UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sat, February 8 - Winter Coffee House
Harrisburg
Live acoustic music from local and regional performers, in an intimate, smoke- and alcohol-free setting. Free coffeehouse concert Sat, February 8 at Fort Hunter Barn. MORE
Sun, February 9 - Missy Raines Quartet
Harrisburg
Celebrated bluegrass bassist Missy Raines comes into her own as a vocalist and a songwriter with a new album and a new quartet. Concert Sun, February 9 at Appalachian Brewing Company. MORE
Thu, February 20 - Altan
Harrisburg
One of Ireland's foremost traditional groups, showcasing the Irish-language songs and dynamic twin-fiddling style of their native Donegal. Concert Thu, February 20 at Appalachian Brewing Company. MORE
Sun, February 23 - HighTime
York
This fresh new trio from the heart of Conamara, Ireland combines Irish music and an intriguing blend of modern folk influences. Concert Sun, February 23 at UUCY. MORE
Sun, March 1 - Jaerv
Lancaster
Extroverted, heartfelt and vigorous folk music from an award-winning Swedish quintet. 5-voice harmonies, energetic dance tunes and free improvisations, rooted in a broad range of musical traditions. Afternoon presentation at Martin Library, and Concert Sun, March 1 at the Ware Center. MORE
Sat, March 14 - Canal Street String Band
Harrisburg
With three voices, fifty-five strings and a pair of cow bones, this trio puts a brand-new shine on some seriously fun old American music. In this show, they'll explore the folk and blues roots that inspired The Grateful Dead. Concert Sat, March 14 at Fort Hunter. MORE
Folklorist Joins SFMS
SFMS is very pleased to announce that we have selected a folklorist, Amy Skillman, to fulfill a part-time contract to do fieldwork and ethnographic documentation in our area between January 15 and August 31, 2020!
Amy comes to us with a tremendous amount of experience in the folklore field and a great deal of knowledge about the South Central Pennsylvania region. She worked in Pennsylvania for over 30 years as the state folklorist, first with a state agency and later with a non-profit organization. In that role, she managed the statewide folk arts infrastructure program for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, including overseeing fieldwork in regions around the state. Now living in Maryland, Amy is a part-time professor at Goucher College where she is the Academic Director for the Master's program in Cultural Sustainability. She looks forward to the opportunity to return to the region to do in-depth fieldwork in what was once her own backyard.
SFMS wants to thank the other applicants for their thoughtful and thorough proposals.
As a recently-named Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Folk Arts Provisional Partner, SFMS is charged with initiating a survey of folk and traditional artists living and working in Dauphin, Cumberland, and Lebanon counties. Artists will include a broad range encompassing traditional musicians, craftspeople, storytellers, dancers, and other guardians of cultural heritage. Amy will help to guide this initiative and create an online directory of traditional artists.
WHAT’S NEW?
Calling Young Musicians!
Next year's Susquehanna Folk Festival (July 24-26, 2020 in Lewisberry) will feature a festival youth band program or "Kids' Academy", coordinated by traditional musician Jane Rothfield. Young players ages 6-16 will get together at the festival, learn several folk music pieces by ear, and then perform them on the main stage. Any instruments and ability levels are welcome. For information, please email sarasmile307@gmail.com or peterwinter38@gmail.com
