Hofmann, Jason Soares, John Eaton, Jonathan Bewley, Juilliard School, La Jolla, Library of Congress, Los Angeles, Luciane Cardassi, M.C. Schmidt, Manual Rosales, Mark Dresser, Matmos, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Motion Picture, Neurosciences Institute, Packard Campus, Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, Packard Humanities Institute, Russ Soloman, San Diego, Snapshots Music and Arts Foundation, Steven Schick, Sylviane Falcinelli, Tower Records, University of California San Diego, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Warren Music Center Studio, Washington D.C.