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Saturday, April 13th
Beaumier Coffee House Series
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues in April with the Beaumier Coffee House Series on Saturday, April 13. This evening will be a student showcase featuring performers who are students at NMU; Brandon and I and The Goldmine Girls. The show will be held in the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center and begins at 7p.m. The U.P. Folklife Festival is sponsored in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Hailing from the Keweenaw Peninsula, "Brandon and I" are the acoustic singer/songwriter duo of Brandon Mitchell and Joel Mytty. The pair attended school together in Calumet and after graduation drifted apart for some time. After reuniting in 2009, they discovered their shared passion for songwriting and began to collaborate. Currently, Mitchell attends classes in the Detroit Metro area and Mytty is set to graduate from NMU in 2014. Mytty describes the music you can expect to hear from them as being of "a mix between acoustic indie and folk rock."
The Goldmine Girls are a fresh, young, local approach to both, cover songs and original folk, country, country/rock and blues. They bring surprising energy to their arrangements with a creative mix of guitars, mandolin and the mountain dulcimer. Gentian and RiLee Waller have been performing locally for several years, though both still in their teens. They have performed at the Hiawatha Music Festival, the Peter White Library or at the Wharton Center at Michigan State University. Gentian Waller is a sophomore at NMU, majoring in Art Education.
Saturday, April 20th
“Lost and Found: Historic Structures of the U.P.”
On Saturday, April 20, the Beaumier Center will be opening an important and dynamic exhibition on the importance of historic preservation in our communities. “Lost and Found: Historic Structures of the U.P.” will feature buildings from throughout the region that have either been lost or that have been restored for continued use. There will be a reception at 1p.m. on April 20 with drinks and snacks. The exhibition will be on display in the Beaumier Center’s gallery through September 2013. Admission is free to the public. The Center’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 10a.m. to 4p.m.
More and more, communities throughout the United States are recognizing the importance of historic preservation. Every town has lost structures due to fires, neglect or urban renewal. Where not all historic buildings can be saved, communities that have created historic districts and have preserved important historic structures have saved more than just the past but also a sense of place and commercial viability.
This exhibition will delve into these ideas looking at important structures from throughout the U.P. that have been lost and in the process how that affected the community. In addition, the exhibit will feature historic preservation success stories where buildings that once were considered “eyesores” or even dangerous were restored and have become centerpieces of the community.
There will be more than 40 structures featured in this exhibition from throughout the region. Some lost buildings include Northern Michigan University’s Kaye Hall (see image above), which was razed in the 1970s. Others include the Wakefield Community Building, the Italian Hall in Calumet and the Alger County Courthouse, which was destroyed by fire in 1978. Success stories include the Calumet Theatre, Carnegie Library in Ishpeming, Marquette City Hall, Ironwood Memorial Building and many others.
To create this exhibition, the Beaumier Center sent requests to historical societies and museums throughout the U.P., asking for them to nominate buildings to be included in the exhibit. This resulted in dozens of contenders, though there will unfortunately not be enough space for all of the buildings.
The exhibition is being curated by the Beaumier Center staff. Research assistant Erin Comer has been conducting research on the structures and will be assisting with writing the narrative and installing the exhibition. Museum assistant Adam Papin will be designing the layout and interpretive panels of the exhibition. All of the museum’s staff will be involved in the installation of the exhibition.
Friday, April 26th
"The U.P. In Story"
The Upper Peninsula has long been a place of fascination for authors, songwriters and storytellers. From Henry Schoolcraft to Ernest Hemingway to Jim Harrison, the landscape and people of the U.P. have been provided a seemingly endless source of written material. It is these words that will be front in center in a unique public event being sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. “The U.P. in Story,” will take place on Friday, April 26 at 7:30p.m. at Forest Roberts Theatre. The event will be dedicated to the written and sung word and will feature a wide variety of individuals including radio personalities, local performers and scholars, reading or performing written works by the famous and not so famous. The event is free and is being sponsored by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
In addition to the authors aforementioned, there will be works read by Robert Traver (John Voelker), Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, Philip Caputo, Lon Emerick, Jane Piirto and many others. In addition there will be traditional folks songs and contemporary songs by other U.P. songwriters. Some of the individuals currently signed on to read and perform are Oren Tikkanen, Nicole Walton, Walt Lindala, April Lindala, Daniel Truckey, Leigh Barry, Steve Waller, Corinne Rockow, Dan Rydholm, Jeff Krebs, Jerry Mills and more are to be announced soon.
As part of this exciting event, the Beaumier Center will also be awarding the 2013 Upper Peninsula Folklife Award to the late storyteller and historian, Fred Rydholm. In 2009, the Beaumier Center created the Upper Peninsula Folklife Award to honor individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of the region’s traditional arts and culture. This will be the fourth time the award has been given with past recipients including folk musicians Johnny Perona (2009) and Les Ross Sr. (2010) and storyteller/musician Oren Tikkanen (2012).
Fred Rydholm’s legend as a historian of the Upper Peninsula’s ancient and recent history has grown far and wide. One of the most highly regarded bearers of the U.P.’s oral traditions, his work as an educator, author and guide in the Huron Mountain wilderness cemented his importance to preserving the traditions of the region. His service work for the Bay Cliff Health Camp, Yellow Dog Watershed and as the mayor of the City of Marquette, rounded out a life dedicated to community and the land. In his April 6, 2009 obituary, the Mining Journal wrote, “Known and beloved as a storyteller, mentor and friend to countless numbers of followers and fans both regionally and internationally through his books, travels and speaking tours, Rydholm inspired and influenced the way many think and relate to their personal life story, their cultural identity and their relationship to the Upper Peninsula's wilderness heritage.”
Past Events
Saturday, March 9
Beaumier Coffee House Series
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues in March with the Beaumier Coffee House Series on Saturday, March 9. This evening will feature two very different groups, The Door Cats and Eclettico. The show will be held in the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center and begins at 7p.m. The U.P. Folklife Festival is sponsored in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
The Door Cats are a folk trio based in Marquette. These three have performed across a variety of venues, their most favored being an acoustic set played fireside, each Sunday evening, at the Historic Landmark Inn's North Star Lounge. Kerry Yost provides a heartfelt collection of originals alongside the group's eclectic array of covers. Marcella Krupski's tight-knit harmonies are softened by the lull of Roo Sinski's cello, and the love these women have for music and for one another shines forth with every song.
Eclettico is a group of local, classically trained, professional musicians who strive to present a vast array of musical styles with a funky fresh string sound. They aim to bring our traditional string instruments into non-traditional settings, while opening the ears of listeners to non-traditional music. Their musical selection ranges from classical to pop to fiddle music, and everything in between--such as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven as well as The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, and many more! Eclettico is composed of current, future, or recently graduated music students. Locally, they are members of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, the NMU Symphony Orchestra, various chamber ensembles, and maintain strong connections with the public school string programs in the Upper Peninsula.
Beaumier Heritage Center Hosts St. Patrick's Day Dance & Potluck
On Sunday, March 17, the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center is hosting a St. Patrick's Day Dance & Potluck. The potluck will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dancing from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event will take place at the Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln Ave., Marquette. Admission is $5 adults, $2 students and kids. Please park in the Dance Zone or Marquette Senior High School lots. This event is part of the Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival which is funded in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Originally a Catholic feast day to commemorate the passing of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide celebration of Irish culture. The Beaumier Center created its annual celebration in 2011, as a way for families to celebrate the holiday and enjoy the food, music and dance of the Emerald Isle. People are encouraged to bring a dish to pass (though it doesn’t have to be Irish) and, of course, wear something green.
Traditional Irish music will be provided by Tim Clancy, Tim DeMarte and Barb Rhyneer. Marge Sklar will offer dance lessons and instructions on traditional dances. There will also be readings of poetry and folktales about St. Patrick. For more information, call 906-227-1219.
Thursday, March 21
Title IX Roundtable
The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will be hosting a roundtable discussion on the impact of Title IX on women’s athletics and education on Thursday, March 21 at 7p.m. The roundtable discussion will feature several individuals whose lives and work have been effected by Title IX legislation and includes: Dr. Rebecca Mead, associate professor of history at NMU; Cindy Paavola, director of NMU’s communications and marketing department; Barb Patrick, retired NMU coach and assistant athletic director and Jamie Tuma, athletic director for Marquette Senior High School. The event will be held at the Beaumier Center which is located in 105 Cohodas Hall, 1401 Presque Isle Ave. in Marquette. This discussion is in conjunction with the Center’s current exhibition, “U.P. Power! High School Sports in Upper Michigan.”
It was on June 23, 1972, that the U.S. Congress passed what would become known as “Title IX,” which was actually part of the Education Amendments of 1972, Public Law No. 92‑318, 86 Stat. 235. In this document was passed the following statement, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance...” This law would have far reaching ramifications by making it law that women should have all the same educational opportunities as men in federally funded institutions. One of the biggest changes was that school districts would now have to provide as many athletic opportunities for women as men.
This roundtable will deal not only with how the law came into being but also the changes that have taken place over the past 41 years. Dr. Mead will discuss the history of Title IX legislation and the other panelists will discuss how Title IX has effected them personally, the impact of Title IX on the entire female population at universities or high schools receiving federal fund and the status of compliance with Title IX today at our institutions locally and through the US.
Saturday, March 23 at 1p.m.
Rag Rug Weaving Workshop with Roxanne Eberts
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues with a rag rug twining workshop on Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. The workshop, led by Roxanne Eberts of Hessell, will take place at the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center located in 105 Cohodas Hall, 1401 Presque Isle Ave. in Marquette. The cost for the workshop is $15 for the general public and $5 for NMU students. The workshop is limited to 10 participants, so reservations are highly recommended. Reservations can be made by calling 906-227-3212.
Participants will learn the technique called “twining.” Using 1” strips of fabric and a frame, Roxanne Eberts will show the class how to create beautiful, strong hot pads, placemats, rugs and more! In this class, participants will work on a small frame so they can complete the project. Frames will be provided (and can be purchased after the class), as well as the fabric, although, participants may bring your own fabric (at least 2 yards of 100% cotton. They can also use old clothing, but it should be washed and ready to cut into strips - i.e., if using an old shirt, the collar, cuffs, buttons, etc. should all be cut off). Each person will need a sharp pair of scissors.
Roxanne Eberts is the owner of Woolderness, Fiber Arts Studio and Gallery, located in the village of Hessel, in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula. She opened the studio in November of 2006. She teaches classes in spinning, weaving, locker hooking, felting & rag rugs! She began her fiber arts experience with a spinning lesson in the early 1990’s. She has taught various classes at the Northern Michigan Lamb & Wool Festival in West Branch, as well as at Spring Fling, a spinning weekend sponsored by her local guild, Country Spinners and Bridge Shuttlers. She lives in Cedarville with her husband, Rick, and two of five children, Sam & Annie.
Wednesday, February 6, 7 p.m.
Memories of Hedgecock with Craig Remsburg, Tom Peters and more
Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center, 1401 Presque Isle Ave.
Free admission
This program features an informal roundtable discussion amongst local sports writers, athletes, and coaches about the memories of the legendary Hedgcock Fieldhouse on the campus of NMU. Hedgcock, named after Northern’s former head of physical education, CB Hedgcock, was the site of hundreds of competitions including men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, tennis, wrestling and even track. Notably, it was the site of the high school regional basketball tournament, which gave the venue some of its most memorable events. Join in the discussion and hear some great yarns spun about one of the U.P.’s most revered sports venues.
This program is in conjunction with the Beaumier Center’s current exhibit, “U.P. Power: High School Sports in Upper Michigan.”
Saturday, February 9, 1 p.m.
Snowshoeing history tour of Presque Isle
Meet at the Pavilion on Presque Isle
Free admission
Lace on your snowshoes and join the Beaumier Center for a truly unique walking tour of Presque Isle in the winter. Dr. John Anderton, professor of geography, will be giving a history tour of the island, showing participants some of the island’s fascinating geographic features and their connections to human inhabitation of the island from the first aboriginal peoples to the present. Participants will be required to bring their own snowshoes. There will be hot chocolate and snacks served at the Pavilion before and after the walking tour.
Saturday, February 9, 7 p.m.
Beaumier Coffee House Series
Featuring Sam & Taylor and the Chanteymen
Peter White Lounge, University Center
The Beaumier Coffee House Series continues on February 9, with a performance by two exciting young groups from Marquette. The evening will begin with a set by local duo, Sam and Taylor, followed by the thouroughly original sounds of the Chanteymen.
Good things happen when you sing like nobody’s listening. Such has been the case for the Marquette duo of Sam Graves (21) and Taylor Martin (19). The two have been playing music together for four years now, but for casual, personal enjoyment, and only recently have they decided to bring their brand of acoustic indie to the spotlight. Sometimes folky, sometimes soulful, and sometimes even hinting at punk inspiration, their style doesn’t always adhere to one influence, and it definitely won’t sound like anything you’ve heard on the radio. “We don’t really listen to a song and say ‘we want to sound like that’”, says Sam. “We just play and see what we can come up with, try to keep it as natural as possible.”
The Chanteymen is a musical ensemble based out of from Marquette. Their music is the words and chords of Christopher Lander Moore, interpreted through a collection of close friends. The sounds have been described as "folk", "folk-punk", "alt-folk", "nu-folk", "folk?", "pop", and "rock", and compared to artists such as Andrew Bird, Sigur Ros, The Mountain Goats, Leonard Cohen, and The Misfits. To date, they have released an album and an EP, both on Grand Rapids MI's "SELF-SATISFIED" label.
Thursday, February 14, 7:30p.m.
Valentine’s Day Concert with
Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino from Italy
Ishpeming Westwood High School Auditorium
Tickets: $20
Tickets can be purchased at the door or at www.nmu.edu/tickets or by calling 906-227-1032
Make it a very special Valentine’s Day by coming to this concert by the southern Italian music and dance ensemble, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino. This concert will be held at Ishpeming Westwood High School in the school auditorium. Your ticket will include an afterglow reception with Italian sweets provided by the Paisano Club of Marquette County.
Formed by writer Rina Durante in 1975, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino is regarded as Italy’s leading and longest-standing traditional music ensemble, hailing from the Salento, the heel of the Italian boot, in Puglia. Italy's fascinating dichotomy of tradition and modernity come together in the music of CGS: the seven piece band and dancer are the leading exponents in a new wave of young performers re-inventing Southern Italy's Pizzica musical and dance traditions for today's global audience.
The tens of thousands who often congregate for this Lecce-based band’s concerts in Italy know: Bandleader, fiddler, and drummer Mauro Durante and company can make an audience shimmy with the energy of the ancient ritual of pizzica tarantata, said to cure the taranta spider’s bite with its frenzied trance dances. CGS shows are a life explosion: full of energy, passion, rhythm and mystery, they bring the audience from the past into modernity, and back.
Friday, February 22, 6p.m.
Student Euchre Tournament
Great Lakes Rooms, Don H. Bottum University Center
Free admission
Considered by many to be the favorite card game of the Upper Peninsula, Euchre was brought to the region by Canadian, Cornish and German settlers. Now it is played throughout the U.P. and is the “official” card game of NMU’s residence halls. This tournament is open to all NMU students on or off campus. Pairs will be required to register together at the tournament or ahead of time by calling 227-3212. Cards will be provided by the Beaumier Center for the match, no outside card decks will be allowed. This event is part of NMU’s annual Winter Fest celebration. Prizes will be given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place pairs.
Sunday, February 24, 1p.m.
The Great Yooper Folk Dance and Café
Great Lakes Rooms, Don H. Bottum University Center
Admission: $2 for adults, Free for students/kids
The Beaumier Center’s will end its month-long event with a folk dance featuring two exciting traditional music acts, a large dance floor and a café where you can buy some of your favorite Yooper treats and drinks.
The dance will begin with a performance by Kaivama, the Minneapolis duo featuring Ishpeming native Jonathan Rundman. The duo, which also features fiddler Sara Pajanen, is considered one of the most popular and cutting edge Finnish music groups in the United States. They have been touring the U.S. for nearly two years and have played for thousands of people, including featured performances at this year’s Finn Fest USA in Tucson, Arizona.
They will be followed by one of the U.P.’s most respected and loved music groups, White Water. For over two three decades, White Water has performed at concerts, festivals, and dances all year round. White Water is known for its musicianship, four-part harmony vocals, and endearing stage presence. In addition to traditional and contemporary folk music, White Water has a large repertoire of dance music and teaches folk dancing to audience members of all ages.
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival: Beaumier Coffee House Series (12/15/12)
The Upper Peninsula Folklife, Festival continues in December with the Beaumier Coffee House Series, featuring three amazing performing artists Naomi Noordyk and Michael and Erika Waite. This performance will take place on Sat. December 15th and will begin at 7 p.m. in the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center. Admission is free (donations are encouraged). The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
16 year old Naomi Noordyk is the lead singer for the local Christian band 41West and a lead singer and acoustic guitarist for the local country band, GRN Twine. Naomi is also a member of the Wednesday Night Music Club. She has been practicing music for over 12 years and is ready to perform at the Coffee House Series!
Michael and Erika Waite is a local married couple from Marquette. She studied ballet at Western Michigan University and he studied music at Northern Michigan University. Together they perform songs of love and life through images of nature and the lives of common people. Michael’s music is thoughtful Americana without any glitz, both brutally and joyously honest. Erica is a dancer and choreographer who interprets Michael’s songs into movement. Their collaborations invite the audience into their intimate creative space in a way that only a married couple can.
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is an eight month long series of cultural events featuring folk artists from throughout the Upper Peninsula and reflecting the traditions of the region. It is sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University, which is dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula.
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival: Beaumier Coffee House Series (11/3/12)
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues in October with the Beaumier Coffee House Series, featuring two legendary singer/songwriters from the U.P., the Derrell Syria Project and Bobby Bullett. This performance will take place on Sat. November 3 and will begin at 7 p.m. in the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center. Admission is free (donations are encouraged). The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Darrell Syria needs almost no introduction due to his over 30 year presence on the Marquette music scene. As one of the co-founders of Conga Se Menne, he has helped define a unique Upper Peninsula sound that has gathered attention far beyond the borders of the U.P. The Derrell Syria Project is a musical group that features a floating cast of quality musicians that varies in size depending on the performance venue. They travel throughout the Great Lakes states, entertaining audiences with their unique style of original music along with a large variety of re-arranged cover tunes, mixing their performances with guitars, bass, percussion, congas, keyboards and vocals, playing Reggae, Latin, Contemporary and Alternative music. The bands energetic music has pleased audiences, both young and old, at concerts, festivals and many other events and you can be sure that once they start playing, you'll be moving to the rhythm.
Celebrating over fifty years in the music business as a writer/performer, Bobby Bullet, born Robert St. Germaine in 1942 on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, continues to draw from a life and career filled with uncertainty, joy, love and difficult decisions to create memorable lyrics and heartfelt music. He considers himself a Country/Folk songwriter; his audiences, however, know him to be much more. He is a cross genre musical performer, humorous, multi-faceted performance artist who reaches across generational lines to gently assault the consciousness about critical issues. His journey is the journey of a generation of Indian men born into tumultuous times seeking identity, fading traditions and language, the way to live with one foot in each cultural world and the strength to forge a new way still grounded in and old world of resourcefulness and honor.
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is an eight month long series of cultural events featuring folk artists from throughout the Upper Peninsula and reflecting the traditions of the region. It is sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University, which is dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula.
U.P. Beaumier Heritage Center: Sports Exhibit (10/20/12-3/30/12)
High school athletics are a staple of the life of communities throughout the Upper Peninsula. They are represent more than just an opportunity for your people to compete but also are a source of pride and even entertainment for the community as a whole. Over the past 130 years, the Upper Peninsula has had a proud history of athletics in its schools and some of these stories and legends will be on display in the new exhibition, “U.P. Power! High School Sports in Upper Michigan.” The exhibit will open on October 20 at 1p.m. in the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University. There will be a reception for the exhibit and a number of U.P. sports legends will be on hand at the display. The exhibition will be on display at the Beaumier Center through March 30, 2013.
The exhibit will feature stories about the greatest teams, players and coaches in Upper Peninsula high school sports history, including photographs, trophies, uniforms and other memorabilia. There will also be an interactive computer station with statistics for each team sport for boys and girls. The artifacts for the exhibit will be on loan from high schools, historical societies and individuals from throughout the Upper Peninsula, and will represent the greatest stories in U.P. sports history.
To create the exhibit, the Beaumier Center put together a committee of sports writers, historians and former athletes from throughout the Upper Peninsula. The task of the committee was to form the basic framework of the exhibit, develop the outline and identify players and teams that would be featured. Members of the committee include Craig Remsburg from the Mining Journal, Denny Grall from the Daily Press (Escanaba), Rob Roos from the Sault Ste. Marie Evening News, and many at large members including Rod Guizetti, Larry Rubick, Dave Hallgren, Dave Lahtinen, Tom West, Pat Gallinagh, Tom Peters, Barb Patrick, and many others contributors. The group began meeting in January 2012 to discuss the exhibit.
The exhibition will feature several great teams and sports dynasties in high school sports. An example would be the Chassell boys basketball team which went undefeated from 1956 through 1958, winning three state titles and setting a still unbeaten winning streak record. The Chassell Historical Society is loaning several historical items related to the team to the Beaumier Center for the exhibit. The exhibition will be broken up into various sections not by sport but by subjects, such as Dynasties, Greatest Teams, Greatest Performances, and Legendary Games.
Throughout each section will be featured teams, players and coaches who contributed to these teams or achieved something great either during their career or on one particular day. An example would be John Payment, the Brimley high school high jumper who broke the all-state, all class high jump record in May 1989 with his jump of 7’ 1” at the U.P. finals in Marquette. This meet is a legend in U.P. sports history and Payment’s record still stands for all schools in the State of Michigan. Another athlete, who many sports historians had forgotten, was Christy (Salonen) Provost who from 1993 to 1996 won four straight Giant Slalom state titles (3 all-class, 1 Class B) and one slalom title, the only skier ever to do that in state competition.
The title for the exhibit comes from a popular chant of U.P. high school teams and their fans when they go to downstate Michigan for state tournaments. No one is sure when it exactly originated but it became a rallying cry for U.P. teams after the 1975 State Football championships when both Ishpeming and Crystal Falls-Forest Park won titles on the same day. It is considered a watershed moment for U.P. football because for over 50 years, our teams never got to play the best teams from the Lower Peninsula. Ishpeming ended Hudson’s record setting winning streak in the Class C final and CFFP trounced Flint Holy Rosary 50-0.
Friday, October 26th
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival Featuring Contra Dance and All Strings Considered
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues with a Contra Dance and performance featuring All Strings Considered. This event will be held on Friday, October 26, at the Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln, Marquette. It will begin with contra dance at 7:30p.m. followed by a concert performance by the group at 9:20p.m. There is a suggested donation of $5 for adults, $2 for students/kids. The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is presented by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
All Strings Considered evolved out of the Hiawatha Music Co-op Old-Time Acoustic Jam that began in Marquette in 2007 and continues on the first Saturday of each month. Band members have assorted performance histories with a host of old-time, folk, and bluegrass bands of near and far. All Strings Considered has a primary focus on traditional old-time instrumental and vocal music of the Appalachian region with a bit of Celtic and Scandinavian tossed into the mix from time to time. The group’s sound is a blend of Jamie Kitchel on fiddle, Rochelle Schuster on hammered dulcimer, Phil Watts on guitar, Annette Watts on autoharp, and Maggie Morgan on bass. All Strings Considered will get your feet tapping to those great traditional fiddle tunes then soothe your day with a gentle waltz or tell a story with an Appalachian song.
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival: Beaumier Coffee House Series (10/6/12)
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues in October with the Beaumier Coffee House Series, featuring two acts specializing in historical songs and stories. On October 6, the series will feature three songwriters, storytellers and historians including the Escanaba performer, Bill Jamerson, and the Sault Ste. Marie duo, Dave Stanaway and Susan Askwith. This performance will begin at 7 p.m. at the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center. Admission is free (donations are encouraged). The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Bill Jamerson knows a good story when he hears one. Since 1992, when he produced his first PBS film, Bill has been collecting stories and turning them into films, books, articles and songs. His school assemblies and “History through Song” programs have been presented in eleven states at diverse venues including college life-long learning groups, libraries, state and national parks, historical societies, nature conservancies, community concerts, senior living communities and cruise lines. History was a hobby for Bill until the summer of 1991 when he discovered archival films of CCC Boys. He used the films to produce his first PBS documentary, Camp Forgotten – The Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan. Bill went on to produce 10 more films for Michigan Public Television.
For the better part of a decade, Dave Stanaway and Susan Askwith have been performing together as a duo, focusing on writing and performing historical songs about the Sault Ste. Marie region. In addition to giving twice-weekly summer concerts at the John Johnston House, they performed at the Historical Society of Michigan's 2005 Upper Peninsula History Conference, held at Lake Superior State University. They have also brought history to life for fourth grade students at various Eastern Upper Peninsula elementary schools, through a grant with the Chippewa County Historical Society. The duo recorded the CD, “John Johnston: His Life and Times in the Fur Trade Era,” with songs about the early Sault Ste. Marie settler and fur trader.
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is an eight month long series of cultural events featuring folk artists from throughout the Upper Peninsula and reflecting the traditions of the region. It is sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University, which is dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula.
Funky Folk Dance at Ore Dock Brewing Company (9/21/12)
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival continues on Friday, September 21 with the Funky Folk Dance featuring U.P. Gumbo. The dance will take place at the Ore Dock Brewing Company at 114 Spring Street in Marquette at 8:30p.m. Admission to the dance is free and limited to individuals age 21 and over. This event is in conjunction with the Homecoming Week activities of Northern Michigan University and is co-sponsored the Alumni Association. It is funded in part grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs.
U.P. Gumbo is a Marquette based folk group specializing in the dance music of the Missisisipi Delta and the New Orleans region. Their music is infused with the sounds of the Delta Blues, Zydeco and early rock and roll. Its band members are all long-time legends of the Marquette music scene, including Bill Hart (resophonic guitar and vocals), Dan Flesher (upright bass and vocals), Warren Hantz (keyboards, dobro and banjo) and Randy “Da Bones Man” Seppala (percussion).
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is an eight month long series of cultural events featuring folk artists from throughout the Upper Peninsula and reflecting the traditions of the region. It is sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University, which is dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula.
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival: Quilting Workshop (9/15/12)
The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center, as part of its Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival, will be hosting a beginner’s level quilting workshop on Saturday, September 15 from 1p.m. to 4p.m. The workshop is limited to 12 participants and reservations are highly encouraged. The cost for the workshop is $10 for adults and $5 for students and is limited to high school age and up. To make a reservation please call 906-227-3212. This workshop is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
The workshop is being led by Kathy Peters and Judy Parlato, members of the Marquette County Quilters. Workshop participants will make several small fabric pieces of traditional and liberated designs using no sew fusing techniques. The workshop will be held in the Beaumier Center which is located in 105 Cohodas Hall, 1401 Presque Isle Ave. in Marquette.
The Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival is an eight month long series of cultural events featuring folk artists from throughout the Upper Peninsula and reflecting the traditions of the region. It is sponsored by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University, which is dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula.
Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival: Beaumier Coffee House Series (9/14/12)
The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center announces the opening of the 2012-2013 Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival on Friday, September 14 with its monthly Beaumier Coffee House Series. The featured performers will be two local songwriting duos, Team Awesome and Shadow Arcade. The show will begin at 7p.m. in the Peter White Lounge of the Don H. Bottum University Center. Admission is free but donations are encouraged. Refreshments and treats will be available. This event, as with all UP Folklife Festival events, is funded in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Team Awesome is an original alternative rock group based out of cozy Marquette Michigan. They play not only as a dynamic acoustic duo, but also as a garage rock trio with talented drummer Dawson McKenzie. Their music is derived from the sounds around them, and draws influences from all areas--jazz, funk, blues, folk, and rock. Heather Evans, guitarist and singer, began playing viola in grade school, eventually taking up guitar at age thirteen. Soon she was to be introduced to the band The White Stripes by Gretchen McKenzie, who began playing bass at eleven in the school orchestra. Thanks to a shared love of the band, the two soon began jamming, and formed Team Awesome. The group has been gigging in Marquette regularly since 2010, and is set to release a double acoustic-electric album in the near future. The original songs composed by Evans and McKenzie have become a key element of their sets, along with an eclectic mix of covers by various artists.
Shadow Arcade plays energetic and enjoyable indie pop music about girls, boys, booze, cars, trains, and awkward occurrences… And they do it well. In April 2012 through the magical combination of raucous basement concerts and breweries in Marquette, Michigan, local musicians Troy Graham and Breanne Kanak met, conversed, and soon began to write catchy, revealing, and sometimes hilarious songs. This melding of the minds would, a mere week later, be known as Shadow Arcade. This band envelops their audience with only a guitar, tambourine, and two dissimilar but refreshingly harmonious vocal styles. Shadow Arcade has been featured at MTU’s Keweenawesomefest, The Orpheum Theater, The Doug Garrison Show, Music on Third, and several other venues in and around the Upper Peninsula. They will be releasing their first full-length album “Were We” in mid-August.
