Harvey Jacobson holds up a portrait of Scott Joplin.

On a dull rainy day the sounds of Scot Joplin lit up the Alexandria’s campus library. In honor of Black History Month, Professor Harvey Jacobson played the sounds of that famous African-American composer and pianist.

Around 100 students gathered in the lobby of the library to hear the music on Feb. 23. “This was the first time a concert had been held in the library” according to Dr. Jimmie McClellan. While not the first time NOVA’s Alexandria campus has had a concert, the library seemed a fitting place for the late 19^th century musical genius.

“Many of you have not heard ragtime,” McClellan said while introducing the pianist. Biomedical student and piano player Diego de la Torre said he didn’t know what ragtime was and stopped by just because he “wanted to hear it.”

Several Joplin pieces including the Entertainer, Weeping Willow Rag and the Maple Leaf Rag were played as surprised students walked through an ordinarily much more subdued place. Many students interrupted their study at the library in order to be part of the standing room audience.

The half hour of music was nearly perfect and several students could be scene smiling as the intricacies of these rags filled the library. The rags were not played in the upbeat manner that some play ragtime. Jacobson does not believe in playing ragtime like Dixieland, he says that the beauty is “spoiled” when this happens.

While the concert introduced many students to the sounds of Joplin, Jacobson also hoped to let students know NOVA has a music program. With most Alexandria students enrolled in a science oriented program Jacobson wanted students “to share technology and arts.”

Joplin composed over 44 rags and one of his pieces, the Maple Leaf Rag, became the first ragtime hit. While his turn of the century music had a profound impact it was not until the 1970s that Joplin’s work became widely admired again. Joshua Rifkin recorded his pieces, selling over a million albums. Shortly after that the movie The Sting was released, featuring several of Joplin’s compositions.

Harvey Jacobson teaches and tutors piano study at the Alexandria campus. He has also performed at places such as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Harvard University. He holds three degrees in music, and one certificate from George Mason for community college education.

By: Joshua Davis

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