Building Community Through Music at the Library

By Jeremy Zorn, Public Services Librarian

May 5, 2023

If you have ever wandered through the Winter Park Library on a Saturday afternoon near the end of the month, you may have followed the sweet and soulful sounds of Americana music to the Library’s Edyth Bush Theatre.  These Saturday afternoon serenades are brought to us by Central Florida Folk, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of authentic and quality folk music. Over the years, Central Florida Folk has provided Winter Park Library with scores of wonderful concerts on the last Saturday of each month, and a few of their members have found additional ways to create community through music at the Library.  

For example, on the third Wednesday evening of each month, you can find a group known as Central Florida Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar assembled in a circle, swapping songs at the base of the Edyth Bush Theatre. This circle of guitar pickers is welcoming to players and singers of all experience and skill levels. Everyone is invited to join the circle to share a song or just to listen.

One of the stalwart figures of both Central Florida Folk and Central Florida Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar is Barry Brogan, an accomplished guitar player specializing in old-time jazz, blues, and folk styles. Beginning Friday, May 5th, Barry, the founder of Central Florida Folk, is going to reprise his History of Folk Music class, which he last offered in 2021. This four-part series provides a narrative of American folk music traditions through the World War II era. Attendees will be in for a treat, as Barry seasons his folk music story with his own skillful musical demonstrations.

If you are interested in more opportunities for building community through music at WPL, check out a meeting of the Winter Park Ukulele Society, which assembles in the Edyth Bush Theatre on the second Saturday morning of each month. These monthly gatherings bring together beginner and experienced ukulele strummers, along with those who attend just to enjoy this ukulele group’s delightful repertoire of classic songs.  If you’d like to join a meeting of the Winter Park Ukulele Society, but don’t have your own instrument, don’t worry! Ukuleles are available for checkout on the Library’s 2nd floor.

Be sure to enroll in these fun and inclusive music gatherings on our online calendar. They are not to be missed!

Did you know that Library Members can book the Library’s Recording Studio for two-hour sessions? If you have a Full-Service Library Card, you can book the Recording Studio, using this link: https://www.winterparklibrary.org/reserve-room/recording-studio. We ask that first-time Recording Studio users attend a session our Recording Studio Essentials class, which is offered each month. Please contact jzorn@winterparklibrary.org if you have any questions.