This week, I speak to Nicholas Brown-Cáceres, acting chief of the Music Division, and Cait Miller, senior music reference specialist, at the Library of Congress. They talk about Inside the Vault, a collaborative, interactive and virtual exhibit that will be accompanying the national tour of The Sound of Music.
It will showcase materials from the Library’s Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II collections, bringing a rare look at the creation of one of the most beloved musicals of all time. The exhibit will reveal how the show’s iconic songs were conceived, developed, and brought to life. A rich multimedia experience – including video, printed materials, and digital resources – highlights the creative process behind six legendary musical numbers written by Rodgers & Hammerstein: “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “So Long, Farewell,” and “The Sound of Music.”
THIS EPISODE WILL BE AVAILABLE BY FRIDAY.
Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres is acting chief of the Library’s Music Division. He previously served as acting Co-CEO (2022-2023) and COO for Communication and Outreach (2020-2023) at the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, director of special productions and initiatives at Washington Performing Arts (2018-2019), and music specialist/concert producer (2012-2018) for the Library of Congress. Library Journal recognized his work in programming and community engagement with the 2021 Marketer of the Year and 2019 Mover & Shaker—Innovators awards. Brown is the founder and music director of The Irving Fine Society, a former Army Bandsman, and has performed in the U.S., Europe and Honduras. As a choral singer, Brown performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir, London Symphony Chorus, and BBC Symphony Chorus. He holds an M.Mus in musicology from King’s College London, a M.S.L.I.S. in library and information studies from the Catholic University of America, and a B.A. in music (conducting performance) and history from Brandeis University. Brown is a past president of the DC Library Association and has served in leadership roles in the American Library Association. He is co-author of “Let the People Hear It: Concerts from the Library of Congress at 100” (2025).
Cait Miller has been a Reference Specialist in the Music Division of the Library of Congress since 2009 and is thrilled to work at an institution that hosts the world’s largest music collection, where every day presents new mysteries and findings. In 2006 Cait received her B.A. in Music from Colby College and then in 2008, graduated from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC with an M.A. in Musicology and an M.S. in Library Science. Cait hasn’t quite had enough of school yet, so she returned to Catholic University in 2010 to enroll in a PhD program in Musicology. Cait is a member of the American Musicological Society as well as the Music Library Association, where she serves as co-chair of the Women in Music Roundtable. Her involvement with the Women in Music Roundtable reflects Cait’s interest in women composers and gender issues in music. In addition to studying and researching music, Cait is also a proud member of The Washington Chorus.
READ MORE:
Sound of Music Tour and Library of Congress Are Collaborating on Virtual Exhibition [playbill.com]
“The Sound of Music” Tour Company 2025 Visits the Library of Congress [youtube]
Library of Congress and National Tour of ‘The Sound of Music’ Announce First-of-Its-Kind Collaboration [newsroom.loc.gov]
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