Roger Lee Hall is an ASCAP composer and musicologist who has traveled his own road of tuneful discovery
for over 50 years in American classical, folk and popular music.
As a music preservationist, he has written and compiled 60 volumes
in the PineTree Music Editions series -- go here
He is Director of the Center
for American Music Preservation (or CAMP),
whose motto is: "Helping to make American music come alive again!"
To read about the CAMP mission and its activities -- go here
For his distinguished work in American music preservation he has been listed
in Who's Who in America, International Who's Who in Music,
Who's Who in the World and other directores.
He has done extesnive work on two of the oldest Americn
singing traditions
- both began in the 1780s:
The American Shakers -- go here
The Old Stoughton Musical Society -- go here
He is also an ASCAP songwriter and composer of classical works.
See his list of music compositions published by PineTree Music -- go here
His first published popular song, "The Soho Serenade," was copyrighted in 1964 and recorded one year later in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Listen to this song on YouTube -- go here
He wrote about this pop song in his recent memoir titled after one of his early pop songs:
"Free As The Breeze" - A Songwriter's Joys and Sorrows
His most popular classical composition was published in 1984
as a series of piano variations on a Shaker folk tune.
This composition was performed by three different pianists
on three CDs:
David Hagan
on "Gentle Words - A Shaker Music Sampler" (AMRC 0016)
Kathryn Southworth
on"Celestial Praises - A Celebration of Shaker Spirituals" (AMRC 0017)
Margaret Ulmer
"American Places - Musical Travels" (AMRC 0028)
Listen to this piano composition as performed
by Kathryn Southworth on YouTube --
"Seven Variations on a Shaker Marching Tune" (Op. 1, No. 2)"
His other credits include:
Author, Memories And Music memoir book series -- go here
Album Producer for the American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC) -- go here
Author, PineTree Music Editions which now has 60 titles -- go here
Director of American Music Recordings Archive (AMRA) -- go here
Managing Editor of FILM MUSIC REVIEW, one of the longest-running e-zines -- go here
Roger Lee Hall was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey in 1942 and spent his youth in the nearby town of Bloomfield
where he graduated from high school in 1960.
He attended Rutgers University and he graduated in1970 with a B.A. degree in
Music Theory and Composition.
He composed his first three classical works while an undergraduate student at Rutgers:
a piano composition: "Variations on an Original Oriental Theme,"
a song cycle titled: "Six Haiku Poems"
and a "Percussion Quartet" (xylophone, cymbals, snare drum, timpani)
Two years later, in 1972, he was awarded a M.A. degree in Ethnomusicology
from the State University of New York at Binghamton
(now Binghamton University).
He wrote the first Master's Thesis ever written about music of the American Shakers.
His Ph.D studies was done at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland
where he did further research on Shaker music and taught his first classes in American music.
His Ph.D dissertation was on Shaker music in one of their communities during the 19th century.
It was published with this title:
"May We Ever Be United: Music of the North Union, Ohio Shakers" -- go here
New Webinar (27 July 2026)
Presented by Roger Lee Hall
Revolutionary Tunes: Songs of America's Fight for Independence
Long before newspapers reached every town, songs carried the stories, politics
and passions of the American Revolution.
How did satirical British tunes, patriotic American anthems,
and catchy marching songs shape the hearts and minds of a nation at war?
It's time to uncover the unforgettable music behind America's fight for independence.
Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the rich musical landscape of the American Revolution,
revealing how songs entertained, inspired, mocked opponents,
and captured the spirit of a nation fighting for independence.
Sign up for this special webinar -- go here
As part of the ongoing historical series, Revolution 250,
Professor Robert Allison discussed with Roger Lee Hall,
how music shaped public opinion, preserved memory,
and reflected the hopes, anxieties, and humor of Revolutionary Americans.
The conversation also highlighted the survival of period melodies, the stories behind famous songs,
and the ways music connected ordinary people to extraordinary events.
It is a fascinating journey into the sounds of 1776
and the cultural heartbeat of a Revolution that changed the world.
During the discussion these four early American tunes were played from Mr. Hall's archive:
STOUGHTON - William Billings, 1770 wordless tune with added text by Dr. Isaac Watts
THE LEXINGTON MARCH - unknown author
CHESTER - text and music by Williams Billings, 1778
YANKEE DOODLE (Father and I went down to camp) - text by Harvard College student, Edward Bangs, ca. 1776
Watch the conversation on You Tube at Revolution 250
Completion of a Twenty Year Writing Project
Ten volumes with over 1,000 total pages
First title in the Memories And Music series:
"Dream World" - Songs, Poems and Stories (PineTree Press, 2005)
with his early pop song lyrics, his early poems, and personal stories about his early years
Now Showing!
A fully illustrated PDF book covering over 90 years of movie music.
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD: Memorable Movie Music (PineTree Press, 2026)
Read about this new publication - go here
"Tis the gift to be simple" - Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers in Shaker Heights, Ohio - 7 November 2024
Shaker leader Ann Lee and her followers arrived in the United States in 1774 and settled in Watervliet, New York near Albany.
Two centuries later, composer Aaron Copland, who incorporated the Shaker tune
"Simple Gifts" in his award-winning 1944 ballet score for Appalachian Spring,
visited Cleveland for a week long celebration of his music sponsored by the Cleveland Orchestra.
During this visit, Copland was
invited by Roger Lee Hall to meet Maine Shakers
who were presenting a workshop for Shaker Heights teachers.
This would be the only meeting between Copland and the Shakers.
See this program sponsored by the Shaker Historical Society
and Shaker Heights Library in Ohio
on You Tube -- go here
Six Music Webinars (2020-2026)
06: A Century of King Kong: Examining A Cinematic Legacy
2 March 2026
In this 90 minute webinar, Roger Lee Hall provided the cinematic evolution from
the early silent films of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
beginning in 1925 to the groundbreaking debut of KING KONG in 1933
and then to the star-studded remakes of KING KONG in 1976 and 2005.
Mr. Hall has been a film music critic for many years
and Managing Editor of FILM MUSIC REVIEW, an e-zine on the web since 1998.
For a description of this special webinar on three KING KONG films (1933, 1976, 2005)
sponsored by the New York Adventure Club - go here
05: Celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Elvis Presley National TV debut!
Bill Randle, Elvis Presley & the Night That Changed Rock Forever Webinar
28 January 2026 - sponsored by New York Adventure Club
"Good Rockin' Tonight" - Elvis Presley, Bill Randle and The Rise Of A Music Legend
by Roger Lee Hall (PineTree Press, 2025)
Read about his new ebook -- go here
These four webinars were presented by Mr. Hall in 2020-2024:
04:
The Music of Film Noir in New York City: Legacy of Hollywood Genre in Gotham -
presented 1 November 2024
LAURA (1944) - music score by David Raksin
THE LOST WEEKEND (1945) - music score by Miklos Rozsa
THE NAKED CITY (Universal, 1948) – music score: Frank Skinner and Miklos Rozsa
THE WRONG MAN (Warner Bros., 1956) – music score: Bernard Herrmann
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (United Artists, 1957) – music score: Elmer Bernstein
ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW (United Artists, 1959) - music score: John Lewis
Some of the comments from those who previously watched this film noir webinar sponsored by the New York Adventure Club:
"Interesting to learn what was shared about the defining elements of Noir (and the better translation of the term), highlights in its history, and the like." - Robert
"The presenter was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject matter. Thank you, NYAC, for yet another fascinating and informative webinar!" - Harold
"Well organized and interesting. Very knowledgeable presenter." - Ronald
"Including the music, and the composer, as part of the experience--first time I've seen that. Bravo." - Marsha
"Knowledgeable and passionate speaker." - Mary
03:
The Golden Age of New York Disc Jockeys - presented 26 September 2024
This webinar was sponsored by the New York Adventure Club. Here are some of the comments about it from past web programs:
"Roger imparted a lot of knowledge about the era." -Virginia
"I enjoy all of your webinars, but this was the best yet. Mr. Hall is knowledgeable, pleasant and his selections were superb." -Doris
"Clear, organized information presented in an interesting format." -Robert
"I liked that the host was an actual disc jockey and knew so much information." -April
"I most enjoyed the host’s insights and knowledge about radio personalities with whom I was not strongly familiar." -Bruce
02:
September 25, 2023
A program about a popular Cleveland disc jockey and record producer
Sponsored by Shaker Historical Society and Shaker Heights Public Library in Ohio
Watch it on You Tube -- click here
01:
Otto Kahn: A Personal Connection with the Gilded Age Music Patron -
Presented 6 times (2020-2024).
In 1954, Roger Hall
began his music activities by singing in the glee club as a young cadet at Eastern Military Academy
then located in the former Oheka Castle of Otto Kahn, completed in 1919 on Long Island
and it was the second largest estate built in the USA.
He discussed the wealthy investment banker who helped support such musicians as Fred Astaire, Enrico Caruso, George Gershwin and others.
His son, Roger Wolfe Kahn, had his own jazz orchestra and also co-wrote a few songs,
including the big 1920s hit, "Crazy Rhythm," during the Jazz Age of the 1920s
and that song title
is
the tile of one of Mr. Hall's books in the Memories And Music series -- go here
Sponsored by the New York Adventure Club in their series about The Gilded Age.
For more information, see Memories of Oheka Castle and Mr. Hall's book, "Crazy Rhythm" -- go here
Some comments from past webinars sponsored by New York Adventure Club on Otto Kahn program:
"Lots of great pictures. Very interesting. Cute touch. And loved the music. It got my feet tapping." - Connie
"Hall is passionate and personal! Wonderful lecture! Thank you! - Mary
"Very good material and clear explanation. Most interesting" - Robert
"Having grown up less than a mile from Oheka, I still learned things from this event." - Ellen
"Roger Hall was extremely knowledgeable about Otto Kahn and the arts scene in the early 20th century.
The pictures and music in his presentation made the webinar come alive." - Marsha
"I liked the photos of Kahn's homes, back story knowledge." - Elizabeth
"Very thorough and learned a lot more than I already knew about Otto Khan." - Jessica
"Very informative. Lots of visual aids. Host really knew the subject matter." - Nancy
Read about Otto H. Kahn and his enormous Oheka Castle,
one of the largest private residences built in America -- click here
Roger Lee Hall has worked in these areas of music:
Album Producer for American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC)
Cable Television Producer for several local music programs
ASCAP Composer
Film Music Critic and Editor of FILM MUSIC REVIEW
Music Conductor for choirs and
singers
Music Editor for various music publications
Music
Teacher in college and adult education
Radio Disc Jockey and Program Producer
For cable television, he produced a series of music programs about America's oldest surviving singing organization,
The Old Stoughton Musical Society, organized in 1786-- go here
He is Founder and Managing Editor of Film Music Review (FMR), an e-zine which has been available since 1998
and there have been hundreds of reviews and articles published over the years.
He has produced two books on the subject
A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores
Hooray For Hollywood - Memorable Movie Music
As a teacher, he taught classes in classical music, popular songs, and film music,
in college and in a progressive adult education program in Massachusetts.
Some of his music compositions are on these AMRC CDs:
One Act Plays:
"The Grand Constitution" (1987)
"The Musical Telephone" (1988)
"William Billings Teaches A Singing School" (1990)
"The Canterbury Pilgrims" (2018)
Historical Publications:
- E.A. Jones: His Life and Music (1984)
- Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey (1989)
- The Stoughton Songster (1991)
- Music in Early Canton (1997)
- New England Songster (1997)
- "Majesty" - William Billings and Old Stoughton Musical Society
- Blended Together: Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail (2011)
- "Simple Gifts": Great American Folk Song (2014/2019/2023)
- "Dedication": Singing in Stoughton, 1762-1992 (2019)
- "Gentle Words": The Meaning and Message of Shaker Music (2019)
Music Compositions:
He is a member of ASCAP since 1985 and has composed over 100 classical and pop song compositions and many have been recorded.
Music Consultant:
-the music of Tonga for the National Geographic Society LP album (1972)
-the music of Colonial America for the Paul Revere House in Boston (1981)
-two music collections: Love is Little - A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals (1992)
and Joy of Angels - Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and The New Year (1995)
-the best-selling CD, Simple Gifts - Shaker Chants and Spirituals by The Boston Camerata (1995)
-the DVD titled, "Emerson: The Ideal in America" for The Ralph Waldo Emerson Institute (2007)
-the CD, "It's Magic," commemorating the 100th birthday of movie lyricist, Sammy Cahn (2013)
A Special 50th Anniversary Program
"Tis the gift to be simple" - Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers In Shaker Heights - in 2024
On November 9, 1974, Composer Aaron Copland met several Shakers from Maine while both were in Ohio.
This meeting was arranged by Roger Lee Hall and it was the only time they met.
One month earlier,
Mr. Hall was the conductor of a community chorus at the two day conference in Cleveland
celebrating the bicentennial of the Shakers arrival in America in 1774,
sponsored by the Western Reserve Historical Society.
In that program,
he led the chorus in his edition of a North Union Shaker hymn, "On The Landing Of Mother Ann In America."
That Shaker hymn is included in his new multimedia publication
with hundreds of audio examples and ten concert videos, A Shaker Music Miscellany.
The meeting of Aaron Copland and several Shakers from Sabbathday Lake, Maine took place in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
Copland was in the area as an invited guest of the Cleveland Orchestra who were celebrating "Aaron Copland Week."
Mr. Hall's program included a discussion of the Copland meeting the Shakers plus about the Shaker dance song
and some of the later arrangements by other non-Shaker musicians,
including a popular one based on the Shaker tune by Sydney Carter, "Lord of the Dance."
The origin of the Shaker song was discussed and also arrangements of "Tis the gift to be simple"
which has been performed at the inauguration ceremonies for three different U.S. Presidents: Ronald Regan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama.
To read about Roger Hall's two books on the popular Shaker song, see this web page -- Joseph Brackett's Simple Gifts.
If you would like to inquire about a web program on this subject or a similar one about the American Shakers history with music, write to Mr. Hall
He has spent considerable time researching and producing recordings for two singing traditions which are among the oldest in the United States of America:
Music of the Shakers -- from the 18th to 20th centuries, the Shakers composed well over 10,000 original songs, hymns and anthems,
more than any other communal society in the U.S.A.
Their best known song is "Simple Gifts" (also known as: 'Tis the gift to be simple), and he has written two books about that song.
He has presented numerous Shaker music concerts and lectures at museums, schools, churches, historical societies and colleges.
Also, he has edited and arranged Shaker spirituals for performance. See the list of his books and music collections below.
The (Old) Stoughton Musical Society -- organized on November 7, 1786, this is now America's oldest choral society.
They have performed American music longer than any other chorus in the U.S.A.
Their Constitution was written in 1787 just a few weeks after the United States Constitution.
They were first called The Stoughton Musical Society and the "Old" was added to their name
when incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1908.
William Billings, America's first prominent choral composer, taught a singing school in that town in 1774
and he wrote a tune titled "Stoughton," which Roger Hall has edited and added a text by Isaac Watts.
That hymn was premiered in 1986 for the Bicentennial of the Old Stoughton Musical Society.
He was also Historian for this musical society and Chairman of the 1986 Bicentennial Season and prepared several concerts for that anniversary.
Album Producer:
He has produced over 50 CDs for the American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC) label
highlighting music in the United States from over three centuries.
To see the complete list AMRC titles -- click here
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