Logo: Susquehanna Folk Music Society
Presenting fine traditional arts in Central Pennsylvania since 1985

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Fri, December 15 - An Irish Christmas with John Doyle & Mick McAuley

An Irish Christmas with John Doyle & Mick McAuley York
An evening of stunning traditional Irish, British Isles, and original holiday music that will transport you to the quiet, small villages of rural Ireland through the songs, tunes, and stories most familiar to these two world-class artists. An open Irish session at 6 pm kicks off the evening. Friday, December 15 at UUCY. MORE

Sat, January 6 - WXPN Welcomes Black Opry Revue

WXPN Welcomes Black Opry Revue WXPN Welcomes Black Opry Revue Lancaster
Featuring Sug Daniels and King Jester! Come out to discover, support and enjoy two up-and-coming Black musicians who are making magic in the roots music space.
Sug Daniels is a charismatic singer-songwriter and story teller whose work combines elements of folk, R&B, and soul, creating music that’s colorful, personal, tender and hopeful.
King Jester is a multi-talented artist following in the footsteps of many jazz and blues greats, transitioning from studio/touring musician to band leader. Concert on Saturday, January 6 at Zoetropolis. MORE

Sat, February 3 - Writing an Apprenticeship Grant

Writing an Apprenticeship Grant Online
Learn how to apply for a grant from the PCA’s “Apprenticeships in Folk and Traditional Arts” program. These grants support artists in teaching OR developing their artistic skills/repertoire. An informative online workshop presented by our Susquehanna Folk Arts Center. Live on Zoom on Saturday, February 3. MORE

Fri, February 3 - Winter Coffee House

Winter Coffee House Harrisburg
Susquehanna Folk Coffeehouses are intimate evenings showcasing Central Pennsylvania's fine amateur acoustic musicians, who play a wide variety of material for an attentive, music-loving audience. Interested in performing? Apply now! FREE Coffeehouse concert on Saturday, February 3 at Fort Hunter Barn, Harrisburg. MORE

Fri, February 9 - Trischka, Molsky & Daves

Trischka, Molsky & Daves Trischka, Molsky & Daves Lancaster
A powerhouse trio encompassing old-time and bluegrass. Tony Trischka is called “the great banjo liberationist” by NPR. Bruce Molsky is one of the most revered “multi-hyphenated career” ambassadors for America’s old-time mountain music. Guitarist and singer Michael Daves’ unorthodox roots music has made him a leading light of the New York City bluegrass scene. Originally scheduled in August 2023, their concert is now slated for Friday, February 9 at Zoetropolis. MORE

Sun, February 25 - Winter Open Mic

Winter Open Mic New Cumberland
Join our Open Mic community at one of the most beautiful venues in the area, for an evening of live music and entertainment from fine local folkies. Come with your friends to enjoy the performances or maybe even take center stage yourself! Open Mic Night on Sunday, February 4 at West Shore Theatre. MORE
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“Great folk music societies like SFMS are the heartbeat of cultural heritage...”

— Scottish singer Julie Fowlis

Hey folks! Peter Winter Lee here, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society.

SFMS member Beth Kotz recently wrote: “I love that the Susquehanna Folk Music Society fills a unique space in the Central PA folk scene by showcasing critically-acclaimed musicians with compelling, diverse perspectives in intimate and accessible venues. This makes for unmissable live performances month after month, and is something I’m proud to support.”

Beth’s words struck a chord with me, as a reminder of the unique and special place SFMS holds in the live music ecosystem of Central PA. We truly could not do what we do without our members, patrons, volunteers, and friends. Whether you have been a member since the beginning, or just discovered us at an event this year, you make this world-class music happen!

Give to SFMS
Black Opry Revue performer Sug Daniels Trischka, Molsky & Daves Lúnasa with Daoirí Farrell
Three performers from upcoming 2024 concerts

“...as a performer, you feel the commitment and the energy from its core.”

— Julie Fowlis

While crucial to SFMS, ticket revenues and membership dues cover only about half of our operating costs. That’s why I’m humbly asking you to make a donation this year to Susquehanna Folk as part of our annual year-end appeal. Your tax-deductible holiday gift will help Susquehanna Folk keep bringing “live music by the people and for the people” to our area in 2024 and beyond.

Help make it happen!
Black Opry Revue: King Jester Lena Jonsson Trio Go to Event Page for Caña Dulce y Caña Brava
Three more performers from upcoming 2024 concerts

This spring will be one of the most diverse and exciting periods ever for SFMS. From the bold voices of the artists featured on the Black Opry Revue Tour, to the visionary Swedish fiddling of Lena Jonsson, to the dynamic son jarocho song and dance of Caña Dulce y Caña Brava from Mexico, plus some incredible events yet to be announced... but we can’t do it without you!

I sincerely thank you for being a part of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society, and I ask that you consider a contribution to SFMS during this festive season.

Take care,

Peter Winter Lee, Executive Director
Susquehanna Folk Music Society
A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization
 

The Faces in the Wood

In this Folk Artist spotlight, we check in on one of our Folk Arts Apprentice partnerships. The many-talented Aron Rook (muralist, illustrator and creator) is working with master woodcarver Jim Hiser, learning to sculpt the expressive masks of the Korean folk theater known as Talchum.

A Talchum mask in a shop in South Korea, from Wikimedia Commons, alongside carvings by Jim Hiser. Below, Aron watches Jim demonstrate a technique she's learning.
A Talchum mask in a shop in South Korea, of a laughing man with prominent eyebrows and eyes squinched shut. It is medium-brown wood with black eyebrows and a suggestion of black hair at the very top. Three faces carved in wood and painted to look as though they're carved into a real pumpkin's flesh. Each is an oval with orange 'rind' around the edges and a green pumpkin stem at the top. The faces are painted golden yellow with peach highlights on cheeks, noses and chins. The faces are of jowly elderly men with very realistic eyes.Aron Rook and Jim Hiser sit together behind a work-table. Aron is a young woman of Asian appearance, with straight black hair. Jim is a portly white man who appears to be in his 60s, with a shaved head and a short white goatee. He is working on a wood-carving held in his lap.

Aron is fascinated by the concept of lineage that runs through her study: her Grandfather Rook and the woodcarving traditions of her adoptive home; her ancestors from Korea and their culture; the many carvers who mentored and taught Jim; and the skills of generations now being passed to her.

Read more about this apprenticeship
See more Folk Artist Spotlights
The board and staff of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society are 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 speak out against injustice, bigotry and racial violence.
A montage of images illustrating Susquehanna Folk's commitment to diversity
Curtain call at a Black Opry show, with several Black artists (mostly women) celebrating.
A head-and-shoulders shot of Raye Zaragoza, a young multi-racial woman with long straight hair, dusky skin and full lips. She is wearing a black hat (only the underside of the brim is seen) and black T-shirt. Her expression is serious and a little sad.
Narda LeCadre’s hands on a quilt. She is black, and her hands suggest she is an older woman. She is wearing a brown coat with its cuffs turned back, and a rust-colored top. The quilt has blue calico pinwheels.
Sheila Arnold, an older Black woman with very short hair, holds her fingers up in L shapes, like a frame that she is looking through. She smiles as she speaks to her audience.
Closeup of a Black woman’s hands stitching small hexagons of colored calico into a flower. In her lap is a clear bag holding several finished flowers.
The calico flowers that Cherry Lewis is making will become part of a “Grandmother’s Flower Garden” quilt. Cherry finds support and camaraderie in the African-American Quilters’ Gathering (AAQG) of Harrisburg, PA, which welcomes all quilting enthusiasts, regardless of race or gender. [Folk Artists Gallery and 2022 Susquehanna Folk Festival]