Although the ragtime craze was all the rage in dance halls at the turn of the 20th century, a century later few performers tackle this crucial part of American music. The Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra is an exception and they're performing in Northwest Arkansas this week.
Andrew Greene and the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra delve into ragtime as it was heard in the 1910s, fully orchestrated, thanks to an insatiable curiousity and the dedicated pursuit of period materials.
"People might not know the name Scott Joplin, but they've heard his music before," says Greene. "Once people realize this is America's first popular music ... it's sort of a revelation."
Conductor Andrew Greene discovered a love for these syncopated compositions as a teen--particularly the work of Scott Joplin, whose "Peacherine Rag" lends the orchestra its name.
Catch Peacherine in performance at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center Thursday, November 15th. Listen to the full Arts Beat conversation in the on-demand streaming link.
