COLOR FRONT COVER COLOR CGOTH IS I COLOR CGOTH IS II COLOR CONCERT SERIES Welcome to our 18th Season! In this catalog you will find a year's worth of activities that will enrich your life. Common Ground on the Hill is a traditional, roots-based music and arts organization founded in 1994, offering quality learning experiences with master musicians, artists, dancers, writers, filmmakers and educators while exploring cultural diversity in search of a common ground among ethnic, gender, age, and racial groups. The Baltimore Sun has compared Common Ground on the Hill to the Chautauqua and Lyceum movements, precursors to this exciting program. Our world is one of immense diversity. As we explore and celebrate this diversity, we find that what we have in common with one another far outweighs our differences. Our common ground is our humanity, often best expressed by artistic traditions that have enriched human experience through the ages. We invite you to join us in searching for common ground as we assemble around the belief that we can improve ourselves and our world by searching for the common ground in one another, through our artistic traditions. In a world filled with divisive, negative news, we seek to discover, create and celebrate good news. How we have grown! Common Ground on the Hill is a multifaceted year-round program, including two separate Traditions Weeks of summer classes, concerts and activities, held on the campus of McDaniel College, two separate Music and Arts festivals held at the Carroll County Farm Museum, two seven-event Monthly Concert Series held in Westminster and Baltimore, and a new program this summer at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Common Ground on Seminary Ridge. As a Common Ground on the Hill participant you may choose from a broad spectrum of the arts springing from a wealth of traditions. Whether your interest is instrumental music, fine arts and craft, singing, dance, acting, spoken or written word; whether the traditions that interest you are African American, Native American, Middle Eastern, Latino, Celtic, Appalachian, Asian or Scandinavian in origin, to name a few, you will find activities and events that will renew you. You will meet people who will inspire you and, believe it or not, you will inspire others as you reach for common ground. We look forward to seeing you this summer and throughout the year! Walt Michael, Founder & Executive Director “You owe it to yourself to attend one of the sessions… Common Ground on the Hill is a cornucopia of artistic expression.” ~ Baltimore Sun As a student during the 1960’s at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), Walt went to Appalachia with the Student Opportunities Service to participate in community action work and traveled to parts of the Deep South to work in voter registration campaigns. While working with America’s poor and disenfranchised, he encountered the beauty and power of traditional music. For forty years, Walt has led a variety of ensembles, performing throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He returned to his alma mater in 1994 to found Common Ground on the Hill. As Executive Director, Walt leads Common Ground on the Hill toward its stated goal of seeking racial and cultural harmony through the arts. Welcome 1 Contents 18th Annual Common Ground on the Hill Overview ............................................. 3 Workshops and Events ......................................................................................................... 3 Common Ground on the Hill Festival .................................................................................... 3 Common Ground on Seminary Ridge .................................................................................... 3 Deer Creek Fiddlers’ Convention ........................................................................................... 3 2012–2013 Concert Series ................................................................................................... 3 General Information ................................................................................................. 4 The Common Ground on the Hill “Village” ............................................................. 6 Board of Directors ................................................................................................................. 6 Directors Emeriti .................................................................................................................... 6 Advisory Board ...................................................................................................................... 6 With a Little Help From Our Friends ..................................................................................... 7 Staff ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Traditions Week 1 ..................................................................................................... 8 List of Classes and Events by Category ............................................................................... 8 Special Gatherings ................................................................................................................ 9 Distinctive Lecture Series ..................................................................................................... 9 Class Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 12 Traditions Week 2 .................................................................................................. 32 List of Classes and Events by Category ............................................................................. 32 Special Gatherings .............................................................................................................. 33 Distinctive Lecture Series ................................................................................................... 33 Class Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 35 Schedule-At-A-Glance ........................................................................................... 54 Instructors, Artists, Staff & Festival Headliners .................................................. 56 Registration Forms: Traditions Weeks ................................................................. 74 Registration Forms: Common Ground on Seminary Ridge ................................ 77 Common Ground Raffle ......................................................................................... 79 Volunteer Tribute .................................................................................................... 80 2012 Robert H. Chambers Award for Excellence in the Traditional Arts ........... 81 Evening Concerts and Events ............................................................................... 82 Photos: Pamela Zappardino, and individual artists/agents/participants; Walt Michael photo by Greg Mansfield; cover photos by Rob Caswell; Guy Davis photo by Richard Dowdy 2 2012 Common Ground on the Hill 18th Annual Common Ground on the Hill Overview 2012–2013 Concert Series: Westminster and Baltimore Common Ground on the Hill now produces two monthly concert series from September through April at two locations: Fridays at Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church in Baltimore and on Saturdays at the Carroll Arts Center Theater in Westminster, featuring nationally and internationally renowned traditional roots-based artists. See the color pages at the front of this catalog for details. The Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention ~ June 9th, 2012 Common Ground on the Hill produces the 40th Anniversary Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention on Saturday, June 9th, 2012, at the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center St., Westminster, MD. This venerable Maryland tradition brings together bluegrass, old-time and Celtic musicians and dancers who take part in competitions in a wide variety of categories. Shade tree music abounds, as do Maryland crafts and foodways. See the color pages at the back of this catalog for details, and consult www.CommonGroundOnTheHill.org Traditions Weeks I & II at McDaniel College Workshops & Events ~ July 1st—7th and July 9th—13th, 2012 Common Ground on the Hill offers two separate Traditions Weeks of courses, performances and activities. Participants generally choose to enroll in the full program for either one or both Weeks. Full-time enrollment entitles you to participate in all courses, activities and evening events throughout the week you are attending. If you live nearby and wish to commute, you may enroll part time in one or more courses offered each week and select individual evening events. Evening concerts and lectures are also open to the community. We encourage families to attend Common Ground on the Hill. During both Traditions Weeks there is an extensive youth curriculum, “World Village.” If you choose to enroll in the full residential program, you will arrive on Sunday afternoon (July 1st or 8th) at the McDaniel College campus in Westminster, Maryland. The late afternoon is then devoted to getting settled and meeting people. On both arrival evenings (July 1st or 8th) there is a Sunday supper and a short orientation meeting followed by informal gatherings. Both residential and commuter students should attend the orientation and are invited to enjoy the activities of the evening.