Michigan-based ragtime pianist Peter Bergin will give a free concert at 3 pm on Sunday, Dec 11 at Milwood United Methodist Church in Kalamazoo. He tells Cara Lieurance he'll feature classics by Joplin and others, throw in some vocal songs from the time period and even "rag up" a carol or two.
Bergin also talks about ragtime's building block - the "march step" - and and how early practitioners often improvised. It was popularized by sheet music selling in the millions, he says, but is also present on early recordings and piano rolls. Today there are gatherings and ragtime festivals that take him around the country.
More information is at the Milwood United Methodist Facebook page.
