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A cycle of songs and spoken pieces from the verses and essays of Ireland's master poet, W. B. Yeats, In the Deep Heart’s Core is a stunning evening of musical theatre. The Chicago Tribune called it "A joy--poetry to the ears, alternately tender and rousing." Featuring Joseph Sobol and original cast member Kathy Cowan. Performers include Lee Bidgood, Dominic Aquilino, Clara Ray Burrus, and Robbie Link.

Press Release: http://www.nchumanities.org/news/2014/06/09/railroad-work-songs-2014-theme-riddlefest-appalachians

Drawing from scholarship on play, ritual, and performance, I propose that Czech bluegrass thrives – as does my fieldwork – in a state of in-betweenness, in a territory that is between work, play, here and there, self and other. Being comfortable with this kind of in-between state is important for fieldwork, and for music-making – play, I find, is both a central activity and metaphor in both. The bluegrass play I discuss in this essay can become a response to the encroachment of Americanization in economic and cultural globalization, but also a way of being “Americanist” – and entirely Czech.

This presentation is the premiere performance of a new musical composition for solo oboe, bluegrass band, and narrator. This new work combines the diverse musical traditions of Western classical music and Bluegrass with storytelling to reflect the unique cultural heritage of Appalachia. Appalachia is home to a rich and diverse cultural heritage that reflects its history of immigration. The modern oboe is a double reed instrument of French lineage that has served an important role in the development of the modern symphony orchestra. Bluegrass music also has European roots, but is a uniquely American genre reflecting the region’s rich history of immigration and integration of cultures. Bluegrass and Western classical music each have respective traditions in the method of music performance, composition, and dissemination. This performance is the premiere of a new musical composition commissioned for oboe soloist, bluegrass band and narrator. Incorporating a newly written narrative that reflects Appalachian storytelling and literary traditions, the piece incorporates the instruments, methods of performance, and musical style of the two musical genres. Re-imagining Faust’s tragic tale for this unique instrumental ensemble, this innovative work incorporates the dramatic tale of a desperate man who makes a deal with the devil to win the heart of an enchanting oboist.

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Excerpt: Visitors to the Crooked Road and the Mountains of Music Homecoming will hear both old time and bluegrass music, though the difference between the two is sometimes unclear.

Songs performed: "Dixie Breakdown" "Country Boy Rock 'n Roll" Blue Moon Of Kentucky" "Hallelujah We Shall Rise".