Guide to the Smoky City Folk Festival Records, 1984-1988
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Smoky City Folk Festival Records
- Creator
- Calliope (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS 592
- Extent
- 1.0 linear feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1984-1988
- Abstract
- The Smoky City Folk Festival was the main annual event sponsored by the Calliope House located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Calliope House was founded by George Balderose in 1976. The Smoky City Folk Festival lasted for 23 years until 1999. The records of the Smoky City Folk Festival include correspondence, budget, media relations, programs, and information about the individual performers.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
The Calliope House was founded by George Balderose in 1976 and began holding house concerts for folk musicians soon after. The building, located on the North Side, was purchased in 1975 by George Balderose from the Women's Christian Home of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Smoky City Folk Festival was an annual event created by the Calliope House. The main purpose of the Festival was to preserve and promote traditional and contemporary styles of folk music. At this two day festival both educational workshops and musical concerts were held. The festival was held annually for 23 years, ending in 1999.
The Calliope House looked to the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago as a successful organizational model. In addition to sponsoring the Smoky City Folk Festival and smaller concerts, the Calliope House worked in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Public School and Artshare to promote the performing arts in the public schools. Although the Smoky City Folk Festival was not held after 1999, Calliope House remains as a folk music school which provides classes on a variety of traditional instruments. More information on the Calliope House can be found at their website, www.calliopehouse.org. In 2008, the Calliope House sponsored a revival festival called Rootz: the Green City Music Festival.
Scope and Content Notes
The Smoky City Folk Festival records are housed in one archival box and are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The records include financial records, musician biographies, board meeting notes and minutes, media relations, budget materials, programs and a variety of other organizational records. The records are not comprehensive. Most of the materials are related to publicity efforts. The music acquisitions folder contains papers concerning workshop recording and the legal release of music materials. In addition, a number of the records in this collection also concern the financial and business matters of the Calliope House and Smoky City Folk Festival.
The records found in this collection were accumulated by Doris Dyen, who was responsible for publicity for the Smoky City Music Festival and was a member of the Board of Directors for Calliope.
Conditions Governing Access
None
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Doris Dyen, board member of Calliope House, Inc., in July 2011.
Custodial History
Gift of Doris Dyen, board member of Calliope House, Inc.
Preferred Citation
Smoky City Folk Festival Records, MSS# 592, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Miriah O'Connor in August 2011.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
Calliope, Oral History Records/Project, Audio Tapes, 2003-2007, 2010.0116.
Calliope: We Pull Music Out by the Roots, qML 3551.8 .P6 C3 2003.
Subjects
- Calliope (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Smoky City Folk Festival (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Folk music—Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh
- Folk music—United States—Societies