St. Michael's Holds 3rd Joplin Event
 

Pianist Terry Waldo is a protg of ragtime-jazz legend Eubie Blake.

The third annual celebration of the life and music of ragtime composer Scott Joplin was held Saturday, May 13 at St. Michael's Cemetery, East Elmhurst, at 1 p.m. Joplin died in 1917 and is buried at St. Michael's, where a simple bronze marker bearing the legend "Scott Joplin/American Composer/Apr. 2, 1917" marks his grave. His music was used in the soundtrack of the movie "The Sting" and brought about a resurgence in the popularity of ragtime, the early 20th century music form in which Joplin wrote most of his compositions.

As had been the case at the 2005 celebration, Ruth Brisbane, a noted singer who has appeared on Broadway and venues around the world, Aaron Diehl, a gifted Juilliard graduate who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, and Terry Waldo, a protégé of the legendary Eubie Blake, performed.

Dr. Edward Berlin, author of academic texts and more than 100 articles on Joplin, ragtime and the times, presented a slide lecture that highlighted the context of the era. His book, King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era, is regarded as the most thoroughly documented study of Joplin's life and career now published.

Singer Ruth Brisbane, seen resting between selections, performed ragtime, jazz, blues and gospel.

The concert was open to the public and hundreds of Joplin fans and friends of St. Michael's attended, sharing sunshine and barbecued franks, hamburgers, and soda. The Joplin celebration, hosted by Edward Horn, director of sales and marketing at St. Michael's, was also made possible through the assistance of Gus Antonopoulos of Joseph Farenga and Sons Funeral Home, Tealicious, Inc., ProComm Sound, DJG Associates, Harlem Brewery and Sugar Hill Golden Ale. Celeste Beatty of Harlem Brewery is the great granddaughter of an artist who played with Joplin.

People sat on chairs, lay on the grass and danced. Steve and Joy Sabreila entertained by showing off some unusual dance steps. The audience in fact refused to allow the concert to end as scheduled, and the artists were more than glad to play on.

An unexpected result of the afternoon was five pre-need sales. One family declared they would never consider a cemetery that did not offer music, fun and the joy of life. "St. Michael's is dedicated to the belief that life is to be celebrated," Horn said in explaining the rationale for the event. "We refuse to become a warehouse of the past."

Diehl, a student in piano at The Juilliard School private conservatory, was also featured in the 2005 Joplin celebration at St. Michael's Cemetery. An appreciative audience celebrated Joplin's life and music at St. Michael's Cemetery on May 13. Photos Tony Barsamian