How Did THREE YEARS Go By So SOON?
- Geoff Bennett Speer
As you all know, Richmond, Virginia, was
given the indisputable honor of hosting the 67th, 68th and 69th National Folk Festivals. We had
a fantastic run. People from all over the region came and participated year after year, setting new attendance records
and making the National Folk Festival one of Richmond's BIGGEST public events ever.
Lovers of Eastern European, Balkan and
Near Eastern music were especially lucky to see once-in-a-lifetime acts that otherwise never might have come to Richmond:
Bulgarian wedding music masters Yuri Yunakov and Ivo Papasov, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All Stars, Lebanese oud maestro Richard Hagopian,
Croatian-American Jerry Grcevich and his Tamburitza Orchestra, and the
gifted and generous-hearted Sephardic Bosnian singer and musical conservationist Flory Jagoda.
We met and hung out and had great conversations with these incredible musicians; we clapped until our hands were numb and
danced until our feet bled. I was very proud and moved to see thousands of Richmonders take a chance and welcome into their
ears and hearts styles of music that were totally unfamiliar to many of them.
Now, as per tradition, the Festival is moving on to another host city. I wish Butte,
Montana, all the good music, good times and good luck that Richmond experienced during our all-too-brief time. Now the
question arises: Will the concertgoers, musicians, volunteers and sponsors of
Central Virginia seize this forward momentum and build a successful RICHMOND FOLK FESTIVAL on the
foundations laid by the National Folk Festival? Can we drive a stake into the poisoned
heart of the all too typical political bickering, disorganization, financial mishaps, apathy and naysaying that have cursed
so many other cultural and creative endeavors in this city?
BALKANIZE! will do its best to do its part; we'll promote
the festival whenever and wherever possible, and we're asking that YOU do whatever you can do, too. Consider volunteering
for the festival ... support the sponsors who make it all possible ... find out who's running the show and make
your ideas and opinions known ... promote and advertise the festival to your friends and family around the region ... and
make sure that your City Council representatives understand that this is something powerful and positive that we can't afford
to lose! BREAK THE CURSE! KEEP THE MUSIC GOING!
