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Thank you to the following government, community, foundation, and corporate sponsors of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. Click on the logo or image below to go to each organization's web site.
City of New York Mills
New York Mills Lions
The many individual members of the
New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
About the Cultural Center
In the video below fans of the Cultural Center talk about their experience, still photographs of some of the artists who have performed at the Center, and a soundtrack by Eliza Gilkyson featuring her song "Highway" from her album Hard Times in Babylon (used with permission). Eliza performed at the Center in 2008 and will return on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
Check out our new facebook page. Befriend us, and comment on our concerts and shows. You'll find a gallery of the artists who have visited the Cultural Center, and lots more.
Special note: The Center will hold or sponsor events at the Cultural Center during this month of January but the gift store and gallery will be closed. We will reopen the gift store and gallery on February 6th.
Madhatters Theater group in Wadena will perform Girl at the Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, January 14-16, 2010 at 7:00pm. Tickets ($5) are available at the NY Mills Public Library.
Jack Hardy will give the opening concert of our Winter/Spring concert series on Saturday, January 23rd at 7:30pm. Call 218-371-6403 for tickets.
The location for most events is the NYM Cultural Center at 24 North Main Ave. unless otherwise noted. Tickets are $15 at the door, $12 advance sale, and $12 for members at the door unless otherwise noted.
Winter Celebration - Talvijuhla
Saturday, February 13th at the Sonnenberg Farm north of town
The second annual cross-country skiing and snowshoeing event on groomed trails at the Bob and Ingrid Sonnenberg Tree Farm in New York Mills will take place on February 13th, 2010. This event is a cooperative event of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, the Minnesota Forest Resources Partnership, and the Sonnenberg Farm. Folks should gather at 10:30am at the parking area on Bob's farm. The ski/snowshoe event will get started at 11:00am. For folks who don't ski or snowshoe but who wish to hear the presentation on the ash borer, there is a roadway to the warming house that you may drive to--we'll give you directions that morning.
To get to the farm, go north from New York Mills on County 67 and turn left on 365th Street (395th street is only a very short 1/3 of a mile north of town). After you turn left onto 395th Street, Bob's place is the first place on the right. Follow the signs.
Winter/Spring 2010 Concert Series
All performances in this series are at the Cultural Center and begin at 7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
Tickets in 2010 are $12 advance sale (also this is the member ticket cost). Buy tickets to four or more different concerts and the cost is only $10 per concert. At the door tickets are $15. Following is a brief list and then expanded information about each artist in the winter/spring concert series. Names underlined and in red provide links to each musician's web pages.
"What John Lennon did for rock'n'roll, Patti Smith to new wave, and Wynton Marsalis to jazz - Jack Hardy does for folk. He is at the leading edge."The River Reporter
"Jack Hardy is one of the most influential figures today in defining the American folk song." The Boston Globe
"Jack Hardy's so at home in the role of the Celtic bard that it's hard to believe he's home-grown." Rolling Stone
"Shut up and sing the song." Jack Hardy
Jack Hardy is known primarily as an accomplished writer, Jack was the recipient of the 1997 Kate Wolf Memorial Award and may be the least-known subject of a tribute album (Songs of Jack Hardy: Of the White Goddess - BCN 10136-2). His songs have been covered by such well-known performers as Dave Van Ronk, The Roches, Lucy Kaplansky, Lui Collins, Anne Hills and Cindy Mangsen.
Jack's influence stems not only from his own songwriting, but from nurturing such young, talented artists as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin and The Roches. His weekly Songwriter's Exchange and The Fast Folk Musical Magazine (which Jack founded and edited for many years) provide artistic support and exposure for up-and-coming artists in the songwriting community and has taught a generation of songwriters how to take their work seriously.
Jack's independent spirit coupled with an uncompromising insistence on full artistic control and integrity make him stand out in this era of corporate music. Although he's been offered many, he has never signed a U.S. record deal, choosing instead ot license masters overseas once they were completed. In the U.S., his albums were available only by mail-order from his own Great Divide label. In this sense, jack is the forerunner of such artists as Ani DiFranco who want respect, but on their own terms.
The Passing, released in 1997 on Fifty Fifty Music/Prime CD, is Jack Hardy's eleventh album, but the first to be nationally distributed in the U.S. His previous releases, on his own label and several European labels, have been hard to find -- and most only as imports. In 1998, Fifty Fifty Music/Prime CD released Jack Hardy: The Collected Works, containing Jack's entire recorded catalog.
"It's stunning to me that more people are not familiar with his work. As is the case with many influential artists, it remains an unfortunate truth that many of Jack's disciples are better known than he is on the club and festival circuit. Despite the significant shadow his songs and work have cast, his independent nature and uncompromising approach have worked against him." SING OUT MAGAZINE
Peter is well known to audiences here, and we are happy to welcome hiim back the the Cultural Center this winter season. As most know, Peter is a consummate musician and composer. His mandolin and fiddle music, and his emotive vocals, are not to be missed. Much of the finest classical music has folk roots, and Peter's compositions span both the folk and classical worlds. Don't miss this special opportunity to hear one of our nation's finest musical talents live and up close at the Center.
This comment by one critic about only one of Peter's many albums tells the story well:
A player of miraculous adaptability... In its finest and surest aspects, American music acknowledges by distillation all the distinctions among us, caressing the exotic traits in our midst because they epitomize the alien traces of our past. Anyone attempting to summarize the spacious grace and emotional delicacy of Ostroushko's sound on "Heartland" would be sorely remiss in not mentioning the late, great composer Aaron Copland...The suite-like sequence of compositions is so transfixing in its depictive power many listeners may initially fail to focus on the fact that the music is wordless. Timothy White, Editor-in-Chief, Billboard magazine
Born in Buffalo on his father's bowling night, songwriter, musician, & entertainer Greg Klyma grew up in a blue-collar town with a blue-collar work ethic and an appreciation of blue-collar fun. He has matured into man of homespun, timeless elegance, often clad in a vintage wear, and telling stories with a delightful precision of language. The stories blend seamlessly into songs, evoking a flavor of Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, and David Sedaris.
Instruments: guitar, mandolin, voice, harmonica, some piano
Discography: New Clothes (2000), In the Meantime (2001), Not a Complicated Guy (2003), Driver (2006), Rust Belt Vagabond (2008), Live Album coming in late 2009
Greg has opened for Todd Snider, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Fred Eaglesmith, & Jimmy LaFave among others, shared the stage with Jonathan Byrd, Anais Mitchell, Tom Bianchi, Danielle Miraglia, Anthony da Costa and other friends & performed a great many veues including Club Passim, Beachland Ballroom, The Ark and the Saxon Pub.
A "singer/songwriter with (an) Arlo Guthrie-esque voice (who) writes socially conscious ballads and acoustic-guitar ditties thick with hippie happiness that assume audiences are both smart and able to laugh."
- Mountain Xpress, Asheville, NC
After beginning like so many of us with piano lessons as a kid, Mark Kreitzer soon fell in love with various musical styles and instruments. In addition to being an award winning multi-instrumentalist, he is also an accomplished, award winning songwriter and member of the Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame as a member of the Middle Spunk Creek Boys. Mark also is a BMI publisher, known as Harvest Hop Musik.
Mark is nearing his fourth decade on stages around the midwest and the world, including appearances at folk and bluegrass festivals, concerts, on television and radio, including the Prairie Home Companion. He has recorded with such bands as The Clearwater Hot Club, The Middle Spunk Creek Boys, The Wisconsin River Bluegrass Boys, Harmonious Wail and numerous others. He has shared the stage with Tom Paxton, Alan Munde, Joe Carr, Don Stiernberg and Tony Trishka, Becky Schlegel, Brian Wicklund and Chris Silver. Mark's songs have been recorded by Joe Carr and Alan Munde, The Middle Spunk Creek Boys, Becky Schlegel and the Sparetime Bluegrass Band.
Chuck Kreitzer holds down the bass position, while soaring vocally with the tenor parts, and an occasional lead vocal, too. While most of his career has been devoted to teaching strings in the public schools, he has been a member of the Middle Spunk Creek Boys since 2001. He also happens to be Mark's brother, which makes for some electrifying vocal duets.
Rejoining Mark officially for the first time since 1979, Tom Schaefer is one of the most exciting, original fiddlers you'll hear. He's been a member of the Rocky Mountain Oysters, String Theory and the half of the bluegrass bands in the upper midwest. Tom also has an extensive discography - ask him at one of our shows!
Jed Germond is another familiar face to acoustic music fans. Equally at home on the fiddle, mandolin, tenor guitar and banjo, Jed has recently added the pedal steel to his repertoire, and to the Mark Kreitzer Band. He can fix your instrument or build you a brand new one, too!
Filling out the roster is another multi-instrumentalist who is well known to audiences around the Upper Midwest. Tony Ihrig contributes his tasty banjo, guitar and Dobro licks to the band, and we're looking forward to adding Tony's talents as a percussionist to the mix. You can also catch Tony on stage with Free Range Pickin' and the High 48's.
Straight out of the heartland comes Pieta Brown. The daughter of two preacher's kids, her early upbring in Iowa was in a rural outpost with no furnace or running water. There, Pieta was exposed to traditional and rural folk music through her father, Greg Brown (Greg played the Cultural Center in our early years).
Later, while living with her mother in Alabama during her formative years, Pieta drew on and expanded these influences and began writing poetry and composing instrumental songs on piano. By the time she left home at 18, Pieta had lived in at least 17 different houses and apartments between Iowa and Alabama. Staying true to the disjointed lifestyle of her childhood she wandered from the West Coast to the East. Each locale left its mark on her, accounting for an artist who brings together the unvarnished humility of Loretta Lynn, the honest modern rock punch of P.J. Harvey, the hipster swagger and poetry of Cat Power, and the airy sophistication of Feist. And, coloring it all, a deep abiding saturation in folk and blues that’s beyond her years.
All of this, yet she has her own distinctive style, lyrical substance, and voice. After releasing two critically acclaimed albums in the last four years--Remember the Sun (2007) and In the Cool (2005)--Pieta has now signed with Red House Records. A natural addition to the label’s awardwinning roster, she spent her early childhood in the very red house that gave the label its name. On her label debut Shimmer she delivers 7 stripped-down tracks of soulful alt-country songs recorded by legendary producer Don Was (Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones). Steadily gaining attention across musical genres, the Iowa-based songwriter has toured with John Prine, Ani Difranco, Calexico, J.J. Cale, Iris Dement and Mason Jennings, among others. Pieta is currently touring in support of her new EP and is recording a new full-length studio album, due for release in spring of 2010.
“Pieta’s music resonates with a seductive simplicity and lyrical grace” — BBC
“moody, ethereal” — NPR
“a young artist with vision, intensity, and the talent to combine them into compelling music.” — Amazon.com
“Ms. Brown’s sleepy voice and clear-eyed songs impress the most.” — Wall Street Journal
“down-right assertive stylings...tightly written lyrics”
— Sing Out!
A native North Carolinian, Jonathan Byrd grew up singing in the Southern Baptist church, where his father preached and his mother played piano. After four years in the Navy, he returned to home to play in rock bands. It was at an old-time fiddle festival in the mountains of southwest Virginia where his writing began to change. Assimilating the sounds of southern traditional music, Byrd wrote new songs in an ancient style.
One of those first songs was "Velma," a murder ballad based on the true story of Velma Barfield, the last woman to be executed in North Carolina, and the murderer of Jonathan's own grandfather. The song so moved folk music legend Tom Paxton that he wrote: "What a treat to hear someone so deeply rooted in tradition, yet growing in his own beautiful way."
The venerated folk music label Waterbug Records has released his three albums: Wildflowers in 2001, The Waitress in 2003 and The Sea and the Sky in 2005, a collaboration with critically-acclaimed world music duo Dromedary. In the middle of his prolific five-year recording career, he was named a Kerrville New Folk winner, the most prestigious award in the singer-songwriter world. Previous Kerrville competitors include Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and Steve Earle.
“Jonathan Byrd doesn’t sing songs; he sings truth,” Mare Wakefield in Performing Songwriter.
“This rootsy North Carolinian may be the most buzzed-about new songwriter in
folkdom. He displays John Prine's gift for stark little songs that tell big, complex stories, Guy Clark's lean melodicism, Lyle Lovett's wry mischief, and Bill Morrissey's knack for the revealing image.” Scott Alarik in the Boston Globe
"I thought I was listening to a young Doc Watson." Jay Moulon in Southeast Performer Magazine
"Jonathan's delightful, substantive songs are rich with imagery and textures of influences from Appalachian, country, early American balladry and old timey folk music. A stalwart of modern folk music, Jonathan is constantly evolving in new musical directions and each incarnation has proven to be masterful.” Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, Dallas, TX
"What a treat to hear someone so deeply rooted in tradition, yet growing in his own beautiful way." Tom Paxton
The name of our group is Chulrua, and we play Irish traditional music.
Chulrua (pronounced cool-ROO-ah), translates from the Irish as "red back," and was the name and distinguishing feature of the favorite wolfhound belonging to ancient Irish hero Fionn MacCumhaill.
It is also the name of an internationally acclaimed trio of some of the most respected and unique exponents of Irish traditional music. Band members are Paddy O'Brien (B/C button accordion) originally from County Offaly and now from St. Paul, Patrick Ourceau, fiddle, from France and now Toronto, and Patrick Egan, guitar, from County Tipperary.
John gave a Christmas concert at the Cultural Center in 2007. We are truly happy to welcome him back for an encore performance this spring.
His songs sing of the nation’s heritage. His words channel the conscience of our people into streams of poetry and melody. He writes about subjects small and great, from a child’s haircut to freedom and human dignity – issues equally eternal and enduring. Think of McCutcheon as an incarnation of Pete Seeger and Mr. Rogers, Will Rogers and Bruce Springsteen, and above all Everyman, righteously passionate and impishly playful, blessed with gifts as a songwriter, historian, musician and storyteller that have won him praise in Australia as “the most overwhelming folk performer in the English language,” from a Russian critic as “the most versatile and compelling performer this reviewer has ever seen,” and from Johnny Cash as “the most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.”
Add to that the 31 albums in his catalog, and the six Grammy nominations and multiple Parent’s Choice and American Library Association awards they’ve won, stir in the diverse and growing following that has flocked to his shows, around the world and as nearby as a school or concert venue near you, and the point is made clear: John McCutcheon is as timeless as tradition, as immediate as tomorrow’s headlines, and as vital as any artist who seeks to enlighten as well as entertain.
(at the James W. Mann Center for the Performing Arts, NY Mills Schools)
Two amazing world class musicians together in one concert in New York Mills.
Vibrant young cellist Natalie Haas is already a seasoned performer, recording artist, and teacher. She has joined master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser for festival and concert appearances in Scotland, Spain, France, and throughout the U.S., including Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in France, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. "People may be familiar with the gorgeous, melodic cello sound," says Fraser, "but they're surprised to learn that the cello used to comprise the rhythm section in Scottish dance bands. Natalie Haas unleashes textures and deep, powerful rhythms that drive fiddle tunes. We can "duck and dive" around each other, swap melody and harmony lines, and improvise on each other's rhythmic riffs. She has such a great sense of exploration and excitement for the music; it's a joy to play with her!"
A graduate of the Juilliard School in New York City, Natalie discovered the cello at age nine. In addition to having extensive classical music training, she is accomplished in a broad array of fiddle genres. Her musical journey found purpose when she fell in love with Celtic music at the Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School at age 11. Inspired and encouraged by director Fraser, she began to investigate the cello's potential for rhythmic accompaniment to fiddle tunes. Her and Fraser's duo release, Fire & Grace, was awarded the Best Album of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards 2004.
A California native, Natalie has also toured extensively with Mark O'Connor as a member of his Appalachia Waltz Trio. The trio released a live CD, Crossing Bridges, to rave reviews in November 2004. She and O'Connor premiered his double concerto for violin and cello, "For The Heroes," with the Grand Rapids, East Texas, and San Diego Symphonies. Natalie has also performed and recorded with fiddler Natalie MacMaster and Irish super-group Solas. She teaches privately, in a workshop setting, at various fiddle camps, and at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
". . . the expressive gamut from deep Celtic melancholy to joyful jig, his fiddle imitations of the bagpipe almost unbelievable, the whole rendered with a humble sincerity, flawless virtuosity and just about the sweetest sound since Fritz Kreisler." —L.A. TIMES
"Alasdair Fraser is recognized throughout the world as one of the finest fiddle players Scotland has ever produced. [His] name is synonymous with the vibrant cultural renaissance which is transforming the Scottish musical scene." —SCOTS Magazine
Master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser is a consummate performer. His dynamic fiddling, engaging stage presence, and deep understanding of Scotland's music have created a constant and international demand for his solo appearances and concerts with a variety of ensembles. Alasdair has been a major force behind the resurgence of traditional Scottish fiddling in his homeland and the U.S., inspiring legions of listeners and learners through his recordings, annual fiddle camps, and concerts. He has represented Scotland internationally through performances sponsored by the British Council, and has been awarded touring support by the California Arts Council, with the ranking of "highest priority for inclusion on the roster; considered 'model' in stature."
Alasdair's richly expressive playing transports listeners across a broad musical spectrum, ranging from haunting laments from the Gaelic tradition to classically-styled airs, raucous dance tunes, and improvisations based on traditional themes. His vast repertoire spans several centuries of Scottish music and includes his own compositions, which blend a profound understanding of the Scottish tradition with cutting-edge musical explorations. He weaves through his performances a warm and witty narrative, drawing from a deep well of stories and lore surrounding Scotland's musical heritage.
Eliza is returning to the Cultural Center. If you saw her two years ago, you won't forgive yourself if you miss this return engagement and if you didn't hear her you can redeem yourself. Here are some words about one of her recent albums, Beautiful World.
Red House Records announces the May 27, 2008 release of Beautiful World, the fresh masterpiece from Grammynominated songwriter Eliza Gilkyson. The first studio album since her award-winning 2005 release Paradise Hotel, it is a radio-friendly collection of songs, celebrating the beauty that shines amidst these dark days of war and corruption. Songs about the exuberant nature of love and life artfully combine with meditative tunes about the world’s rich mysteries to create an evocative blend of Eliza’s most poetic and accessible music to date. Beautiful World has an optimistic tone that is present even in the most political songs. “This may be my most joyful recording yet,” says Eliza. “Maybe it is because dark times can illuminate all that is good and decent and worth living for.”
The seeds for this CD sprang from a monthly gathering that Eliza hosted in 2007 with University of Texas professor/activist Robert Jensen and Presbyterian minister Jim Rigby called “Last Sunday.” Held at various venues around Austin, these community forums covered a broad range of topics, including politics, art, spirituality and the environment. “We wanted to provide a place to discuss, grieve and mull over our future without having a need for an it was ‘GreatCorrection,’ which I wrote as a way to console myself as I grieve the devastation of the human and natural world.” This anthemic song spurred a whole cycle of tunes about perseverance and hope for a more beautiful world.
Mixing Americana, rock, jazz and folk styles, the album has a decidedly different feel from Eliza’s last few albums. With the help of long-time collaborator and producer Mark Hallman, she consciously chose to push the musical envelope. “We did not want to hold ourselves to a stereotypical folk production, and this freed us up to experiment with different styles,” she says. Using the songs as her guide, Eliza picked up whatever instrument seemed appropriate for the song—National steel guitar (“Emerald Street”), acoustic guitar (“Wildewood Spring”), keyboards (“Beautiful World”) or electric guitar (“Rare Bird”). In addition to her acclaimed Austin band—Cisco Ryder (drums), Mike Hardwick (guitars, dobro) and Glenn Fukunaga (bass)—Eliza worked with a host of other great players including her brother songwriter/guitarist TonyGilkyson, singer/keyboardist Julie Wolf (Ani DiFranco, Indigo Girls, Bruce Cockburn) pedal steel player, CindyCashdollar (Asleep At The Wheel, Bob Dylan), guitarist David Grissom (Dixie Chicks), fiddler Elana James (Hot Club of Cowtown) and guitarist John Inmon (Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy LaFave). Together these musicians helped Eliza create a colorful landscape for this Beautiful World.
A musically-astute uncle heard Tim one day, and amazed that he had come so far on his own, nominated him for a scholarship at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts. There he studied the classics with Segovia protegee Jesus Silva, while continuing to play all kinds of music, increasingly turning to classic jazz for inspiration. He adapted compositions by Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin, and Fats Waller to the guitar, frequently reducing piano arrangements to their spare essence. Early influences were Doc Watson, Arthur Smith and, most importantly, Duck Baker, who opened up an horizon of possibilities for fingerstyle guitar.
After a stint on the road with a Chicago-based rhythm and blues band, Sparks arrived in Minnesota, where he soon established himself as a journeyman guitarist and session player. While recording three albums with the seminal vocal jazz ensemble Rio Nido, Sparks also became proficient in jazz styles from Brazilian to Be Bop, which brought him several regional music awards including Best Acoustic Guitarist, Best Latin Jazz guitarist, and Best Jazz Guitarist. Important models in this period were Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, and fingerstylists Lenny Breau and Ed Bickert. Two Minnesota guitarists with whom he shared a lot of ideas and inspiration were National Fingerstyle Champ Pat Donohue and plectrum ace Dean Magraw. It was at this time that he arranged Carla Bley's composition "Jesus Maria" for Leo Kottke.
He also found the time to revive his interest in the classics, adapting Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite to the guitar, a work that has been cited as a significant contribution to solo guitar literature. For Sparks it was a labor of love, which earned him the fingerstyle guitar championship in Winfield, Kansas.
A sojourn abroad inspired an interest in European and Mediterranean styles, particularly the music of the Balkans, culminating in the recording of Sparks' Balkan Dreams Suite, a remarkable collection of odd-meter guitar arrangements. Many of the Balkan Dreams compositions were recorded on Tim's debut solo guitar CD, The Nutcracker Suite. The recording was cited by Guitar Player Magazine as, "An exhilarating, odd-meter minefield inspired by Near Eastern music. An important recording from a gifted composer, arranger and performer." Two more releases followed on the Acoustic Guitar label.
In recent years, Sparks had been immersed in the ethnic music scene, performing on Oud in middle eastern ensembles, and accompanying on guitar in Greek and Klezmer orchestras. He was a featured performer with Crossing Borders at the Bethlehem International Music Festival in July of 1995 and has received two Arts Fellowships to pursue ethno-musicological studies. He spent one fall studying Fado and Portuguese Guitar in Lisbon.
Three CDs have appeared on the Tzadik label featuring Tim's rendition of Jewish music. Neshamah was a completely solo effort while Tanz and At the Rebbe's Table included ensemble work. All three releases have been critically acclaimed from a broad spectrum of critics and listeners alike. This spring saw the release of Masada Guitars featuring interpretations of John Zorn's music by Tim, Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot.
"Phil Heywood, 1986's National Fingerpicking Champion, may be the Midwest's best-kept secret. He rarely tours, but area guitarists hold him in high esteem for his strong musicality and easy- going personality. Circle Tour's set of mostly original tunes demonstrates Heywood's grounding in traditional American folk music. His powerful guitar sound features crystal-clear melody and harmony lines above subtly driving bass lines. Heywood's grooving arrangements of 'Old Man River' and Leadbelly's 'Ha Ha This a Way' and the moody 'Crested Hens' by Brittany hurdy-gurdy player Gilles Chabenat, round out this impressive collection."
--Gary Joyner, Acoustic Guitar
Phil Heywood is a fingerstyle guitarist with a bluesy swing and a bucketful of whatever it is that helps a performer turn an instrumental piece into an arresting lyrical narrative. His lucid playing encompasses the down-home rhythmic groove of a Mississippi John Hurt or Leadbelly, and the sheer fluidity and flair of Leo Kottke.
The internationally renowned Kottke, in fact, once handpicked Heywood to tour and perform duets with him. A soul-grabbing instrumentalist, Phil draws listeners in with his voice as well, singing in a warm, plainspoken style that blends smoothly with his rock-solid guitar work.
Heywood has been based in Minneapolis-St. Paul since the mid-eighties, performing locally and regionally while also establishing himself in the greater guitar and acoustic music world. He is the 1986 National Fingerpicking Champion, and the winner of the 1987 American Fingerstyle Guitar Festival Competition, an event judged by some of the top players in this field. In addition to his performances with Leo Kottke, Phil has played with Chet Atkins on NPR's A Prairie Home Companion, performed with fellow acoustic guitar luminaries Peter Lang, Pat Donohue, Tim Sparks, and Dakota Dave Hull, and opened shows for such artists as Norman Blake, Greg Brown, John Renbourn, Chris Smither, and John Hammond.
He has recorded five CDs: Some Summer Day (1990), Local Joe (1996), Circle Tour (2000), Banks of the River (2003), and You Got To Move (2008). What one inspired critic wrote of Local Joe applies equally to each of Phil's CDs: "Acoustic guitar fans should consider this recording a must have....Heywood gives us all something to enjoy for a long time." (Music Reviews Quarterly)
Check out the pre-concert dinners at the Mills Creamery in New York Mills (218-385-5282).
Cultivating
the Arts in Rural America
NYMRCC
Mission Statement: "The
NYMRCC is dedicated to expanding the cultural and creative
opportunities of rural Americans by offering innovative, quality
arts programming, and demonstrating how the arts can be used
as an economic development tool in rural communities across
the nation."
The Great American Think-Off, 2010 Edition
The 2010 debate question has been released: "Do the wealthy have an obligation to help the poor?" will be debated by four finalists on Saturday, June 12th. We will accept essays of up to 750 words until April 1, 2010 (postmark date). For details about entering this year's debate go to Think-Off. Also, look for the Friday night June 11th Think-Off concert information to be posted soon.
hours
Tuesday-Friday noon-5:00pm (10am to 5pm beginning Memorial Day weekend)
Saturday 10:00am to 3:00pm
Main gallery
Opening Saturday, February 6th Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing by Minnesota photographers.
Upstairs Gallery
Historic photographs of the region (opens February 6th)
Classes
Artists Forum
Artists Forum every 2nd Wednesday at 7:00pm. The artists forum will next meet February 10th.
Dance for Kids
Classes are offered on Tuesday and Thursday each week in Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Modern and Tap after school.
Knitting for Everyone
Every Monday with Pam Robinson and others. 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Open Mic
Every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm. All musicians and poets are invited. PA set up and ready to go. Next open mic is February 9th (no open mic in January)
Community Events
Talvijuhla Winter Celebration
February 13th
Skiing and snowshowing at the Sonnenberg farm north of New York Mills. Miles of groomed trails throiugh the woods, a warming house with a glowing wood burning stove, and a special winter lunch. Presentation of information about the Emerald Ash Borer and what this pest portends for our region of Minnesota.
Kite Flying for Kids
April (exact date to be announced)
Make your own kite, paint and color it, and then fly it with your friends.
Great American Think-Off
June 12th
Write an essay on the question "Do the wealthy have an obligation to help the poor?" and submit it by April 1st for consideration as a finalist in the annual debate question. Think-Off.org for all the details. Essay submissions are free and open to all. And there are four $500 cash awards for the finalists.
Summer Puppet Pageant
August 13th at dusk
Larger than life puppet figures play out a story from the Finnish national epic poem, the Kalevala. Kids of all ages can participate making the puppets and performing.
Longest Night Music Festival
December 21
Free concert to celebrate the winter season with local Minnesota artists and musicians. Everyone is invited to this solstice celebration.
Cam Waters,steel guitar player and singer who performed several times at the New York Mills Cultural Center, passed away in Minneapolis. His obituary in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is available here.
ional music.
t subjects small and great, from a child’s haircut to freedom and human dignity – issues equally eternal and enduring. Think of McCutcheon as an incarnation of Pete Seeger and Mr. Rogers, Will Rogers and Bruce Springsteen, and above all Everyman, righteously passionate and impishly playful, blessed with gifts as a songwriter, historian, musician and storyteller that have won him praise in Australia as “the most overwhelming folk performer in the English language,” from a Russian critic as “the most versatile and compelling performer this reviewer has ever seen,” and from Johnny Cash as “the most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.”
recording artist, and teacher. She has joined master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser for festival and concert appearances in Scotland, Spain, France, and throughout the U.S., including Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in France, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. "People may be familiar with the gorgeous, melodic cello sound," says Fraser, "but they're surprised to learn that the cello used to comprise the rhythm section in Scottish dance bands. Natalie Haas unleashes textures and deep, powerful rhythms that drive fiddle tunes. We can "duck and dive" around each other, swap melody and harmony lines, and improvise on each other's rhythmic riffs. She has such a great sense of exploration and excitement for the music; it's a joy to play with her!"
". . . the expressive gamut from deep Celtic melancholy to joyful jig, his fiddle imitations of the bagpipe almost unbelievable, the whole rendered with a humble sincerity, flawless virtuosity and just about the sweetest sound since Fritz Kreisler." —L.A. TIMES 
"Phil Heywood, 1986's National Fingerpicking Champion, may be the Midwest's best-kept secret. He rarely tours, but area guitarists hold him in high esteem for his strong musicality and easy- going personality. Circle Tour's set of mostly original tunes demonstrates Heywood's grounding in traditional American folk music. His powerful guitar sound features crystal-clear melody and harmony lines above subtly driving bass lines. Heywood's grooving arrangements of 'Old Man River' and Leadbelly's 'Ha Ha This a Way' and the moody 'Crested Hens' by Brittany hurdy-gurdy player Gilles Chabenat, round out this impressive collection."
