function initialize_seminars() {
      if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {
        var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_canvas"));
        
        var point = new GLatLng(41.7003118,-95.2323641);
		map.setCenter(point, 4);
        
		var customUI = map.getDefaultUI();
		customUI.controls.scalecontrol = false;	
		customUI.zoom.scrollwheel = false;
		map.setUI(customUI);
		
		map.removeMapType(G_SATELLITE_MAP);
		map.setMapType(G_PHYSICAL_MAP);


		// Creates a marker at the given point with the given number label
		function createMarker(point, description, url, height, width, aheight, awidth) {		
			var myIcon = new GIcon(G_DEFAULT_ICON);
			myIcon.image = url;
			myIcon.shadow = "http://labs.google.com/ridefinder/images/mm_20_shadow.png";
			myIcon.shadowSize = new GSize(0, 0);
			myIcon.iconAnchor = new GPoint(aheight, awidth);
			myIcon.iconSize = new GSize(height, width);
			myIcon.infoWindowAnchor = new GPoint(9, 2);
			
			  var marker = new GMarker(point, {icon:myIcon});
			  GEvent.addListener(marker, "click", function() {
				marker.openInfoWindowHtml(description);
			  });
			  return marker;
		}
		

		
		var point = new GLatLng(40.8152859,-87.7369607);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>Sugar Creek Symphony & Song</b><br>Young Artist Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/sugar-creek/'>Sugar Creek Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/sc.png", 43, 30, 43, 10));
		
		var point = new GLatLng(41.9205483,-87.6531805);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>DePaul University</b><br>School of Music<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/depaul/'>DePaul Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/dp.png", 64, 22, 64, 32));
		
		var point = new GLatLng(42.2076000,-79.4672000);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>Chautauqua Music Festival</b><br>Voice Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/chautauqua/'>Chautauqua Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/ch.png", 85, 30, 85, 30));

		var point = new GLatLng(42.2076000,-79.4672000);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>Chautauqua Opera</b><br>Young Artists Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/chautauqua/'>Chautauqua Opera</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/chautauquaopera.png", 100, 18, 10, 10));

		var point = new GLatLng(42.0661684,-87.6913936);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>Northwestern University</b><br>Bienen School of Music<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/northwestern/'>Northwestern Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/nu.png", 96, 18, 96, 40));
			
		var point = new GLatLng(41.8677988,-87.6211061);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>Roosevelt University</b><br>Chicago College of Performing Arts<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/roosevelt/'>Roosevelt Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/ru.png", 80, 26, 80, 10));
			
		var point = new GLatLng(40.1059233,-88.2120315);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point, "<b>University of Illinois</b><br>School of Music<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/university-of-illinois/'>U of I Seminars</a>", 
			"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/illinois.png", 38, 40, 38, 0));
        
        var point = new GLatLng(43.8168104,-73.7713200);
		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Seagle Music Colony</b><br>Young Artists Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/seagle/'>Seagle Seminars</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/seagle.png", 45, 45, 40, 40));
    		
   		var point = new GLatLng(36.4122833,-105.4536718);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Taos Opera Institute</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/taos/'>Taos Seminars</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/taos.png", 80, 33, 40, 15));
    		
  		var point = new GLatLng(40.7598450,-73.9903489);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Classical Singer Magazine</b><br>Convention 2010<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/classical-singer/'>Classical Singer Magazine</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/classicalsinger.png", 50, 50, 10, 30));

  		var point = new GLatLng(33.946079,-118.384386);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Classical Singer Magazine</b><br>Convention 2011<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/classical-singer/'>Classical Singer Magazine</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/classicalsinger.png", 50, 50, 40, 30));
    	
    	var point = new GLatLng(40.3562392,-74.6529123);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>CoOperative Program</b><br>at Westminster<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/cooperative/'>CoOperative</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/cooperative.png", 80, 36, 50, 10));    		

    	var point = new GLatLng(40.3815302,-74.6517540);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Westminster Choir College</b><br>Rider University<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/westminster/'>Westminster</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/westminster.png", 70, 40, 0, 0));    		
    		 		
		var point = new GLatLng(40.3500000,-74.6600000);
   		map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Opera New Jersey</b><br>Studio Artists<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/opera-new-jersey/'>Opera New Jersey</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/operanj2.png", 55, 32, 30, -10));    	
 
 		var point = new GLatLng(41.8839532,-87.6223402);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Chicago Opera Theater</b><br>Young Artists Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/cot/'>COT</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/cot.png", 110, 18, 90, 20));
 
    	var point = new GLatLng(41.2664079,-73.6418473);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Caramoor</b><br>Bel Canto Young Artists<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/caramoor/'>Caramoor</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/caramoor.png", 70, 28, 80, 26));

    	var point = new GLatLng(42.3461426,-71.090229);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Boston Conservatory</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/boston-conservatory/'>Boston Conservatory</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/boco.png", 120, 19, 80, 16));
    		
		var point = new GLatLng(40.8131065,-73.9434585);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Manhattan School of Music</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/manhattan-school-of-music/'>Manhattan School</a>", 
    		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/msm.png", 39, 50, -10, 30));
    	
    	
		var point = new GLatLng(34.2540496,-118.5258067);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>OperaWorks</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/operaworks/'>OperaWorks</a>", 
		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/operaworks.png", 80, 26, 0, 10));
    	
    	
		var point = new GLatLng(37.77868710,-122.42124240);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>BASOTI</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/basoti/'>BASOTI</a>", 
		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/basoti.png", 80, 20, 30, 10));
		
		
		var point = new GLatLng(43.62177570,-72.24923509);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Opera North</b><br>Young Artists Program<br><br>Read More: <a href='http://www.velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/opera-north/'>Opera North</a>", 
		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/operanorth.png", 74, 31, 10, 30));

		var point = new GLatLng(42.38032740,-71.13891009);
    	map.addOverlay(createMarker(point,  "<b>Longy School of Music</b><br><br>Read More: <a href='http://www.velvetsinger.com/blog/tag/longy/'>Longy</a>", 
		"http://velvetsinger.com/maps/seminar/longy.png", 80, 31, 10, 0));


    	
    	//geocode using http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=10027&sensor=true
    	
      }
    }