Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Balkapalooza! at Unity Church Unitarian
Balkapalooza! 2006 advanced graduates performed at Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, MN this past Sunday, Novemeber 19, 2006. The following background notes were printed in the bulletin:
Music for Meditation
Ugrós (Hungarian folk): A medley of dance songs from the Dunátúl region.
Cigany Csárdás (Hungarian folk): This series of three csárdás dances come from the village Mezőkölpényi which sits on the border of Mezőség and Székelyföld.
Prelude
Hungarian Suite (IV): by Béla Bartók.
Interlude
Lakodalmi tánc (Hungarian): This dance is traditionally part of a pre-wedding ceremony, during which the bride’s girlfriends dance around her.
Offering
Székelyföld Korcsos (Hungarian folk): We would like to honor our guests from Homoródszentpéter with this korcsos from their home region.
Postlude
Székely Blessing
Bio
Today’s music has been researched and performed by faculty and graduates of BALKAPALOOZA!, an intensive Eastern European music and cultural summer workshop for motivated young musicians ages 12-22. The 2006 program focused on Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. BALKAPALOOZA! faculty members Colleen Bertsch (violin, voice) and Natalie Nowytski (voice, bass, flute) are seasoned instructors and performers of Eastern European folk music. In addition to being an accomplished teacher, Colleen is also a student of Vizeli Balázs, lead violinist of the highly acclaimed Budepest-based Hungarian folk ensemble, Téka. Natalie, often called “chameleon voice,” sings in more than 40 different languages and has performed with such luminaries as Peter Ostroushko, Ruth MacKenzie and Garrison Keillor. Although both Colleen and Natalie are classically trained musicians, both women have traveled extensively to study, collect and accurately perform traditional music of Eastern Europe. Joining Colleen and Natalie today are the 2006 BALKAPALOOZA! graduates: Sydney Lefevre (violin, voice), Matt Miller (bass, voice) and Eric Ray (accordion, kontra, voice). BALKAPALOOZA! would like to thank Unity Church Unitarian for partnering with us in our pilot year and making this week-long workshop possible. Information about BALKAPALOOZA! is available in the parish hall after today’s service or by visiting www.balkapalooza.natalien.com/.
Music for Meditation
Ugrós (Hungarian folk): A medley of dance songs from the Dunátúl region.
Cigany Csárdás (Hungarian folk): This series of three csárdás dances come from the village Mezőkölpényi which sits on the border of Mezőség and Székelyföld.
Prelude
Hungarian Suite (IV): by Béla Bartók.
Interlude
Lakodalmi tánc (Hungarian): This dance is traditionally part of a pre-wedding ceremony, during which the bride’s girlfriends dance around her.
Offering
Székelyföld Korcsos (Hungarian folk): We would like to honor our guests from Homoródszentpéter with this korcsos from their home region.
Postlude
Székely Blessing
Bio
Today’s music has been researched and performed by faculty and graduates of BALKAPALOOZA!, an intensive Eastern European music and cultural summer workshop for motivated young musicians ages 12-22. The 2006 program focused on Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. BALKAPALOOZA! faculty members Colleen Bertsch (violin, voice) and Natalie Nowytski (voice, bass, flute) are seasoned instructors and performers of Eastern European folk music. In addition to being an accomplished teacher, Colleen is also a student of Vizeli Balázs, lead violinist of the highly acclaimed Budepest-based Hungarian folk ensemble, Téka. Natalie, often called “chameleon voice,” sings in more than 40 different languages and has performed with such luminaries as Peter Ostroushko, Ruth MacKenzie and Garrison Keillor. Although both Colleen and Natalie are classically trained musicians, both women have traveled extensively to study, collect and accurately perform traditional music of Eastern Europe. Joining Colleen and Natalie today are the 2006 BALKAPALOOZA! graduates: Sydney Lefevre (violin, voice), Matt Miller (bass, voice) and Eric Ray (accordion, kontra, voice). BALKAPALOOZA! would like to thank Unity Church Unitarian for partnering with us in our pilot year and making this week-long workshop possible. Information about BALKAPALOOZA! is available in the parish hall after today’s service or by visiting www.balkapalooza.natalien.com/.
