Subject: Musicians - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Extent:: 0.6 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:: Frank Di Prima was born in Sicily in 1897 and came to the United States when he was seven years old. He became a musician, playing the guitar, banjo, violin, and mandolin. In addition to performing in schools as a WPA musician, Di Prima played with well-known performers including Ray Miller, Paul Whiteman, and Al Jolson. After his marriage to Amelia Marta, a second-generation Italian, the family settled in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The collection contains sheet music, some compositions by Di Prima, materials on music theory, printed matter, and photographs.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Extent:: 6.4 linear feet (; 15 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:: Ronald M. Surak (1940-2011) was a musician and music teacher from Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He specialized in composition, was particularly interested in computer-generated music, and created several works that combined traditional instruments with electronic music. He taught at the Wilmington Music School in Delaware and Rutgers University at both New Brunswick and Camden in New Jersey. Additionally, he served a director of the Rutgers Center for Computer and Experimental Music. This collection of Surak's papers is comprised mostly of his musical compositions and spans the second half of the twentieth century. In addition to musical scores, there are also programs (for his own performances and performances of his works by others), flyers, clippings, personal notes, and ephemera. There is also a significant group of audio and video recordings of his work on cassettes, CDs, and computer discs.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Extent:: 6.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The James A. Michener Art Museum, located in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is an independent, non-profit cultural institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of the Bucks County region. Opened in 1988, the museum is named for Doylestown's most famous son, the Pulitzer-Prize winning writer James A. Michener. James A. Michener Art Museum Archives photograph and oral history collection on Bucks County (Pa.) artists, circa 1978-1990s, consists of photographs and oral history interviews with Bucks County artists conducted by Bucks County Community College students in 1978, recordings relating to the Bucks County Council for the Arts, and assorted interviews from various Bucks County media personalities that were broadcast on local radio and television stations.

Held at: James A. Michener Art Museum Archives [Contact Us]

Extent:: 2.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Old York Road Symphony was founded in 1932 and gave its first concert in 1933, at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Its mission is to provide an outlet for the interests and talents of serious musicians of all ages, while enriching the cultural life of suburban Philadelphia. The Old York Road Symphony records, 1934-2010, include various administrative and financial records such as minutes, membership lists, and financial documents, as well as programs, clippings, and ephemera.

Held at: Old York Road Historical Society [Contact Us]