"The ubiquitous guitar makes it accessible, but the Latin rhythms and language turn it into an exotic, luscious thing." -- Cleveland Scene

Hailed as "affecting and poignant -- a different kind of high lonesome" by Sing Out!, Emily Pinkerton weaves together North and South American folk song in an elegant and unique transcontinental style. A masterful singer/songwriter, banjo player and guitarist, she presents intimate explorations of folk culture, filtered through a deep, personal connection to traditional music communities in Chile and the United States. Clear, haunting vocals soar over guitar and banjo riffs that draw from a decade of travel between her hometown of Valparaiso, Indiana and her second home in Valparaíso, Chile.

During three years in South America, Emily studied with master musicians Alfonso Rubio and Chosto Ulloa, learning the traditions of the central valley. Evocative and heart-rending, the songs of Chile permeate her latest work. "Even when writing in English, I gravitate towards the rhythms I learned there. I love how it feels to sing the high, arching melodies of Chilean canto, and I think you can sense this in my album, whether the tune is an Old-Time reel or a South American cueca."

Thursday, April 19

7:00pm — Lecture & Mini-Performance

"Music and Instruments of the Andes"

A FREE EVENT!

This pre-concert presentation will focus on folk instruments of the Andes and their North American equivalents. Emily will talk about the music of Chile and other Andean nations and play representative music from South America. She'll also talk about its impact on her own compositions, and how she has fused the two musical traditions. Naturally, she will demonstrate this fusion by playing representative samples on each instrument.

Friday, April 20

6:30pm — Presentación en Español

A FREE EVENT!

Emily will present an abbreviated version of her lecture for students and speakers of Spanish. Perfect for high school students or anyone wishing to brush up on their Spanish.

7:30pm — Concert

Emily Pinkerton performs with José Puentes on bass, Lucas Savage on cajón, and Daniel Marcus on guitar.

Concert Tickets:

• $10 General Admission

  at the door.
• For more information, call Bart at 717-234-3844
  or email bart.carpenter (at) sfmsfolk.org

Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

Market Street Campus

1508 Market Street (at 16th St), Harrisburg, PA 17103 Directions

More About Emily Pinkterton

Dr. Emily Pinkerton is a folk singer and ethnomusicologist (PhD, University of Texas at Austin) whose academic research focuses on, and whose musical oeuvre is greatly influenced by, the music of the Andes. She speaks fluent Spanish and has lived in South America for extended periods of time over the past 15 years. Her own music blends the techniques of traditional Americana (guitar, banjo) with the musical traditions of rural Chile and other Andean cultures. She wrote her dissertation on the guitarrón, a 25-string plucked instrument from Chile.

She is currently based in Pittsburgh, where she is an Ethnomusicology instructor at the University of Pittsburgh.