“The School of Music, Theatre & Dance is thrilled to partner with Thomas Hampson and the Hampsong Foundation,” said Dean David Gier. “Thomas has come to campus several times and these interactions have been enriching for our voice students, and several of our faculty members have conducted research with the Hampsong Foundation. This new collaboration will strengthen previous work, allowing both organizations to amplify the preservation, study, and practice of song more broadly and in new contexts.”

The partnership will expand existing projects between the two organizations and pave the way for new ones. As part of the agreement, Hampson will continue to lead masterclasses and other trainings for voice students. Research initiatives will also be explored and developed between U-M faculty and the Hampsong Foundation such as projects from Professor of Music Louise Toppin’s class “African American Art Song,” a course that has already contributed scholarly work to the Song of America project. Faculty members and the foundation are also working on a research project through U-M’s Humanities Collaboratory.

“The Department of Voice is very excited about the partnership with Thomas Hampson and the Hampsong Foundation, said Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Voice Scott Piper. “Thomas’ stellar career, with multi-faceted success in performance, scholarship, and advocacy for the vocal arts naturally converges with the professional and academic achievements of our faculty. Likewise, the Hampsong Foundation’s impressive collection of projects, resources, and archived events promises to further fuel the creativity, artistry, and imagination of our voice students.”

The Classic Song Research Initiative’s first formal collaboration begins on June 11 with a series of weekly Facebook Live conversations called The Art of Democracy. The first session will include a conversation with Hampson and Mark Clague, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs and Associate Professor of Musicology and Entrepreneurship and Leadership at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. The conversation will be titled Song as Active Citizenship, and they will discuss Clague’s research on “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the protest roots of American classic song.

“The Art of Democracy will incorporate a range of research and performance projects exploring the role of song and all the arts in American life,” said Clague. “Its fundamental argument is that art is a vital tool for sharing and debating ideas, understanding, negotiation, and compromise, that is at the core of any government by and for the people.”

The Art of Democracy will also include episodes with U-M voice faculty Louise Toppin and Caroline Helton. The series will culminate with an online concert on July 4.