A Pan African Youth Orchestra for New York’s Capital Region
A new musical venture for the Capital District has begun, with support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Schenectady County Initiative Program (CIP). This innovative musical project is the creation of a Pan-African Orchestra, modeled after a...
The 38th Annual Folk Arts Roundtable
At New York Folklore's 38th annual New York Folklore Arts Roundtable, we were joined, for the first time ever, by our neighbors from New Jersey! Our expanded group convened in the Bear Mountain State Park, Tompkins Cove, NY. The only thing more impressive than the...
The Celebration of Pinkster in New York State
Written by guest author, Chief Baba Neil Clarke The Pinkster Festival is a very important 350-year-old, but little known, Africanized celebration which took place annually in the Hudson River Valley region, including the N.Y.C. area for almost two hundred years. ...
Arab American Heritage Month
This blog post is courtesy of New York Folklore Board Member and Arab Artist, Nada Odeh. Learn more about Nada and her work on her website https://www.nadaodeh.com. Arabic Heritage Month One of the things that I like to celebrate as an Arab is Arabic calligraphy,...
An Interview with Luthier Stephen Iachetta
Last month Staff Folklorist Anne Rappaport Berliner Interviewed Luthier Stephen Iachetta of Shaker Violin Repair. Check out an excerpt of their interview! ARB: How did you get into playing and making? SI: In third grade I started playing, at the age of 7. A...
New York Folklore Announces its 2023 Board of Directors
New York Folklore is governed by a Board of Directors that is drawn from the membership. Membership in the Board of Directors reflects the diversity and geography of New York State. A term of service on the board is two years. An individual can serve for three terms...
New York Folklore Announces increased Access to Publications
New York Folklore is pleased to announce that its website, https://www.nyfolklore.org, now provides increased access to back issues of its publication, Voices: the Journal of New York Folklore. Founded as the New York Folklore Society in 1944, the organization quickly...
Artist Spotlight: Devesh Chandra
DEVESH CHANDRA has been learning the Tabla since the age of 3. He learned Indian Classical Music by accompanying his mother, renowned Sitar exponent Veena Chandra and he continues to perform with her. Their mother and son duo has received national and international...
Artist Spotlight: Helen Condon
Helen Condon learned the art of rag rug braiding over fifty years ago from her grandmother, Sarah Campbell Taylor, who taught her how to make braided rugs using discarded, wool clothing. Using the skills in braiding and matching colors learned at thirteen years old,...
Artist Spotlight: Zorkie Nelson
ZORKIE NELSON is a master percussionist, traditional flute player and vocalist specializing in the Ga cultural tradition. Born into a family of musicians in the West African city of Accra, Ghana, Zorkie has studied music since the age of seven. His accomplishments...
Artist Spotlight: Noah Khoury
Noah Khoury is a second generation blacksmith, as his father was a blacksmith and a welder. In his teenage years, he worked alongside his father, teaching middle-school aged youth at a summer workshop program in Altamont, NY called the Helderberg Workshops. After...
Artist Spotlight: Zhong-Hua Lu
Zhong-hua Lu, who was born in 1958, learned Chinese brush painting from his father and five uncles in Shandong Province, China, beginning at age five. Currently, he teaches traditional Chinese Arts, including Tai Chi and Chinese brush painting, at Mass MOCA, Williams...