7/20/2018 From Boom Box to Smart Phone - Text Book and Memoire

6/20/2018 - Well we now have the full manuscript of my book From Boom Box to Smart Phone in the hands of an editor.  I was not sure if I was going to make my deadline......which keeps moving. But, there it is. My hope is now that within 4-6 months it will be fully edited and ready for publication.  However, for those of you who are interested you can read "unedited" first drafts at

http://www.musicresources.live It is posted in the "Library" section of the site.

1/18/2018 - From Boom Box to Smart Phone - First Pulication in Series

1/05/2018 - I had intended to release this week a copy of my book “From Boom Box to Smart Phone – A Guide to a Docent Program” but I did not make my deadline. I did not realize that I would be competing with Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” so it’s Ok that I have still some work to do, which I hope to get done by the spring of 2018. However, for those of you who are anxiously awaiting this book, I have posted an un-edited preview copy of what I’ve completed…about 90%. Right now it is in digital form.  You can view a copy at my web site:

Note: when you link to the web site you will need to scroll down on the right to "Library" to view the Guide.

 http://www.musicresources.live .

The manuscript will indicate it as a “preview” and/or “unedited” copy.  There are a some gaps and omissions and I’m sure things that I should change or eliminate. I’ll be trying to get this done, along with some other projects I’m working on,  by the end of March. Stay tuned!

I have been working on this since I retired from my role as Coordinator of the Docent Program of the CSOA in September 0f 2016, but have not met my self-imposed deadline of getting it into a form for final editing. (That’s why you have not seen me on Facebook for the last few months). Of course my personal health issues have slowed me down a bit….I take lots of naps in addition to the four hours a day, 3 days a week, which I spend at the treatment clinic.

To view UNEDITED/PREVIEW of
 "Boom Box to Smart Phone - A Guide for a Docent Program" by Franklin J. Mills click the following....https://tinyurl.com/yasyjrlt

10/14/2017 - This will be the first season in a long time (about 10-12 years) that I will not be a docent with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association’s (CSOA) Docent Program. But I do want to leave something for all the teachers, students, docents, parents, colleagues, and those who supported me and this program over the years.

It is access to my personal web site that I used when I presented my own material and my lesson plans. It is available as a  public site that teachers and educators might find useful.  It does not have all the programs of the past 10-15, only  those that I personally presented to various groups. There is no password required, and is entirely free, but there is a place for individuals to support this site if you wish.  I plan to try to keep this site up-to-date with some fresh ideas of my own and from from teachers and educators who wish to contribute to this site. Check out and browse http://www.musicresources.live or click on a selection from the menu at the right  ……………>

There is also a web site for the Docent Program, containing all the archived material from Docent Programs going back to 2005. If you would like access to that site, contact the Docent Program at the CSO for permission. The CSOA site is http://www.docent.live and there is a password required for this season’s (2017-18) repertoire.

Franklin 9/17/2017

11/15/2015 - The125th Anniversary Season of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be celebrated throughout the 2015/2016 CSO Season by the grade school students of  Chicago-land.  The 30+ docents of the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association presented pre-concert programs in grade school classroom to more than 700 students prior to their attendance at the School and Family Concerts performed  at Symphony Center on November 20th and 21st. The program repertoire included festival, fanfare and celebratory music by

Shostakovich (Festival Overture),  https://youtu.be/WQAcZV9K1Qk
Hayden (Surprise Symphony),  https://youtu.be/xkXUDFLOb8U
Dukas (Fanfare from LaPeri) ,  https://youtu.be/tMC2fknzPyI
Strauss (die Fledermause),  https://youtu.be/RHTaCBnHGlY
Williams (Happy Birthday), https://youtu.be/gxdGAxFkbUs
 Beethoven (Symphony No. 5) https://youtu.be/3FGcaiTtS0o

Trivia: The Beethoven 5th Symphony was the feature work at the first concert 125years ago!

This program kicked off the season of concert programs for the school children (K-5)  of Chicago and the free in-school  presentation by The Docent Corps of the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association with the support of the professional staff of the Negaunee Music Institute.

The Docent program, is planning for and anticipating continued pre-concert lectures and activities this  season with additional concerts and programs in  February and April for K-5th grades; A Youth Concert (Romeo and Juliet) for 6-12th grade; also in February, and two pre-concert rehearsal programs for Seniors in January and June.

Franklin 11/15/2017