WELCOME AND SUMMARY
Welcome to the sixth edition of this communication and outreach initiative of the EFN. Feel free to forward it to your friends and colleagues. Receiving this newsletter is open to anyone for free, here. Read to the end to find out how to submit content for future editions.
Remember: REGISTRATION FOR THE ANNUAL EFN CONFERENCE is open until August 26th, don't miss it!!!!
This is what you'll find below: 🔸A glance at the programme of the EFN annual meeting, which will be held at the Fira Mediterrània in Manresa. Be sure to read it and learn about the advantages of membership and, if you are not already a member, become one! 🔸EFN welcomes two new members: Daryana Antipova and The Armagh Rhymers. 🔸We share two news from members: reminder of the open calls from MOST, by Hangveto, and the list of Who is coming?, by WOMEX. 🔸Our next featured member is Chris Foster. 🔸Our next featured artist is the Portuguese singer Catarina Chitas. ✍️ Do you want to participate? At the end of the newsletter you will find how you can contribute to future editions, whether you are an EFN member or not. And of course EFN is always looking for new members and at the end of this newsletter there is a note about how and why to join, with links to the membership pages of the website and the application form. Thanks for your attention, have a fruitful reading.
News from the EFN
A GLANCE AT THE EFN ANNUAL MEETING Remember: our annual meeting will take place in Manresa, Catalonia, in the frame of the Fira Mediterrània de Manresa, on October 8th, with some activities on the day before. Whether you are a member of the EFN or not, if you come to the Fira Mediterrània de Manresa you will be able to participate in most of the activities scheduled at the annual meeting, which are also part of this year's Fira programme. Members also benefit from accommodation for two nights and transfer from/to Barcelona airport, for members travelling by plane, provided free to members courtesy of the Fira. Members and non-members can register here now.
There are so many great reasons to be part of the conference:
🔸A conference schedule packed with important subjects for you to discuss in Breakout Groups – the European Folk Day, how to pass on traditions to the next generation, how effective are showcases – and more… - OPEN TO NON MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS
🔸Panellist speakers from across Europe – on Intergenerational Issues – experienced professional musician Juan Antonio Torres (Spain), Gaelic community workshop specialist Fiona Dalgetty (Scotland), conservatoire leader Unni Lovlid (Norway), young musician Tina Rees (Scotland) - OPEN TO NON MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS
🔸Panellist speakers on Showcases – Budapest Ritmo organiser and WOMEX Samurai Balazs Weyer (Hungary), Fira Mediterrània artistic director Jordi Fosas (Catalonia), agent and showcase ‘customer’ Minna Huuskonen (Finland)…and more tba - OPEN TO NON MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS
🔸 Get together in special groups with your colleagues from the same kind of work – festivals, workshops, researchers, artists, agents, educators, showcase/expos etc…- OPEN TO NON MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS
🔸A chance for you to pitch your own ideas/proposals/information to EFN members in the Open Mic session…
And the Fira offers a wealth of concerts and performances all weekend – EFN members have free access and can choose from Fira Mediterrània’s incredible showcases... including ROS, Patricia Álvarez & Vigüela Trío, Melodie Gimard, CRNDS I Fransy Gonzalez, Israel Galvan amb L'Escolania de Montserrat – and the amazing human towers of Tirallongues de Manresa with a special project including high wire artist and acrobats… look at the full Fira Mediterrania programme here.
EFN WELCOMES TWO NEW MEMBERS By EFN editors
The two latest members to join EFN are from the extremes of East and West Europe:
🔸Daryana Antipova from Zvenigorod in Russia is well known to many EFN members for her work as a journalist and musician. Here’s her own description of herself: “I play drums and sing in Vedan Kolod, write about folk music for Folk Galore, and I’m member of the Transglobal World Music Chart. I organized in 2021 Russian World Music Chart with more than 20 international journalists, I closely work with Christian Pliefke [another EFN member] on compilations and releases.”
Daryana explains why she has joined EFN with a particularly relevant comment for these times:
“I have already sent some info for the EFN folk map about Russian folk music industry. A few members of EFN asked me to join. Now I am planning to work with some traditional folk ensembles from Kyrgistan and Uzbekistan as well. Also we all met at Without Borders in Balchik and was invited to join EFN, but it took me 3 years to actually apply. I loved your position about not making Russian artists for cruel actions of their government and it was a very important sign for me during these dark times. I love small (comparatively to Womex) professional gatherings, and I consider them more effective.”
This is her Facebook profile (from where we took the portrait).
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🔸From the far West of Europe in Northern Ireland we are joined by the cultural and educational group The Armagh Rhymers. To introduce themselves they say:
“The Armagh Rhymers are one of the most celebrated traditional music and theatre ensembles in Ireland. We delight audiences around the world through music, storytelling and drama. Our colourful costumes evoke the tradition, history and spirit of the Wren boys and the ancient house visiting traditions of Ireland, where the kitchen floor became the stage. We are not for profit and all income generated is reinvested into our school and community work.”
They joined EFN because: “After almost 45 years of performing, we have toured extensively across Europe for audiences of all ages. We are keen collaborators and look to share our traditions with other folk traditions in the region.”
Learn more about them on their website.
News from EFN members
REMINDER: MOST– THE BRIDGE FOR BALKAN MUSIC HAS ANNOUNCED OPEN CALLS
By Ella Csarnó, from Hangvető
This is a reminder of the calls that are still open until midnight, 28th August: MOST– the Bridge for Balkan Music has announced open calls for artists, young or aspiring managers, festivals and clubs. Check out the call details at https://mostmusic.eu.
CURIOUS TO FIND OUT WHO IS ATTENDING WOMEX 22 IN LISBON THIS OCTOBER?
By Gaurav Narula, from WOMEX
WOMEX has published the 'Who is coming?' list of all the professionals and companies with confirmed participation. Find it here!
The list is regularly updated as the Summer Rate for Registrations is ongoing. Connect via virtualWOMEX and plan your meetings in advance.
COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT ON A BARGE – ALL ABOARD WITH TRADITIONAL TUNES
By Carol Main
Live Music Now Scotland is proud to present an exciting programme of concerts in partnership with Health All Round: rising stars of Scottish traditional music perform a series of wellbeing concerts on an Edinburgh canal barge this summer.
“Live Music Now Scotland musicians are used to playing in unusual venues, but this is the first time in the organisation’s history that they have performed on a canal boat!,” says Live Music Now Scotland Director, Carol Main MBE. The following community concerts are taking place on All Aboard over the summer:
Mon 1 Aug Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy – accordion and guitar duo
Mon 8 Aug Siannie Moodie – clarsach player
Mon 22 Aug Penny James and Matt Tighe – fiddle duo
Mon 29 Aug Sally Simpson and Catriona Hawksworth – fiddle and piano duo
Mon 19 Sep Roo & Neil – fiddle and accordion duo
Learn More about Live Music Now Scotland on their website.
Featured Member: Chris Foster
Chris Foster is settled Reykjavík, Iceland, He is a folk musician performing English and Icelandic traditional music (singer, guitar, langspil), organiser, activist and workshop leader. He is co-organiser of the annual Vaka Folk Festival and other events through the year. He performs in Iceland and internationally, both solo and half of the duo Funi with Bára Grímsdóttir.
When he joined, his offer for the European Folk Network was to be a point of contact in Iceland, as well as his experience gained as a professional in the sector over the past 40+ years. Given his isolated location, being part of a network of fellow musicians, organisers and media contacts across Europe is vitally important.
Learn more about him on his website. The picture, by Gísli Egill Hrafnsson, is from there.
Remember: the Featured Artist section is open to the contributions of the members of the EFN. If you want to talk about someone contact efneditors@gmail.com.
Featured Artist: Catarina Chitas
By Araceli Tzigane
"From Penha Garcia, Catarina Chitas speaks. She is a person who has no studies whatsoever. I was brought up in the countryside, herding cattle, herding everything, herding goats, pigs and cows. And working, reaping, hoeing wheat, weeding, doing everything. That's my wisdom. Now, since then, I have been a cook, a baker, a weaver, everything has passed through my hands. The only thing I never had was school studies".
This text above is the self-presentation of our protagonist in 1994, for a CD conceived and produced by Jacques Erwain, "Voyage Musical Portugal - Le Portugal et les Iles". The booklet in English is available here.
Catarina Chitas, (real name Catarina Sargenta) also known as Ti Chitas, did not dedicate herself to music, but her legacy in Portuguese folk music is immense. Her very sweet voice and her almost unbelievable and enchanting melismata have been an inspiration for many artists.
This harvest song has been covered many times with more or less success, although Chitas is inimitable.
Despite being a shepherdess, born in 1913 in the village of Penha Garcia, in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, and living there all her life, her fame went beyong. It was mainly thanks to her appearance in the television series Povo que canta (people that sing), made by Michel Giacometti and Alfredo Topa for the Rádio e Televisão de Portugal in the 1970s. The series is available here.
Idanha-a-Nova is a UNESCO Creative City of Music and its arts school is named after her: Catarina Chitas. It seems to me a moving tribute to a person who, from the most total humility, conveyed a message of beauty from the most local level, with value for all humanity.
In this carnival song Chitas accompanies herself on the adufe, the typical square tambourine of her region:
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS NEWSLETTER Are you already a member? Then, remember that you can submit contents for this monthly newsletter. Email your content to efneditors@gmail.com, for these sections:
· News from EFN Members. Brief announcements – of around 100 words and a link.
· Featured artist. A profile with around 200 words, an embedded video and one link. Members are invited to submit profiles, considering solo and ensemble living or not living artists who have achieved lifelong artistic and technical quality or historical significance in the field of folk art from or developed in or settled in Europe. If you have any artists in mind that you'd like to feature, please ask in advance, just to be sure there is no other member already doing it.
And whether you are a member or not, you can participate in this section:
· Special sections. For instance, an interview with someone from an institution that is not a member or a thematic article by a guest writer or anything that can appear and be considered as interesting. This section can also host guest writers that are not members. If you'd like to share any content, contact us in advance to schedule it by emailing efneditors@gmail.com
Of course, self promotional articles lacking interest won't be accepted. In case of doubt, the EFN board will be consulted and will decide.
BECOMING A MEMBER? EFN membership is growing rapidly – why not join the network of traditional arts organisers and artists that stretches across Europe from the Irish Sea to the Baltic, the Mediterranean to the Black Sea? Find out more about membership and download an application form from www.europeanfolknetwork.com/membership.
DO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE EFN MORE? The EFN welcomes donations. We do a lot with little money. Imagine what we can do with a little more :) Let us know how much do you want to donate and we'll issue an invoice for your organization.
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