Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to Use

No usage restrictions.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Velma Rooke Papers #20476, Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acquisitions Information

Received by the Music Library from Michael Tiemann in March 2012. Transferred to the Southern Folklife Collection in September 2012 (Acc. 101659).

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center.
• Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra.
• Music therapy.
• Musicians--Photographs.
• Musicians--United States.
• Orchestral music--Scores.
• Pianists--United States.
• Popular music.
• Rooke, Velma.
• Trombone music.
• Trombonists--United States.
• Women in music.
• Women musicians--United States.

Born in Alabama and raised in Jacksonville, Fla., Velma Rooke spent her adulthood as a professional musician, music educator, and music therapist in New York, N.Y. Rooke was a voice student of mezzo-soprano Mina Hager; she also studied at The Julliard School and Columbia University. From approximately 1933 until 1956, Rooke was first chair trombonist, relief pianist, and arranger for Phil Spitalny's Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra. After the orchestra disbanded in 1956, Rooke became first trombonist for the Great Neck Philharmonic Orchestra. She also worked as a music therapist at the Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center (CARC), commonly known as the Music Therapy Center from its inception in 1960 until the early 1980s; the CARC acronym came into common usage in the late 1980s and persisted until the center's closing in 1995. Rooke also conducted music therapy and lessons at various New York locations, including the Veterans Affairs Hospital in the Bronx, the Reece School for Emotionally Disturbed Children, and the Turtle Bay Music School.

The collection documents Velma Rooke's career as a musician, music educator, and music therapist. There are scores, including manuscript arrangements for the Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra; sheet music; song lyrics; personal notes and drafts; concert programs; brochures and newsletters from Rooke's workplaces; clippings; a few letters; photographs; and other materials.

• Photographs (PF-20476/1)