The Center for Folklore Studies will host a celebration for the launch of Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth's new book, Finding the Singing Spruce: Musical Instrument Makers and Appalachia’s Mountain Forests. Jasper will share a conversation with John Preston of Lewisburg, West Virginia, a violin maker and the subject of the book.
A limited number of books will be given away to the first 20 people to RSVP for the event. Please click the link below to RSVP, and scroll down for instructions and tax information for entering the book giveaway.
RSVP HERE.
This event is free and open to the public. Co-hosted by the Humanities Institute.
Book Summary
How can the craft of musical instrument making help reconnect people to place and reenchant work in Appalachia? How does the sonic search for musical tone change relationships with trees and forests? Following three craftspeople in the mountain forests of Appalachia through their processes of making instruments, Finding the Singing Spruce considers the meanings of work, place, and creative expression in drawing music from wood.
Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth explores the complexities and contradictions of instrument-making labor, which is deeply rooted in mountain forests and expressive traditions but also engaged with global processes of production and consumption. Using historical narratives and sensory ethnography, among other approaches, he finds that the craft of lutherie speaks to the past, present, and future of the region’s work and nature.
Book Giveaway Information
OSU requires that recipients of any gift/giveaway items confirm employee/student/taxpayer status for potential reporting as taxable income to the IRS. In the case that you are the recipient of a free book, Humanities Institute administrative coordinator Nick Spitulski.1 will send along necessary paperwork; please reach out to him with any questions and to make arrangements for the book pickup upon completion.
Accommodation Requests
The Humanities Institute and its related centers host a wide range of events, from intense discussions of works in progress to cutting-edge presentations from world-known scholars, artists, activists and everything in between.
We value in-person engagement at our events as we strive to amplify the energy in the room. But we also recognize the fact that not all our guests will be able to visit our space. Zoom access will be available to this event upon request. If you wish to have such access, or you would like to request other accommodations for this event, please send your request to Connor Behm: behm.42@osu.edu.
