Baritone Thomas Hampson will sing the first of a dozen planned "Song of America" concerts on Thursday in Winona, Minn., as he resumes the song project that he developed with the Library of Congress and launched in the 2005-06 season. The performance is part of the Minnesota Beethoven Festival.

Hampson will perform with pianist Craig Rutenberg.

According to press materials, Hampson’s song project "additionally commemorates the 250th anniversary of what is recognized to be the first song written by an 'American' ('My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free,' composed in 1759 by Philadelphian Francis Hopkinson)." The project draws on the Library of Congress’ song collection.

Hampson comments: "The 'Song of America' project has become a thrilling dream come true for me: criss-crossing our country singing the songs born of our life experiences as Americans in the language of our hearts and minds. These songs -- our songs -- say everything about the culture we call American. And when we sing our own songs, when we see through the eyes of our poets and hear with the ears of our composers the diary of our land, those who hear us will experience the best of what freedom of thought and purpose can achieve in the creation of great art. We need these songs in our cultural landscape."

You can hear him here singing "Shenandoah" in a YouTube video of a "Good Morning America" segment about his first Song of America tour, which included a stop in St. Paul for the Schubert Club’s International Artists Series. Here he sings Cole Porter’s "Begin the Beguine."

Upcoming performers in the Minnesota Beethoven Festival, which is now in its third season, include Canadian Brass (July 14) and the Minnesota Orchestra (July 19).

Thomas Hampson, baritone. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9. Somsen Auditorium, Winona State University, Winona, Minn. For details about the Minnesota Beethoven Festival and its schedule, go here. Tickets $25 (adults) & $17 (students/seniors) available at 507-457-1715 or online.