Susquehanna Folk Music Society Homepage

Hello, friends and fans!

Fall is fast approaching, and with it, a Fall Susquehanna Folk season! We are excited to try some new things and, as always, to meet some new favorite musicians.

As Executive Director Jess Hayden explained in our just-posted newsletter, we recently circulated a survey to hear from our audiences. A major takeaway was that folks feel uncomfortable about attending in-person events, so we will be sticking with virtual events for now. We are working on some exciting events for our Fall season, and the survey results are guiding that work.

It has been heartening to see so many people joining us online. Also, many of our events during this crisis have supported local musicians, who appreciate the contributions many of you were able to make.

We are grateful for the outpouring of support from our members and patrons since the shutdown, especially during this spring’s Give Local York fundraiser. We are also grateful for other sources of income that provide us with a measure of financial stability in these challenging times. One such source is a $50,000 CARES Act grant that we recently were awarded through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Financial assistance from grants and contributions, as well as your attendance at our virtual events, will help to ensure that SFMS continues to flourish, both during this period of virtual content and later when we are able to return to in-person programming. Take good care of yourself, and we hope to see you soon.

The board and staff of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society remain committed to celebrating and affirming diverse cultures through programming which explores the music, dance, craft and stories of many people. We stand in complete solidarity with the Black community and all marginalized communities to join in the growing chorus of voices speaking out against injustice, bigotry and racial violence.

Meet the Masters

Over the last two years, Susquehanna Folk has been creating short video spotlights of people who have shaped today's folk and traditional music scene. Take a look!

Meet the Masters

**Dom Flemons** "The American Songster" — historian, scholar, and multi-instrumentalist

**Billy McComiskey** Irish-American button accordion player

**Rodney Miller** Iconic New England fiddler

**Michael Doucet** Leader of the legendary Cajun band BeauSoleil

**Philip Horn** former Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

PULLING TOGETHER

Those who play and present music for a living are in difficult straits right now, along with restaurant staff, service workers, and so many others. If you are in a position to do so, please support your community in whatever ways you can.

If you play an instrument, you might consider reaching out to any musician you admire and asking about lessons via video-call. Many of them suddenly have more time and less income than usual! Ask your local music store owner if you can buy a gift certificate. See if the pub down the street is offering carry-out. Support an arts nonprofit whose work you believe in (like SFMS! among others).

Pull together with your community and do what you can. Together we'll get through this.