|
The Lute Society of America |
The Lute Society of America, founded in 1966, is devoted to the lute and its music. Membership is open to anyone, anywhere – scholars and listeners as well as amateur or professional players. We share information through our publications, here on our worldwide web pages, and at one or two annual Summer Seminars. Smaller regional meetings are occasionally sponsored as well. Many of our members subscribe to one or more of the e-mail forums operated by Wayne Cripps, in which discussion centers on the lute in general or on more specialized areas relating to historical plucked instruments. There are also several Internet social networking groups on Ning devoted to the lute, the cittern or the vihuela and early guitars.
For those who are not familiar with the lute, it is a plucked-string musical instrument. Its construction features
a deeply rounded, ovoid body fabricated out of thin strips of wood glued together edgewise. The body is closed by a wooden soundboard or table to which the bridge is glued. The strings are tied around the bridge and
stretched along a neck, which is fitted with a number of tied frets, to one or more pegboxes, where they are tuned by adjusting the tension. The strings are stopped or fretted with one hand while
plucking with the other. The lute was popular and widely used in Europe from about the 12th century AD until well into the 18th century. After a period of disuse lasting more than a hundred years, interest in it slowly revived during the 20th century. Some audio and video examples of lute playing are available on our "Downloads" page.
Officers
- Dick Hoban, President (term expires 2009)
- Dan Larson, Vice-President (2011)
- Jocelyn Nelson, Clerk (2011)
Remaining Members of the Board of Directors
- Edward Martin (2009) Portfolio: Member concerns
- Phillip Rukavina (2010) Portfolio: Library
- Michael Miranda (2011) Portfolio: Journal
- Caroline Usher (2010) Portfolio: Website
Staff
- Administrator: Nancy Carlin – phone: (925)686-5800
- Journal Editor: Douglas Alton Smith (interim)
- Assistant Journal Editor: Michael Miranda
- Quarterly Editor: Currently a rotating assignment.
- Librarian: Anne Burns
- Publications Production Manager: Nancy Carlin
- Treasurer: Garald Farnham
- Assistant Treasurer: Ekko Jennings
A picture of our financial wizards, Ekko and Garald, recruiting new members (and doing a little fund-raising) in Central Park, New York. - Webmaster: Daniel Heiman
