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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2008
Contact: Linda Patch, National
Heritage Museum, 781-862-6541
or Rob Watson,
Massachusetts Cultural Council, 617-727-3668 x268
KEEPERS OF TRADITION IN PERFORMANCE
AN EVENING OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC, SONG, AND DANCE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2008 AT 8 PM
NATIONAL HERITAGE MUSEUM, LEXINGTON
In celebration of the exhibition Keepers of Tradition: Art
and Folk Heritage in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Cultural
Council and the National Heritage Museum present Keepers
of Tradition in Performance, an evening of traditional
music and dance, Saturday, October 4, 2008 at the Museum
at 8 p.m. This special concert presents a variety of cross-cultural
performances including Scottish Highland bagpipes, Portuguese fado,
Cambodian Monkey Dance, Puerto Rican jibaro music, Franco-American
fiddle and step dancing, and even a singing auctioneer. Concert
tickets are $18 in advance, and $20 at the door. They can be purchased
through the Museum’s web
site at www.nationalheritagemuseum.org, or by phone at 781-861-6559,
ext. 4101, or direct at 781-457-4101.
Keepers of Tradition in Performance include:
Scottish Highland Pipe and Drum
Nancy Crutcher Tunnicliffe is a master of the Highland bagpipes.
In addition to strathspeys, reels, and marches, Nancy specializes
in playing and teaching piobaireachd, the little-known
classical style described as the epic poetry of the Highland bagpipe.
Portuguese Fado
Ana Vinagre, voice with Josef Silva, guitar, and Viriato
Ferreira, viola de fado
Ana Vinagre is a master of the demanding style of Portuguese folk
music known as fado. Since 1978, she has performed regionally
and has toured across the United States.
Cambodian Monkey Dance
Angkor Dance Troupe is nationally recognized as
one of the most experienced and accomplished Cambodian dance ensembles
performing today. The Troupe was formed in 1986 by refugees of the
Khmer Rouge holocaust who resettled in Lowell, Massachusetts. The
troupe is renowned for stunning performances featuring classical
and folk Cambodian dance. The program has also provided a safe and
healthy after school place for more than 1,000 city youth who have
participated in its programs.
Puerto Rican jibaro music
Los Alegres de Borinquen: Victor Rios, master cuatro player, guitar
and vocals, Junior Martinez, cuatro and vocals, Noel Morales, güiro
and vocals, and Carlos Martinez, bongos. The group will perform
an assortment of traditional Puerto Rican musical styles including
seis, danza, and mazurka, and more contemporary genres such as bolero
and guaracha.
The Singing Auctioneer
Roy C. Burdick
Called “the fanciest auctioneer in the Bay State,” Roy Burdick enjoys many accolades including being crowned the first State Bid Calling Champion by the Massachusetts Auctioneer’s Association. Enjoy a sampling of this unique form of folk art.
Franco-American Soirée
Donna Hébert, fiddle with step dancer Christine Morrison
Donna
Hébert won a 2008 Traditional Arts Fellowship from the Massachusetts
Cultural Council honoring her work in Franco-American fiddling.
She teams with the accomplished Celtic step dancer Christine Morrison
for a rousing performance.
The concert is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Keepers
of Tradition: Art and Folk Heritage in Massachusetts, on view
at the National Heritage Museum through February 8, 2009. Organized
and presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Cultural Council
(MCC), the exhibition features more than 100 works by 70 Massachusetts
artists who preserve and revitalize deeply rooted traditions. Reflecting
the populace of Massachusetts, their art takes many expressive forms—from
Native American basketry to Yankee wooden boats, Armenian lace,
Chinese seals, Puerto Rican santos, and Irish music and dance.
Funding for Keepers of Tradition: Art and Folk Heritage in
Massachusetts is provided by Bank of America, an anonymous
local foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the National
Heritage Museum, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Massachusetts Cultural Council is a state agency that promotes
excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities
and interpretive sciences, in order to improve the quality of life
for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality
of our communities.
The National Heritage Museum is dedicated to presenting exhibitions
and programs on a wide variety of topics in American history and
popular culture. The Museum is supported by the Scottish Rite Freemasons
in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States. The National
Heritage Museum is located at 33 Marrett Road in Lexington, at the
corner of Route 2A and Massachusetts Avenue. Hours are Monday through
Saturday from 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday, noon–5 pm. Admission and parking
are free. Heritage Shop and Courtyard Café on site. For further
information contact the Museum at 781-861-6559 or visit the web
site at www.nationalheritagemuseum.org.
Bank of America and the Arts
Bank of America is a leading supporter of arts and culture in the
United States. Through a wide variety of programs, Bank of America
works to strengthen artistic institutions and provide greater access
to treasured works of art for both its customers and those who might
not otherwise experience them. Each year the company provides millions
of dollars in grants to a wide range of arts organizations, supporting
education and access programs and enabling institutions to expand
their scope, and underwrites national and local performances, arts
programs, and exhibitions. Through its unique loaned exhibition
program, the bank offers its art collection to museums throughout
the country, free of charge, so they may expand their offerings
for the benefit of their communities.
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© Massachusetts Cultural Council 2009
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