In 1905, ragtime music was sweeping the nation in entertainment venues far and wide, including Hotel Elberton (renamed Hotel Oregon in 1932). Midwest composer, Scott Joplin was a member of the first generation of African American citizens born after the Empancipation Proclamation. He produced dozens of original ragtime gems, widely recognizable today. Joplin's joyful compositions encapsulate the vibrant, industrialized culture of modernist America; his works are performed and studied by classical and popular musicians around the world. Joplin was not only an accomplished musician, he was also a cultural ambassador, successful entrepreneur, and lifelong student.

Join local music instructor, pianist, and historian Kendra Kay Friar for a discussion of Scott Joplin's contributions to American music and life. Kendra will share her original research on ragtime culture and Joplin's music in this interactive presentation!

Kendra Kay Friar is associate conductor of Pacific Youth Choir in Portland and editor-in-chief of the Journal of General Music Education. She has taught at Pacific University and Grandhaven Elementary School. In 2021, she received the Outstanding Elementary Music Educator Award from Oregon Music Educators Association. Kendra performs with the professional ensembles Choro in Schola and Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir. She also serves on the Equity Committee of the National Association for Music Education. Kendra has published research articles for several music education journals.

Kendra's interest in Scott Joplin began at an early age because her mother grew up in Sedalia, Missouri, America's "Cradle of Ragtime." As a child, she attended Sedalia's Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival with her family. Later, she taught in Temple, Texas, the town where Joplin published his first instrumental works in 1896. Kendra and her elementary students honored the 100-year anniversary of this event with a celebratory program in 1996. Kendra, an accomplished pianist, has since worked to learn Joplin's music, chart his career, and publicize the significance of his accomplishments with her students and with the education community.

Enjoy 15% off your hotel stay on History Pub nights! Show your ticket at check-in.

These events are open to everyone interested in Pacific Northwest history, and beyond! Often co-sponsored by local or state historical and civic organizations, we bring you experts, scholars, first-person experiencers, historians and documentaries expounding on topics from indigenous history to the birth of Portland, early explorers to hop growing, and on and on! It's like being back in the classroom - except this time you get to settle into comfortable seats and enjoy a drink or two with dinner while you listen and learn.

This event is eligible for a History Pub Stamp