January Online Event- Jan. 24, 7 PM EST
Our January 24th online event will feature concert performances and demonstrations by…
- Indian classical dancer Soumya Rajaram
- Fiddler EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks
- Percussion wizard Dave Curry and his band the Drum Nomads
The event is FREE! But please consider donating to our performers, whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic. Links will appear in the chat during the performance.
To register, please click here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsf-Cqrj8pGtY3_S-qg3KYjRAWIm8cmL5D
Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/337207887263816
Concert Program:
7 PM:
Soumya Rajaram performs and teaches Bharatanatyam dance, a South Indian classical tradition with strong spiritual connections to Hindu religion and mythology. Although originally a hereditary tradition handed down by the Devadasi, the teaching of Bharatanatyam has become institutionalized. Indeed, Soumya came up within a deep lineage of dance teachers trained at the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India. In addition to her years of dedicated training in the technique and expressive elements of Bharatanatyam, she has extensive training in Carnatic music, which is integral to Bharatanatyam dance.
She performs regularly at festivals and concerts and is thought of highly by senior dance teachers who first brought Bharatanatyam to southern New England. Soumya is an active contributor to the India arts community in Greater Boston. She continues to enhance her learning under the mentorship of Sheejith Krishna, spending a few months a year at his studio and home in Chennai.
7:45 PM
EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks (fiddle) and Peter Zay (cello and guitar) present a lively variety of tunes including old-time, Irish, French Canadian, Swedish and more! EmmaLee and Peter have been collaborating as a duo for about ten years. They enjoy challenging each other to learn new styles of music and varied repertoire. You can see in their performances the comfort and delight they feel in collaborating!
EmmaLee's violin has taken her to concert and recital halls, churches, dance halls, and recording studios around the world where she plays everything from classical to contemporary music, from traditional fiddle tunes to improv. A firm believer that music can move people, quite literally, she plays in contra dance bands across New England and in the Midwest where she enjoys giving energy to people's feet through those lively old-time tunes.
https://www.emmaleeholmeshicks.com/
8:30 PM
Dave Curry and Drum Nomads will have us dancing and drumming along as they present live ensemble drumming, with rhythms from different cultural traditions played on a variety of hand drums and percussion instruments.
Dave "Drumhead" Curry is the creator of Drums For One And All: drum circle facilitation, workshop instruction, private lessons, live performances and drum repairs.
9:15 PM:
YOU!! We will have a few different breakout rooms for social time together!
(To optimize your breakout room experience, please update to the latest version of Zoom: https://zoom.us/ )
-"Drums For One And All" with Dave Curry: an interactive workshop/demonstration on hand drumming. Immerse yourself in rhythm!
-Q & A with EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Peter Zay, fiddle tune joy generators
-Open hangout - connect and catch up with our beloved NEFFA community!
Past Online Events
Dec 27, 2020 Concert at 7PM EST to 10PM EST
Our December "Holiday Edition" online event will feature:
- Seasonal stories by author and storyteller Mark Binder.
- A concert performance by master banjoist and fingerstyle guitarist Ken Perlman.
- "Breakout room" social time to connect with our beloved NEFFA community, including an open mic and an open shmooze with Ken.
Concert Details:
7 PM: Mark Binder presents heartwarming and humorous Holiday Tales.
Mark Binder is the author of more than two dozen books and audio books. As a performer, he's nourished and delighted audiences around the world, transmitting the joy of story across boundaries.
8 PM: Concert: Ken Perlman
Ken Perlman is a pioneer of the 5-string banjo style known as melodic claw hammer; he is considered one of the top claw hammer players in the world, known in particular for his skillful adaptations of Celtic, Appalachian, & Canadian fiddle tunes to the style. He has toured throughout most of the English-speaking world and in Western-Europe, both as a soloist and – for over fifteen years – in a duo with renowned Appalachian-style fiddler Alan Jabbour.
9 PM: YOU!! We will have a few different breakout rooms for social time together! (To optimize your breakout room experience, please update to the latest version of Zoom: https://zoom.us/ )
- Open Mic: Bring a song, story, or tune to share!
- Cozy Holiday Chat: What are your treasured holiday traditions? Decorating, cozy crafts, festive recipes, favorite sledding spots, tell us all about it!
- Q&A with Ken Perlman - hang out with a master of the banjo universe, Ken Perlman!
Concert program Nov. 22, 2020 featuring Diane Taraz and Mike Agranoff
Visit the Facebook event for more details to see what has been posted.
7pm: Diane Taraz will transport us to another time, weaving together history, storytelling, and beautiful song in her program entitled A Free Woman: The Amazing Grace of Mum Bet.
https://www.dianetaraz.com/
8pm: Mike Agranoff is a master singer-songfinder whose material encompasses traditional ballads and tunes, Tin Pan Alley, contemporaries in the Folk World, heart-stopping spoken pieces, and his own witty pen. It’s delivered with skillful guitar and concertina accompaniment, a telepathic transmittal of the essence of the song, and a sly twinkle in the eye for some truly hilarious songs.
https://www.mikeagranoff.com/
All are welcome to socialize in post-concert breakout rooms – and SING! Our optional bonus activity will be a test drive of Jeff Kaufman’s “Bucket Brigade Singing,” a platform for singing, online, together!!