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

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Sat, January 17 - Damn Tall Buildings

Damn Tall Buildings Damn Tall Buildings York
This Brooklyn-based “guerrilla roots” band repurposes early-20th-century American music for a modern audience. Appalachian, bluegrass and Americana played with a hint of blues, jazz and swing; lighthearted attitude, intelligent songwriting, infectious energy and serious musicianship. With special guest Andrew Pauls. Concert on Saturday, January 17 at UUCY. MORE

Sat, January 31 - Crys Matthews

Crys Matthews Crys Matthews Harrisburg
Hailed as “the new Woody Guthrie,” Crys plays a bold, complex blend of Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass: traditional melodies and original lyrics. Her music is honest, unflinching and hopeful. With special guest Sarah Fiore. Concert on Saturday, January 31 at Unitarian Church of Harrisburg. MORE

Sun, February 8 - February Jam & Song Swap

February Jam & Song Swap Harrisburg
Bring your favorite honey and songs about love — good and not-so-good. Our jam sessions are enjoyable afternoons of hands-on, homemade music. Everyone is welcome: instrumentalists and singers, musicians and listeners, all ages and levels, all acoustic folk styles. It's friendly and free. Sunday afternoon, February 8 at Fort Hunter Barn. MORE

Sun, February 15 - Brad Kolodner & Alex Lacquement

Brad Kolodner & Alex Lacquement Harrisburg
Grooving tunes, heartfelt vocal harmonies, and a sprinkling of fiddle and harmonica magic: a night of fretless fun with Brad’s unique gourd banjo and Alex’s upright bass. These longtime musical friends (and Charm City Junction bandmates) offer a fresh take on traditional tunes and original compositions. Concert on Sunday, February 15 at Fort Hunter. MORE

Sat, February 21 - 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 21 at Fort Hunter Barn. MORE

Sun, March 1 - Open Mic Night

Open Mic Night New Cumberland
Spend the evening at the lovely West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland, enjoying some fine local music and maybe taking center stage yourself. Be there at 5:15 to sign up to play! Sunday, March 1 at West Shore Theatre. MORE
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Winter & Spring Concerts

Graphic: Susquehanna Folk's 40th Anniversary (1985 to 2005)

coming up:

  • Damn Tall Buildings w/Andrew Pauls 1/17
  • Crys Matthews w/Sarah Fiore 1/31
  • Brad Kolodner & Alex Lacquement 2/15
  • Dervish 3/9
  • Tannahill Weavers 3/10
  • Bryan McDowell & Mark Schatz 4/11
  • Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas 4/26
  • The Kennedys 5/8 tentative
  • Mama's Broke 5/11
  • Jams, Coffeehouses, Open Mics
Graphic
Support What You Love. Sing along. Clap and grin. Find your people. Smile at someone. Lend a hand. Savor joy. Sponsor a show. Listen with your heart Lean into love. Give to Susquehanna Folk.
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Youth are the Future of Culture

In this Folk Artist spotlight, folklorist Amy Skillman is inspired to see young people experiencing and loving traditional music and dance.

Biplab Khatiwada sits cross-legged on the floor behind two drums, playing them with his hands. Each drum is about a foot high, one narrower and higher pitched than the other. Three larger, taller drums are off to the side.

I recently had a day that filled me with hope: seeing two teenagers pouring their hearts into traditional arts. I felt so lucky to be a folklorist working with SFMS! There are many ways for young people to engage with traditional arts in Central Pennsylvania, from Chinese calligraphy to Balkan music to Irish dance.

A young woman performs a classical Indian dance.She is crouching with her arms out in front of her as if she holds a box, and she looks worried. At left are four musicians sitting cross-legged on a low platform. The dancer's dress is magenta and orange, with a pleated skirt, and decorations on her head.

In the top photo, 16-year-old Biplab Khatiwada plays tablas, a pair of hand drums common in Nepali music. In the bottom photo, 14-year-old Nitya Nandakesan performs Bharatanatyam dance at her arangetram (debut recital). At a time of life when there’s strong pressure to conform, these two local teens are fine with being a little different: embracing their cultural heritage and making it part of their identity.

The full article explores other ways creative young people are both preserving and shaping traditional arts.

Continue reading...
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.
Rachita Nambiar and her daughter strike a pose as they perform a traditional dance from southern India. They are both smiling and holding their arms and fingers in specific, complex gestures. They are wearing silk saris in bright reds and gilts that contrast with the black background, and wear stylized makeup to accentuate facial expressions that are an important part of the dance.
A Black man stands in the corner of a brick-walled room, playing a banjo and gazing down toward his hands.
King Jester is a young Black man, leaning against a wall as he plays a metallic resonator guitar. He wears a gray T-shirt and is looking down at the guitar.
A middle-aged Black man with an electric guitar is seated near an amplifier, and another middle-aged Black man is in the foreground, facing the guitarist and away from the camera.
A plate of Vietnamese grilled pork. It is beautifully presented in a whitebowl with pretty chopsticks laid across the rim pf the bowl. The bowl contains a layer of salad greens at the bottom, then a pile of thin white rice noodles, then the pork in red-brown sauce, then a garnish of decoratively-sliced carrot pieces, chopped peanuts, and cauliflower florets.
As a very young adult, Ho‑Thanh Nguyen fled Saigon when it fell to the North Vietnamese, saying goodbye to her parents and shepherding her five younger siblings into a new and different life. Now living in Mechanicsburg, PA, Ho‑Thanh finds that cooking the traditional foods of her native land, like this grilled pork dish, keeps that culture alive and fresh for her and her family. [Folk Artists Gallery]