Category: Community Notes

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Letters from the Director

October was a busy and good month here at Headwaters. Our art clubs pre-school music class, and Monday pottery sessions kicked off for the fall. We had another successful CoffeeHouse and Open-Mic followed a week later by a music show with Sawyer Corcoran and friends.We received funding through Beltrami Electric's Round up Grant to replace the downright ratty carpeting in an upstairs studio, resource library and hallway. And it is not a super big deal, but we have installed a monitor on a wall in our lobby to highlight upcoming events and reminders. We are actually quite tickled by this communication upgrade - its been in the works for a long time. I should also mention that Headwaters invested in a wifi and internet upgrade and computers for admin staff, all steps long overdue. Our highlight for the month, though, was guest musician Carrie Dlutkowski.

Thanks to the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund we were able to host folk musician Carrie Dlutkowski last week for a series of performances and workshops. Born and raised in Michigan's UP, Carrie is a talented classical and folk musician who during her visit shared her love of Scottish, French-Canadian and Metis (Native/French/Scottish) fiddle styles in the 18th century. Carrie was able to visit Cass Lake and Red Lake Schools and JW Smith Elementary in Bemidji. She led several fiddle camp workshops along with an Ottawa Valley Step Dance class, and was the musical guest at Headwaters Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. She stopped in for a chat and to play a song for KAXE's Katie Carter. She performed with Brian Miller and Norah Rendell  for an evening concert here at Headwaters. Carrie's mom and sister, also talented musicians, joined in for the final song of the night.

It is a perk of my job that I get a chance to spend time with people like Carrie, and to witness our community's response to her. A third grade student said she wished Carrie was her sister. Another girl shyly asked for her autograph. A Cass Lake High School boy broke out into a traditional dance during one of Carrie's songs. Carrie received a heartfelt standing ovation at the conclusion of the Saturday evening concert; Louise Jackson commented that her fiddle playing crisp, precise, simply lovely.

We enter November with gratitude for all we are able to offer our community, and appreciation for the support we receive that allows us to fulfill our mission.

Tricia Andrews
Executive Director


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Bemidji Sings winners at Minnesota Sings Statewide Competition

April Aylesworth, Susannah Carter, Charlotte Saxton, and Kari Grace represented Bemidji at Minnesota SIngs this past weekend as they competed against 60 vocalists representing 37 different cities from around the state.

Charlotte and Susannah's poster showcasing their home town was selected as the best one on display, winning them a cool $100 bill.

Only 8 contestants from each category made it into Sunday's finals, and amazingly, Charlotte, Kari and April each made it to the final round. We are delighted to announce that Kari placed third in Division 2, receiving $1000 along with $500 for her town's sponsor, and a 3 hour recording session. Congratulations, Kari! Plus, April took first place in Division 2, winning $3,000 along with $1,000 for her hometown charity, Support Within Reach, $1,000 for her town's sponsor, and a 5 hour professional recording session with studio musicians and a producer.

We at Headwaters Music & Arts sponsored Bemidji Sings because we wanted to encourage

and celebrate our area's amateur vocalists. It is a delightful bonus to be the recipient of some of the great cash prizes given away at Minnesota Sings' big show. We are grateful for this support - as well as for the generous funding we received from Region 2 Arts Council and Bemidji Area Arts Endowment. Our hearts are, well, singing.

The tentative date for Bemidji Sings! 2020 is Thursday, August 6, with David Eichholz of Deuces Wild returning to emcee our third year of singing, laughter and fun. See you then!

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A Note About David Greenberg

Below is a letter submitted by Jim Johnston after attending David Greenberg's live performance at Bemidji State University on May 19th.

 

A 350-year old violin came to life Sunday in its first public exposure since being restored by Minneapolis luthier Andrew Dipper.

Some 100 lucky Bemidjians (courtesy of Headwaters School of Music and the Arts, and for a paltry five bucks) cozied into the lower tier of BSU's Bangsberg concert hall to hear Halifax's masterful fiddler/violinist David Greenberg play the old instrument – and his regular violin, and an unusual “octave” fiddle.

Greenberg brought the house down with wild number after number. During one mad reel, as the fiddler's fingers flew over the strings, the enthusiastic audience could almost see plaid-skirted dancers come flying out of the wings.

Although Greenberg plays all kinds of music – Baroque, Cape Breton, and was that a little New Orleans jazz? – he specializes in 18th century Scottish folk.

So why did this fugitive from Maryland and Indiana University move to Nova Scotia? 'Cause that's where the Scots are … forced off their farms during Scotland's infamous 18th and 19th century “clearances”.

During the “conversation” (Greenberg's preferred label for his concert), the delightfully engaging musician paused to answer questions. He noted that the old violin was crafted in Scotland, about 100 years after the violin itself was invented in Italy.

Greenberg explained that the octave fiddle, or baritone violin, plays an octave lower than the violin – down in cello range. (In the mid-1800’s, a New Yorker invented an instrument that Greenberg’s octave fiddle was based on, called the “Cradle of Harmony”.)

To Greenberg, all his violins are alive. At the end of one piece, he communes for a moment with the restored model; he is getting to know it. Between numbers he places the violins carefully on protective cloth. Tenderly.

David Greenberg is now living in Corvallis Oregon.
(To enjoy more Greenbergs, you can support Headwaters.)

- Jim Johnston, Audience Member