The Boulder Junction Public Library and Boulder Junction Area Historical Society are partnering to present OurStory: a Monthly History Series. Programs will share “OurStory” – highlighting a local history topic or area of interest that helps us remember the past, understand how it impacts our present, and preserve these memories for the future.
Join us for “A Patchwork of Needles and Leaves: An Introduction to the Music of the Upper Midwest Shanty Boy” with Matthew Christoff on Thursday, May 22 at 7pm at the Boulder Junction Community Center.
“I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok!” is as much as most folks know about lumberjack songs, but did you ever wonder where that tradition comes from? You will discover that in this one-hour lecture where we will explore the daily life of a shanty boy, a brief history of the profession, the role of music in the lumber camps, and a sampling of songs the shanty boys sang in the Upper Midwest.
Matthew Christoff is a classically trained baritone vocalist from Dyckesville, WI. He earned his Bachelor of Music from Saint Norbert College and his Master of Music from the University of Florida. Recent performances include Minnesota Opera, Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Skylark Opera Theatre, and Saint Norbert Abbey. His lecture, playlist, and performance of shanty boy songs were featured on the Wisconsin Today show on Wisconsin Public Radio in January 2025.
Matthew will also perform a recital of shanty boy songs live at the St. Norbert College Dudley Birder Hall in May 2025. When not performing, Matthew spends time in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest with family and friends at the cabin, especially while participating in maple syrup production each spring.
This free program is sponsored by the Boulder Junction Public Library and the Boulder Junction Area Historical Society. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 715-385-2050.
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