Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY has announced Banjo Concert 2024 which is to be held at Esopus Lodge Performance Hall on November 15.
Banjo Concert 2024 takes place on Friday, November 15 at 7:30 PM at Ashokan Center’s Esopus Lodge Performance Hall. The concert is an evening of 5-string bliss with Scott Hopkins, Hilary Hawke, BB Bowness, Maggie Shar, and Keith Billik. This concert kicks off a weekend workshop and will be filled with many styles, stories, and beautiful banjo music for the community to enjoy.
This event is part of Ashokan Center’s Banjo Weekend where eventgoers can enjoy a weekend of banjo-centric bliss with a stellar lineup of teachers in a warm and supportive environment. Dive into daytime classes, evening jam sessions, and an inspiring opening-night staff concert. Whether you’re into Bluegrass or Clawhammer (or both!) and whether you’re an advanced banjo-player or just getting started, you won’t want to miss this good-time get together with friends old and new at Ashokan, a stunningly beautiful location.
Based out of NYC for the past 12 years, and originally from upstate, NY, Hilary Hawke has been composing, writing, teaching and performing music she loves in solo and collaborative projects, both as a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist and as a creative and versatile banjo player. Hilary performed in the Tony award winning revival production of Oklahoma! on Broadway, and Steve Martin’s production of Bright Star on Broadway. She’s devoted herself to performing and teaching old-time, and American traditional music but also brings her love of all types of music into creating her own unique sound.
BB Bowness hails from New Zealand and has made a home in Boston for the past decade. She co-founded the band Mile Twelve who have toured intentionally and won numerous awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association. BB was awarded the 2020 Steve Martin banjo prize. She loves teaching and stays busy with a full roster of students in Boston and online. Her euphoric energy and love of the banjo are readily apparent in any of her live performances.
Keith Billik is best known as the creator and host of The Picky Fingers Banjo Podcast, a show listened to by banjo enthusiasts worldwide, and which earned Keith a 2022 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award nomination for his involvement in the bluegrass industry. As a player, Keith has performed and recorded professionally for nearly twenty years, including stints with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, Mark Lavengood’s Bluegrass Bonanza, and his current project, Wilson Thicket. In addition to private banjo students, Keith has been a faculty banjo instructor at both Great Lakes Music Camp and Midwest Banjo Camp and is thrilled to be a part of the Ashokan Banjo Weekend.
For more information on the upcoming Banjo Concert 2024 and to purchase tickets, click here.
Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY has announced a music celebration in honor of Ukrainian culture on September 22. The event is coined Ukrainian Community Day.
The event features a diverse lineup of Ukrainian music. This includes The Ukrainian Village Voices, singer Maria Sonevytsky, bandura player Olya Fryz, and Eva Salina, founder of Driftwood Chorus.
The Ukrainian American Youth Association of the Hudson Valley are selling a range of items. This includes shirts, sweatshirts, handmade jewelry, collectible Ukrainian stamps and more.
Activities include Ukrainian folk medicine plant walks, dance instruction, hands-on workshops showcasing Ukrainian potters, and wool spinning & weaving artists. Also included, an array of authentic culinary delights to be presented by Soyuzivka, the Ukrainian American cultural center in Kerhonkson.
Various performances are planned for the event by Zoya Shepko & YiYi Folk Ensemble, Ruby Pinyuh-Derovan, Bourbon & Breast Milk, and more. Each performance pays homage to the vast diversity of Ukrainian culture. Ukrainian Community Day is one for all to enjoy, and for all cultures to take part in and to experience this unique culture.
Ashokan’s all-age tickets work on a sliding scale with $20 as the suggested price of the event, $10 as the minimum, and $30 to be a supporter. This allows the Ashokan Center to provide tickets to those who are financially unable to attend otherwise.
50% of all proceeds are donated to Ukrainian-American Youth Association of the Hudson Valley. The support for Ukrainian American Youth Association’s (UAYA) efforts to aid children and hospitals in Ukraine is incredibly important, especially given the current challenges the country faces.
“The natural beauty and wooden architecture of the Ashokan Center invokes a sense of the Ukrainian mountain communities, creating a meaningful and resonant backdrop for this event. Showcasing and connecting with Ukrainian culture and community helps bring the issues in Ukraine closer to people’s hearts and helps support its resilience and fight for freedom.”
Danylo Mykula, Ukrainian American Youth Association
For more information on Ukrainian Community Day, and to purchase tickets, click here.
The twelfth Summer Hoot was held at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY over the course of three days, August 23 – 26, offering an eclectic mix of people spanning generations came together to celebrate their love for music.
Tucked away in the Catskill Mountains, the Ashokan Center offers 385 acres of pristine forestry accentuated by the Esopus Creek, which rolls through it. Augmenting this paradise, a wide array of musical talents performed at the Hoot. This harmony of nature and music created the ideal environment for co-founder Mike Merenda to declare Summer Hoot 12 as Zen.
Summer Hoot 2024 at The Ashokan Center
In the span of three days, more than twenty musical acts showcased their creative talents. The diverse lineup included folk, indie rock, jazz, and singer-songwriters, as well as Mexican, Argentinean, Creole, and Jamaican stylings.
Friday night began with Hoot founders Mike & Ruthy welcoming the early arrivals. Entertainment followed with performances by Tuba Skinny, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys and others setting the tone for the weekend.
Ashokan Center Board of Director Kale Kaposhilin described the Hoot and the center as “a chosen family of loving intention.” This spirit was evident as people of all ages laughed, sang, and danced throughout the Hoot.
An Instrument Petting Zoo with guitars, bongos, violins, tambourines, and banjos was set up to offer the young (and young at heart) the opportunity to try out instruments and embark on their creative journey.
Summer Hoot Instrument Petting Zoo
Saturday and Sunday featured three stages from which to choose. The music began mid-morning and continued late into the night, including a “singers in the round” session at midnight. For those interested in making their own music, the Jubilee Jam tent in the Magical Musical Campground was open 24/7.
Dotted throughout the Ashokan Center grounds are a series of small buildings, one of which is The Pewter House. Stepping into this room feels like entering the 19th century, with its wood beams and wood burning stove. The intimacy of this space allowed for a deep connection with the performers.
The Pewter House
A select few performed in this unique setting. Naiika Sings, a Brooklyn-based chanteuse, gave a standout performance. Naiika, who began her career performing on NYC subway platforms and trains, elevated The Pewter House to a space of spiritual revelation with her performance.
Performers on the Pete Seeger and Toshi Seeger stages came from around the globe. Highlights included Bridget Kearney, founding member of Lake Street Dive; Steve Poltz, a Canadian folk singer; Carolina Mama, an Argentinean singer-songwriter; and Laurel Massé & Vinnie Martucci, a jazz and swing ensemble.
The Mammals
Local talent from the Hudson Valley was also well-represented. The Big Takeover, David & Jacob Bernz, and Jay Ungar & Molly Mason performed. No Hoot would be complete without Mike Merenda & Ruthy Unger Merenda and their band, The Mammals. Mike & Ruthy and band closed out the Toshi Seeger stage on Saturday night.
The heart of the Hoot is music and nature. The heart of the Ashokan Center is the appreciation of the natural world. Hoot + Ashokan = Zen.
Summer Hoot Performers
The City StompersThe MammalsJordan Hamilton & Seth BernardThe Gaslight TinkersDavid & Jacob Berns joined by Josiah Longo & Tink LoydSteve PoltzBridget KearneyNaiika SingsBrendan Daniel
The Ashokan Center, located in Olivebridge, NY, announced the lineup for the twelfth rendition of their Summer Hoot Music and Nature Festival. From August 23 through the 25, attendees can enjoy an array of activities, including parades, music workshops, nature walks and hikes, petting zoos, and more.
The festival will also feature live performances from local, regional, and nationwide musicians, comedians, and other performers.
Nestled deep within the Catskill Mountains, The Ashokan Center has dedicated more than five decades to the conservation, protection, and preservation of New York’s forests. As a non-profit retreat center, they host a variety of programs and community engagement activities. Most notable are their Music & Dance camps, an opportunity for people of all ages to engage in their favorite activities and collaborate with one another. The Ashokan Center’s unique educational offerings explore natural science, history, environmental issues, arts and music, and writing through programming for children and adults.
In February 2013, Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar planned a festival to raise awareness for the Center. The plan was to create a fun, engaging space for all ages to enjoy the culture and nature of the Catskills. Over 400 people attended the first Winter Hoot, but that was only the beginning.
During the summer of that year, the team built two outdoor stages on “Hoot Hill,” giving the festival its name. This launched the Summer Hoot Music and Nature Festival we know today, which has brought in crowds of over 1,200 attendees year after year.
In addition to raising money for the Ashokan Center, the Hoot aims to invite locals and visitors alike to gather in the mountains for a friendly, upbeat celebration of the unique culture, community, and beauty of the Hudson Valley and Catskills region.
“The Hoot is a way to share the joy and freedom I was privileged to experience in my own childhood at Ashokan, and keep the party going for generations to come.”
Ruth Ungar Merenda
In addition to live music on two stages on Ashokan’s Hoot Hill, the Hoot Music and Nature Festival offers a wide range of programming for the entire family. All-day activities for children in the Kids Zone, including daily kids’ parades, will be hosted all weekend long. Music workshops, blacksmithing demonstrations, morning gong baths with Love Waves, yoga classes, guided hikes to Ashokan’s historic Cathedral Falls, and an all-hours Jubilee Jam Tent are merely just a few examples of the exciting weekend planned.
The full lineup and information for the Summer Hoot Music and Nature Festival are listed below. For more information, visit here.
Summer Hoot 2024 Lineup
THE MAMMALS are Indie folk ambassadors and songwriting ninjas featuring Hoot producers, Ruth Ungar & Mike Merenda. The band is known for its high-energy shows, original repertoire, and Americana sound. Their music blends old-timey, vintage pop, and contemporary folk.
TUBA SKINNY is a New Orleans-based traditional jazz street band. Known for their interpretations of early jazz, ragtime, and blues music from the 1920s and 1930s, they have recently branched into other genres such as traditional New Orleans soul and R&B. Their instrumentation includes cornet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, tenor banjo, guitar, frottoir, and vocals.
STEVE POLTZ is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is a founding member of the indie-rock band the Rugburns and collaborated on several songs with singer Jewel, including the 1996 single “You Were Meant for Me”, which reached number 2 in the US.
BRIDGET KEARNEY is a Brooklyn-based musician and songwriter. She is a founding member of the band Lake Street Dive and winner of the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Jazz category.
JAY UNGAR & MOLLY MASON have contributed immense vision and hard work to preserving the Ashokan Center and its music and nature programs. From organizing big-picture development to playing “Home Grown Tomatoes” and “Ashokan Farewell” for visiting 5th graders nearly every week, their leadership and love of Ashokan helped to preserve the land and a “safe place to try new things” for thousands of adults and children to experience yearly.
THE BIG TAKEOVER is a seven-piece band from New York’s Hudson Valley known for their original music that blends Jamaican pop genres like reggae, ska, and rocksteady. The band blends their own unique sounds with those of Motown, retro soul, and R&B. Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Nee Nee Rushie leads the band.
NAIIKA SINGS is a Brooklyn-based Hoot favorite known for soulful performances and creative, dynamic performances that engage any audience. A variety of genres, including R&B, folk rock, pop, world music, and jazz influences her music. Naika Sings surely stands out in a crowd. Join them for their performance at the Summer Hoot and Music Nature Festival.
JEFFERY BROUSSARD & THE CREOLE COWBOYS is a Creole & Zydeco group from Louisiana. One of the most influential accordionists and vocalists in modern Zydeco music, Jeffery Broussard continues to be one of the genre’s most dynamic performers. Join them for an unforgettable night of Zydeco music.
SETH BERNARD & JORDEN HAMILTON are a beloved singer/songwriter and hip/hop-influenced duo from Michigan. They perform original music on electric guitar and cello, combining classical music with a hip-hop influence to create a unique, fun, and original sound.
GUACHINANGOS is an energetic Latin-American ensemble from NYC fusing Mexican son jarocho with Colombian cumbia and other rhythms.
LAURAL MASSÉ & VINNUE MARTUCCI are a Hudson Valley-based vocal and piano jazz duo. As the founder of the band Manhattan Transfer, Massé toured worldwide and appeared on TV. Vinnue Martucci teaches jazz history part-time at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He accompanies Massé on a monthly live show on WAMC in Albany.
THE CITY STOMPERS are a percussive Appalachian dance troupe from New York City that will bring their dance performance to the Toshi stage and invite attendees to join in the evening square dance in the Pavilion.
ARM-OF-THE-SEA THEATER is an inventive, larger-than-life, storytelling troup focused on eco-educational stories and themes. Through visual storytelling and great live music in original works of mask and puppet theater, Arm of the Sea Theater has dedicated nearly 3 decades to family-friendly, creative environmental storytelling.
CAROLINA MAMA is an Argentinean songwriter. A graduate of prestigious arts programs at Buenos Aires’ Universidad Nacional del Arte and NYC’s New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Carolina also records and tours with Samir LanGus and the GRAMMY-nominated vocal group ROSA.
DAVID & JACOB BERNZ are a son-father duo from Beacon who have been performing throughout the Hudson Valley for many years. David is known for his tribute to The Weavers (Work O the Weavers) and as a two-time Grammy award-winning producer for Pete Seeger albums, Pete Seeger at 89 (2008) and Pete Seeger and the Rivertowns Kids (2010). Together David and his son Jacob sing original material and new versions of older tunes blending modern and traditional sounds.
GASLIGHT TINKERS is a band from Brattleboro, Vermont, known for their high-energy, danceable shows that blend traditional New England fiddle music with global rhythms. Their sound is a joyful, exciting journey with unexpected textures and turns. The band draws inspiration from their musical backgrounds in traditional folk, Caribbean, Celtic, and rock, creating a delightful blend of genres that are simply unforgettable.
BRENDAN DANIEL is a founding member of Town Meeting from New England. As a harmonica prodigy, Brendan Daniel is surely a performance you will never forget. His rich voice and skilled harmonica playing are a sight unlike any you have seen before.
NATE THE GREAT is a master juggler, musician, and comedian who is hilariously fun for the entire family. Join him at the Summer Hoot for a fun-filled magic and comedy show!
The Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY will hold The Spirit of Aloha ukulele concert on Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 pm, to kick off their 11th annual Uke Revue.
This special concert will feature 6 remarkable ukulele players from all across the country coming together to honor the tradition of playing the instrument. Additionally, the concert previews the weekend-long celebration where musicians come together with enthusiastic learners to teach and play ukulele together.
Musician, Ben Hassenger, known as the “Ukulele Ambassador of Michigan,” will host the festival. Hassenger is a strong advocate for ukulele playing and education. Currently, he uses his passion to spread the teachings of the ukulele in the form of Uke Fest, which he’s been the coordinator of since 2020.
I like to call the ukulele the ‘most folk of folk instruments’ because it brings folks together. Rarely do you see one uke player sitting by themselves; more often it’s a group of two, three, or dozens playing together and singing. It’s a communal music experience and that’s one of the many things that makes it so very special.”
Ben Hassenger
Along with Ben Hassenger, the Uke Revue will include performances from Lil Rev, Kelly Jolly, Victoria “Viggy” Kolasinski, Dani Joy, and Perry Stauffer. All six musicians will be participating in the weekend’s activities as educators.
This lineup consists of ukulele social media influencers, festival organizers, creators of ukulele academies, and sponsored musicians.
Ticket prices are on a sliding scale, ranging from $10 to $30 for all ages.
More information and tickets for Uke Revue 2024 and Uke Fest can be found here. For more events at The Ashokan Center, fans can visit ashokancenter.org
The Ashokan Center has announced they are hosting a special public concert featuring the celebrated Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas Duo on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 3:00 PM.
They will be joined by fiddler Emerald Rae and cellist Summer McCall, as well as Ashokan Music and Dance Camp founders Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, in a musical program that explores the emotional and chronological range of traditional Scottish music.
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas Duo.
The Ashokan Cenuper is a unique non-profit organization with a 55-year history of youth outdoor education and 42 years of cultural preservation at summer Music & Dance Camps for adults and families. They have recently expanded outreach to offer local in-school and after-school arts and nature programming and increased access to their 385 acres of forests through guided hikes, day passes, and community events. The Ashokan Center has been a registered Historic Landmark since 2016.
The Sunday afternoon concert will conclude the Ashokan Center’s eleventh annual Scottish String Fling weekend, where fiddlers and cellists learn tunes by ear – initiated by Fraser in 2014. It is part of a decades-long tradition of music and dance camps founded by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason at the Ashokan Center and is one of many music camps created and led by Fraser over the decades — including the Valley Of The Moon Fiddle Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains of northern California, where Fraser first met an eleven-year-old budding cellist named Natalie Haas in 1995.
“It was just a life-changing experience for me,” says Haas. “It’s where I discovered traditional music.” Today, Natalie Haas is a world-renowned and highly in-demand performer and educator in her own right, and the Fraser/Haas duo partnership has endured for more than twenty years, through six acclaimed recordings and countless performances at concerts and festivals worldwide.
The strength of a duo is amazing; you can sort of ‘live’ ideas together, and I’m lucky to be playing with someone who is so simpatico. Every concert we do celebrates the music and its power to transport, to lift us… and we are highly likely to be test-driving new arrangements, new ideas, surging on forwards.
Alasdair Fraser.
Alasdair Fraser is one of the greatest carriers of the Scottish fiddle music tradition with expressive playing, mastery of his instrument, and deep understanding of his native music. Since 2003 Fraser has thrilled audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding, and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.
Natalie Haas is one of the most sought-after cellists in traditional music today. She and Fraser have toured as a duo for over twenty-three years, wowing audiences at festivals and concerts worldwide with their unique sound. A Juilliard grad with decades of touring and collaboration experience, she is an expert teacher and guide for cellists looking to support and shine.
Joining the duo is Summer McCall, a Celtic cellist, fiddler, and dancer and Emerald Rae, an American Fiddler & Folksinger with powerhouse vocals, groovy percussive fiddle, and eclectic songwriting style.
When possible, the Ashokan Center tickets work on sliding scale admission. Tickets to this concert start at $20 for the suggested price and $10 as the minimum price per ticket for all-age tickets. For more information about the Ashokan Center, visit here.
The Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY announced their first-ever Earth Fest hosted on April 21 from 12 to 4pm.
Earth lovers of all ages are invited to the Ashokan Center for a variety of family-friendly and planet-focused activities. This includes a birds of prey demonstration, hands-on educational workshops, story readings, nature crafts, art-making activities, guided hikes, and live music presented by Shokoloko.
Ravensbeard Wildlife Center will host an educational birds of prey demonstration at 12:30pm spotlighting their rescued and rehabilitating birds. Ravensbeard provides wildlife rehabilitation for injured, ill and orphaned animals in order to return them back to the wild.
Earth Fest features a guided hike around Cathedral Gorge. The trail passes relics of the recent and prehistoric past, including a 19th-century water mill, a 130-year-old covered bridge, and a glacial gorge, before it ends at a 80-foot waterfall. Folks can enjoy this day filled with art, music, nature, and food regardless of financial situation.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds, but any donation is appreciated. The Ashokan kitchen plans to serve savory vegetarian dishes to all. Various workshops are in store including Ink Making and Drawing with Natural Materials, Patching & Upcycling Clothes, and Nature Art. These workshops are hands-on and are encouraged for people of all ages.
For more information on Earth Fest 2024 on April 21 and to select tickets, click here.
A true hootenanny was held in the Catskill town of Olivebridge over February 2-4 at the Ashokan Center’s Winter HOOT. The weekend-long event brought together a diverse crowd of music and arts lovers, taking in the beauty of the Ashokan Center’s idyllic setting, while enjoying sets of music from The Mammals, Lau Noah, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, Jeremy Schonfeld and many more.
Afternoon Square Dancing – photo by Mickey Deneher
Friday evening’s HOOT festivities started with a delicious dinner shared by Ashokan supporters, family and friends. Jay & Molly delighted a packed audience with storytelling and songs for the duo’s first-ever evening performance at a Hoot. The night concluded with a community jam-along where everyone got a moment to shine and solo in the spotlight with a world-class backup of musical support.
The acoustic stylings of many were heard over the course of Saturday, beginning with Little Roots – music for the kids and parents alike – a Family Square Dance, followed by piano man storyteller Jeremy Schonfeld taking the stage at 2pm. The Evening Bells shared enchanting harmonies in their hour long set, including a unique song from the late Vic Chesnutt.
Mikaela Davis and Southern Star – photo by Mickey Deneher
Rochester’s Mikaela Davis and Southern Star graced the stage for a powerful set of songs, many from their recent release, And Southern Star. A gorgeous set of music unfolded, starting with the first single, “Cinderella,” setting a tone for a smooth, flowing set that varied slightly in tempo but never lost the beauty of harp mixed with a live band including steel pedal, guitar, bass, drums and saxophone. Davis gave a nod to jazz harpist Alice Coltrane, and showed her vocal range on songs “Home in the Country” and “Don’t Stop Now,” the audience of 200 grooving along in their seats. Catch the group on tour with Circles Around the Sun this winter, with shows in Brooklyn, Ithaca and Albany.
With a brisk evening outside, amid fires to warm tots and parents, a set of Catalan guitar music inside featured old-timey songwriter fare from duo Lau Noah. Following this was the crowd being introduced to sponsors of the weekend’s Hoot, naturally in the form of song. “The NYS Music Song” was written last February and performed for the third time ever by The Mammals ahead of their set, in gratitude for NYS Music’s sponsorship of Ashokan Center events.
The Mammals – aptly described on their show poster as “Too rock for the folk show, too folk for the rock show” – were presented as advertised, and as host band, headlined the evening. Full of upbeat Americana and deceptively mellow, The Mammals fall into the Donna the Buffalo subset of the genre, sans accordion.
A brief Pete Seeger history lesson offered an interlude, recognizing the famous former local Hudson Valley resident who wanted to be remembered, above all, for teaching people to sing. With that, the crowd sang along to “I Like the Way it Feels,” to drive home the communal nature of the weekend, giving true surround sound inside the Ashokan Center lodge.
The Mammals – photo by Mickey Deneher
After Storey Littleton’s midnight set, Sunday began with a revitalizing yoga session lead by Sara Trapani – Ashokan’s Development Director – and an Ashokan tradition to sign off every program and camp with a community sing and “Ashokan” Farewell.Â
The Ashokan Center’s Winter Hoot was a rousing success from the smiles on all the faces of all ages across the room each day. Don’t miss the Summer Hoot this coming August!
