Your Pledge Dollars at Work: Champlain 400

VPR's special series, Champlain 400, is truly an organization-wide project combining the efforts of VPR News, Commentaries, Music, and Online.

You may have heard this piece by John Van Hoesen, VPR's VicePresident for News & Programming, where he describes some of the "behind the scenes" work that went into the 10-part series Champlain 400: Stories from the Lake. VPR producers traveled to more than 15 locations, interviewed more than 20 people, and recorded 15 hours of sound - all to bring you the kind of stories and history and reporting you expect from Vermont Public Radio.

"Stories from the Lake": just one part of our multilayered coverage of Champlain 400, and just one more example of your pledge dollars at work for you.

Sing a Song of the Lake

This past Thursday evening, the last piece neatly settled in place for VPR's musical celebration of Lake Champlain. Like the Lake itself, the legacy of songs about it are a rich blend of history, culture, and - most important of all - the diversity of people connected to this special region.

Singer, songwriter and historian Deb Flanders joined Robert Resnik in the VPR Performance Studio for conversation and an enchanting set of songs including classics like The Butcher Boy and 10,000 Miles, along with a few newly written tunes.

VPR's music showcase is part of the Champlain 400 project.

On July 5th, All The Traditions will feature the voices and music of the French Canadian fiddling/guitar duo Lisa Ornstein and Andre Marchand; singer/songwriter Alan Greenleaf; and this intimate recording session with Deb Flanders.

Later in the summer (August 2nd at 4pm) we'll share highlights from all of these performances, with a lively set of traditional and original songs about the Lake from Robert Resnik and Marty Morrissey.

A Quadricentennial celebration calls for music of equal scope and magnitude, and these talented musicians deliver!