2011 Dick Crum/Kef Scholarship Recipients
The fruits of your generous donations...
Mendocino:- Michelle Alany
- Meadow Bell
- Darren Johnston
- Scott Kehoe
- Hila Lenz
- Naphtali (Talia) McGill
- Sara Wright
From our scholarship recipients:
topMichelle Alany
Photo: Roy Moore
Location: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Freelance musician (and sometimes I even get paid!)
Connection to Balkan music/dance: Balkan music is an integral part of my life. I play in several bands that perform Balkan music, both traditional songs and original songs that draw from the rich and diverse Balkan tradition. (Nefesh; The Inheritance)
This summer I had the honor of playing for established folk dance groups, including Austin International Folk Dancing and groups in Santa Fe and Palo Alto, during a West Coast tour with The Inheritance on our way to Balkan camp.
I am constantly humbled and deeply inspired by the songs I come across in my research of the music. One of my goals is to use captivating musical force to bring Balkan music into the mainstream. With the bands I play with, I often perform in non-folk music venues for people to hear music that they often tell me they have never heard (or even heard of) before.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my second time at camp, though the first was back in 2007.
Experience at Balkan camp: I was completely touched by the final performances and several specific events during the final day at camp, with so many experiences throughout the camp culminating on, and hugely fueling the impact of, the last full day.
I somehow made it to breakfast for the first time since early in the week, and as a fly on the wall, I caught a special vocal class with masterful and articulate Michele Simon. Then I remember vividly our frenzied half-hour sessions (Beth Cohen, of course, managing to suspend my sense of time even when it's truncated) where we scurried through pieces with a feeling of nostalgia.
When we finally made it to the point where we were sitting as a group in the woods, I couldn't help but be wowed and delighted. It was the first time so many of us were all in one place collectively, outdoors, not dancing, not loudly merrymaking, but simply and quietly observing our teachers and peers with curious, happy enchantment.
I looked throughout the group, wishing I could snake through the crowd and spend just a little more time sitting with all the new friends I had made, and catching up on meeting the new friends I didn't even have time to meet. How the young singers gave us a wonderful example of joy and excellence in their singing and involvement, and the beginning classes were so serious and focused we couldn't help but hang on every note. It was so special having that space to be omniscient, to finally have a full-spectrum taste of the marvelous buffet of music that we all knew was going on around us constantly, simultaneously.
This was carried out in the dance hall to a thrilling extent—watcher, player and dancer an inseparable force of receptive energies. Thanks to you all for becoming a true catalyst for good in my life through your love of music and community.
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Meadow Bell
Location: Arcata, Calif.
Occupation: I am a newly credentialed music teacher and just landed my first public school music teaching job at an elementary and middle school. I also teach voice lessons, conduct a church choir and teach musical theater classes to kids.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I sing and play a variety of instruments in the international folk band Chubritza.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my first year at camp, the first of many.
Experience at Balkan camp: I have to say first that this camp was truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Between unbelievably talented staff/performers, a strong community built on trust and respect, the feeling of acceptance regardless of experience or talent, the stunning scenery (despite, or perhaps enhanced by the rain) and the amazing food that miraculously appeared four times a day, I spent the week feeling absolutely spoiled.
A few moments/experiences stand out for me:
The feeling of being in a dance line snaking through the hall, looking down at hundreds of feet moving in sync and catching smiles from across the room.
Two mustached beauties polkaing together, each with arms wrapped around the other playing the accordion strapped to her partner's back.
A cappella singing in Tzvetanka's class . . . I closed my eyes and felt like everything was buzzing with magic, that we were all somehow transported to some other time or place.
The delightful energy and vibrancy felt while performing with the Albanian ensemble . . . accordions and instrumental ensemble playing with incredible energy . . . those of us from the singing class literally jumping up and down to the music with Merita (one of the best performers in the world!) while the hand drum players performed adorable choreography.
Finding myself night after night in the mustache-laden kafana, dimly lit by Christmas lights, charming and cozy, with absolutely unbelievable musicians performing until well into the morning hours. Inevitably I would find myself thinking that this all must be some sort of a dream.
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Kyle Brennis
Location: Boulder, Colo.
Occupation: I am currently spending my days working on a small permaculture plot and as a director for the local office of an environmental non-profit, Environment Colorado.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I sing with a local group, Planina, learning and performing Eastern European folk songs, and I play trumpet on the street in Boulder.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This year was my first time ever coming to camp, and I will return for many, many years. I hope to come back next year on a work-trade basis.
Experience at Balkan camp: I was absolutely touched by Valeri Georgiev’s attentive teaching style in his beginning kaval class. I've never met a musician who would so patiently and passionately teach a group of beginning musicians who couldn’t make a note, and then, with real enthusiasm, regularly stay after the class was over to get more time in, teaching basics
I remember one time during our last class he said that, when he came to the States, he thought that there would be no outlet for him to play kaval, and that it made him enormously happy not just to be playing the kaval (with Lyuti Chushki) but sharing and spreading appreciation of it. Behind his cool demeanor, he really communicated a deep passion for the instrument through a short series of classes, and that will stay with me.
Thank you so much for the gracious introduction to this beautiful EEFC subculture!
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Lizzy Dargie
Location: Somerville, Mass.
Occupation: I work at an art supply store and the Symphony Hall gift shop, and am a studio assistant to a printmaker.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I attend various dances in and around Cambridge, Mass.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my second year at camp.
Experience at Balkan camp: One of the most memorable experiences of camp this year was the Čoček Nation performance at the Student Concert dance party. Performing with all the groups I was a part of at camp was fun, but this performance really stuck out. We were on first and a little concerned—it being the end of camp and knowing people wanted to rest up for the last kafana—that the dance hall would not fill up. We really wanted to get people up and dancing, and to do that you need people. To my surprise it seemed like the whole camp showed up to watch us perform. And our plan worked; people danced the entire time. The amount of support I felt from not just the proud parents but from everyone there is unparalleled by any other experience I've had. These kids are incredible musicians and are so lucky to have a supportive environment in which to grow. I feel lucky to be a part of that same environment and be welcomed into their band to play with them. Since I'm the oldest I thought maybe they'd be embarrassed to have an old-timer playing with them. But I look forward the two years left I have of being under the "kid" age limit and feel honored to play with these talented musicians.
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Ellen Jacobs
Location: Ellicott City, Md.
Occupation: I do two things: I teach violin and fiddling; and I am beginning a practice in sound healing and energy medicine.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I teach the tunes to my students, and they love learning the music. Both teacher and students are very happy to include the Balkan music in the repertoire. The kids enjoy working with the different rhythms and modes. I also very much love dancing, and look forward to getting back to Larry Weiner’s Friday night dancing and/or the Columbia International Folkdancers when my work schedule permits.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my first time at camp.
Experience at Balkan camp: When the sun came out, there was a Greek music party on the porch of one of the cabins. (Thank you, Sanna!) People wandered by and stayed, and the group grew larger as time went on. The combination of great tunes and songs and people dancing on the grass in the sunshine was such a joy. It was especially fun for me since I spent my afternoons in Greek violin and Greek ensemble classes, and wandering over to a party completed that world in a delightful way.
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Lysander Jaffe
Location: From Conway, Mass.; currently in Durham, U.K.
Occupation: Studying music, languages and history at the University of Durham, U.K.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: Here at Durham I perform Balkan music on solo violin, and I have also explored it in the context of ethnomusicology classes. When I'm home I play at dances with Panharmonium in Amherst, MA, and Xopo in Brattleboro, VT. I also teach Balkan songs and dances to my brother's world music choir and to a friend who does wonderful work with a children's choir in the area, and who first introduced me to Balkan music when I sang in that choir myself.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my first year at camp.
Experience at Balkan camp: The atmosphere of Balkan camp was probably the most amazing thing about it; being surrounded by so many passionate musicians and dancers really made it for me. Every night after dinner people would gather on our cabin porch and jam. It was a great atmosphere in which to make music: totally relaxed and open-minded, but also engaging and intense. I learned so many new tunes and got to play in all kinds of instrumental configurations and musical forms. The last couple of nights, a big group of us stayed after the kafana and literally played until the sun came up, joined by lots of singers and dancers. It was loud, raucous and all-inclusive and some amazing improvisation came out of it. I eventually left the kafana with a feeling of euphoria that lasted throughout the day, despite my lack of sleep.
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Darren Johnston
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Occupation: I’m a professional trumpet player, composer and music educator.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I play in Brass Menažeri, a Balkan brass band. Beyond this, my continually growing interest in Balkan music has affected my own playing and composing in ways that are both overt and less immediately tangible. The desire to move my focus away from concert music and more toward dance music in general is directly a result from my exposure to Balkan music and dance.
Number of times at Balkan camp: First time!
Experience at Balkan camp: I think for a lot of people, myself included, the moment when the Govetas family held a funeral for the fallen violin and collected donations for a replacement instrument was a definite camp highlight. The generosity and sense of community that had been present all week was in full bloom in that moment. Beyond that, just about every moment was precious to me. The dancing together at night, the world-class concerts, the new friendships, the delicious food, and the total immersion in Balkan music and dance all helped to create an amazing, life-altering weeklong experience.
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Scott Kehoe
Location: Fort Collins, Colo.
Occupation: I am going to school for Geographic Information Systems.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I play saxophone with Gora Gora Orkestar, a Balkans-and-beyond brass band based out of Boulder, Colo.; I folk dance in Fort Collins occasionally; and I am learning to play Turkish classical music on oud. I am playing clarinet and contributing music to a dance company called Delusions of Grandeur. We are using Balkan music and "Balkanizing" other types of music for a contemporary ballet performance. I also compose music influenced by music from the Balkans and Turkey.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my third year at camp.
Experience at Balkan camp: I really enjoyed making friends and getting to know people better. I am always awestruck by the beauty of the redwoods and amazed by the music that happens at camp.
I met some new friends this year, and after camp their band came on tour to Colorado. Most everyone who went to camp came out to see them play. It was like a little camp reunion back in Colorado, which is funny because camp is like a reunion of people from all over who like Balkan music. That just shows how important camp is to so many people. I’m always amazed how you can make friends in only a week.
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Hila Lenz
photo: Simon Bernstein
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Occupation: I'm a student of Middle East Studies at the University of Washington. That means I do lots of temporary work, including assistant teaching at the university and professional singing.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I've been in Dunava, Seattle's wonderful Balkan women's choir, since it was founded in 2005.
Number of times at Balkan camp: First time.
Experience at Balkan camp: I was impressed by the strong sense of community at camp. During the rain, everyone rallied to make things work, volunteering their cabins for the outdoor classes and taking in people who didn't have dry places to sleep. The reaction to the loss of Mirabai's violin showed how caring the community is—the violin funeral was such a touching and creative way to commemorate the loss and to raise money toward a new instrument. Early on I was frustrated because I was too sick to use my voice and was trying to play a stringed instrument for the first time in Ivanka's beginning gudulka class. Other campers were very encouraging, particularly gudulka players like Joyce, Mac and Dennis, and of course Ivanka, who was lovely and patient. I felt lucky to be in such an accepting community, and am grateful to the EEFC for giving me the chance to attend camp.
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Naphtali (Talia) McGill
Location: Bellingham and Seattle, Wash.
Occupation: I am an independent music teacher.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I sing with Kafana Republik, a newly formed band with Michael Lawson, Steve Ramsey, Ahmad Yousefbeigi and Peter Lippman. I also attend several Balkan dance events and classes each month and recently taught introductory classes on Bulgarian dance at a heritage camp for youth.
Number of times at Balkan camp: After talking about wanting to attend Mendocino Balkan camp for eight years I finally did for the first time this year! I am definitely planning on returning.
Experience at Balkan camp: Steve Ramsey once described Mendocino Balkan camp to me as a “Balkan Brigadoon, rising from the redwood forest once a year.” I arrived in the early afternoon on Saturday to a typical camp scene of registration, setup, cabins, orientation, etc. But on Sunday morning a sense of spirit or atmosphere had changed the environment and we had become members of an Eastern European village. What had been a group of individuals with shared interests became a community.
Thank you to EEFC and those who contribute to the scholarships to make it possible for people like me to participate in this special experience.
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Willa Roberts
Location: I'm currently living in Brooklyn, N.Y. I'm originally from Chimayo, N.M.
Occupation: I work as a plant-care technician (I take care of plants in office buildings and private residences in NYC) four days a week. The rest of the time, I sing and play in a bunch of bands!
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I perform regularly in a number of bands, including Black Sea Hotel (Balkan a cappella trio); Beyaz Band (Turkish folk and classical music); Baharat (bellydance band), the New York Arabic Orchestra; the Ukrainian Women's Choir, and Brazda Balkan Band. Additional groups include Gamelan Dharma Swara (Balinese orchestra) and Escalators (avant-garde noisy rock band).
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my fourth time at camp. I've been attending intermittently since 2003!
Experience at Balkan camp: I first began singing and playing music of the Balkans and the Middle East in Polly Tapia Ferber's class ensemble at College of Santa Fe years ago. I credit her and Paul Brown (who also helped teach the ensemble) with opening the doors of this wonderful music to me. This year at East Coast camp I was delighted to discover that I was one of several attendees who were from New Mexico, some of whom I knew better than others, all of whom have in one way or another been touched by Polly's influence, and all of whom are deeply involved with this music. Together we managed to cull some songs together with which, on the last day during the lamb roast, we serenaded Polly and Paul.
It was a very moving experience for me, and for all of us (there were definitely some tears) to be able to come together like this to demonstrate our gratitude. As I stood singing for my original mentor with these beautiful people, I recognized once again just how far one person's passion and dedication to an art form can go in the world, and how much the sharing of one's knowledge can influence others in a most meaningful way.
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Sara Wright
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Occupation: Currently I am working at Great Harvest and I am a full-time student at the University of Utah.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I have grown up around Balkan music. My parents met each other in a performing folk dance group called Živio. I have been to monthly folk dance parties since I was tiny. Now, 20 years later, I am the general director of Živio. Živio Ethnic Arts Ensemble consists of our band and dance group. We perform during the summer and this summer we performed at Arts Festival, Rock Springs International Day Festival, The Children’s Museum and the Farmers' Market.
Number of times at Balkan camp: This was actually not my first time at Balkan camp but it was the first time that I can remember. My mom took me to Balkan camp when I was three and the only memories I have of that trip are dancing in a meadow and climbing a tree.
Experience at Balkan camp: Balkan camp was a week of heaven for me. The night the gajdas played was such an incredible moment. Listening to them play was so hypnotic I could just slip into another world. I loved seeing everyone crammed into the dance hall holding hands and singing. I loved that we sang for over 20 minutes and I could completely lose myself in the music. I actually had a friend poke me and ask if I was okay. I was more than okay; I was just enjoying being there.
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Petia Zamfirova
photo: Steve Ladner
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.
Occupation: When I am not doing something music- or dance-related, I am most likely taking care of your beloved pets.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I came to Balkan camp along with members of the Eastern European Vocal Ensemble Svitanya, from Philadelphia, PA. Growing up in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, I was inevitably exposed to the quirky rhythms of the Balkans. However, I wasn’t actively involved with the creation and performance of this type of music until my graduation from college four years ago, when I met the talented women of Svitanya. At the time of my first audition, I was unsure whether I was still in the outskirts of Philly or in a tiny Bulgarian village with them! I was ecstatic at what I had discovered! Svitanya allowed me to see what an active scene for Balkan folk music Philadelphia, as well as the East Coast, had, and I quickly found ways to be more and more involved. I began singing with the West Philadelphia Orchestra, an energetic 10-piece brass band bringing in popular music from Serbia, Romania, Macedonia and Bulgaria. And I picked up the accordion—woo-hoo!
Number of times at Balkan camp: I attended the Iroquois Springs Balkan camp last year for the very first time, and stayed only for the first three days, which was enough to get me completely mesmerized.
Experience at Balkan camp: Considering that my main mission at Camp 2011 was to soak up every dance step that Nina Kavardjikova showed us and be a part of Raif Hyseni’s infamous Albanian-American mammoth orchestra, it was a surprise to me that one of the most memorable moments was . . . my solo during the final performance of Souren Baronian’s improvisation class. I had never in my life soloed before—but what a better, more welcoming place for a first-time solo than Balkan camp! I hesitated for a split second, and then I saw Souren nodding encouragingly and then I knew that if the world began falling apart around my solo, his genius would be there to save it. But that didn’t happen and everyone’s response during and after was so enthusiastic and supportive! Thank you, guys! That must have been some sort of inspiring experience, because I haven’t put down the accordion since!
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