Live Music

America’s First National Anthem: William Billings and the Singing Schools

Discover the story behind America’s earliest musical identity in The United States’ First National Anthem: A Lecture Presentation on the Music of William Billings. This engaging presentation explores the life and legacy of William Billings, one of the first American-born published composers, and the creator of “Chester,” the Revolutionary War anthem that became a defining patriotic song. Learn how Billings helped shape American choral singing, established the nation’s first singing school, and c