Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation

Ragtime fans take note of this ragtime coffee shop/venue in Marble Falls Texas. https://theragtimeoriole.com/home/

Mimi Blais received the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award at our recent Internet Ragtime Festival. Here is her acceptance video. Congratulations Mimi!

The Lifetime Achievement Award for the year, 2020, was presented posthumously to Bryan Cather. For well over a decade, Bryan has been President of the Friends of Scott Joplin which supports the Scott Joplin House where he was employed and volunteered as a docent guide. His friends created the video shown here.

In case you missed our Internet Ragtime Festival, here's a taste of it. Japanese guitar virtuoso, Takashi Hamada, performs Maple Leaf Rag! He performs four other ragtime gems as well. See him and the complete concert on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=P5trSdScVIk

Click the image below to watch this on YouTube TONIGHT June 5th at 8:15 pm (Eastern). Join other fans and listen live, comment, and perhaps 'tip' our performers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5trSdScVIk

Syncopated Saturday Night #4 is now viewable on YouTube (all previous editions too). Great performances by Martin Spitznagel, Mimi Blais and host, Bryan Wright will delight ragtime fans. See them now and consider a donation too. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdY4SiLQYo2hSRK82wyfp3Q

The Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation (SJIRF) presents its fourth internet-based concert (SSN4) to support artists with limited live music options due to Covid-19. We invite you to tune in Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 8:15 PM (eastern) time to view performances by Martin Spitznagel and Mimi Blais, along with SJIRF Artistic Director, Bryan Wright who serves as host. While the SJIRF has provided each performer with a small stipend for their time and talent, any ‘tip...s’ you can offer will be greatly appreciated by the artists. Links to tip on-line using a credit card can bed done by clicking https://www.scottjoplin.org/donate.html Or, you can mail a donation to: Syncopated Saturday Night Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation PO Box 1244 Sedalia, MO 65302 100% of donations will be evenly divided by the evening’s artists! To view SSN4 on YouTube, copy or click this link: https://youtu.be/OygEpv521aQ For more information on Martin Spitznagel: Website: www.martinspitznagel.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MartinSpitznagel-Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinspitznagel/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spitzfire1138 For more information on Mimi Blais: https://www.facebook.com/queenofragtime/ Mimi's Spotify Link Mimi's YouTube channel For more information about Bryan Wright: http://www.bryanswright.com/wpdir/ Our website post: Link to April 17, 2021 YouTube video premiere

Scott Joplin re-animated.

The 2021 Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival has been cancelled due to ongoing concerns regarding COVID and the safety of our performers, patrons, and volunteers. To assist the SJRF Board in determining the best course of action regarding the 2021 Festival, a survey was distributed to several hundred performers, donors, sponsors, attendees, and volunteers soliciting opinions on various options including: a. Cancel the 2021 festival b. Postpone the Festival until fall... c. Hold reduced venue Festival d. Continue with Syncopated Saturday Night virtual concerts e. Produce a virtual concert f. Other comments Responses were received from a good cross section of survey recipients. The feedback is summarized as follows: Most expressed concerns for the health and safety of all involved as connected with Covid. Rescheduling to the fall would create competition with other festivals traditionally holding their festival at that time, as well as conflicts with performer schedules. A majority indicated a preference for a full festival venue and not a reduced venue festival. Our foundation does not have the resources required to produce a virtual concert. There was a general appreciation for what the Sedalia Festival offers and an understanding of the difficult decision facing the Board. A decision regarding the June festival needed to be made by March to avoid losing significant upfront money. Projections verify that significantly reduced attendance at a festival would create future financial hardship for the Foundation. All things being considered the SJRF Board voted to cancel an on-site 2021 festival. And further to Continue producing the virtual Syncopated Saturday Night concerts. Produce a virtual Festival Friday on June 4, 2021 and Syncopated Saturday Night on June 5, 2021, perhaps incorporating symposia, and special presentations Begin planning for a Jubilee Celebration Ragtime Festival in 2022.

The Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation (SJIRF) presents its third internet-based concert to support artists struggling due to pandemic cancellations of most live performances. Debuting Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 8:15 PM (eastern) time, you can still view the entire show featiromg performances by Brian Holland & Danny Coots, the Taslimah Bey Trio, along with SJIRF Artistic Director, Bryan Wright who serves as host. To view this via YouTube, copy or click this l...ink: https://youtu.be/-7cgt2AjbuU While the SJIRF has provided each performer with a small stipend for their time and talent, any ‘tips’ you can offer will be greatly appreciated by the artists. Or, you can mail a donation to: Syncopated Saturday Night Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation PO Box 1244 Sedalia, MO 65302 100% of donations will be evenly divided by the evening’s artists! or our YouTube home page link: https://www.youtube.com/scottjoplin65301 For more information on Holland & Coots: http://shanesmohawk.com/index.html For more information on Taslimah Bey: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3UX6EBKCmdFH1OFopIBvrS https://itunes.apple.com//a/taslimah-bey-quartet/157808074 For more information about Bryan Wright: http://www.bryanswright.com/wpdir/ Our website post: https://www.scottjoplin.org//save-the-date-for-syncopated-