2024 Young Tradition Festival Highlights
The 19th annual Young Tradition Festival took place May 10-12, 2024, in Burlington. This year’s festival featured extraordinary performances, community outreach, and celebrations of youth involvement in traditional music and dance.
Friday’s events began with bringing music out into the community: In the afternoon Himalayan Dreams performed at Burlington’s Integrated Arts Academy, alongside Brian Perkins and his “Sarangi Club.” Brian is a longtime participant in Vermont Folklife’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program. He has been both an apprentice learning the sarangi from Himalayan Dreams band member Shyam Nepali, as well as a teacher, passing along his learning to local youth.
Friday afternoon also saw a performance by Sarah King and Judson Kimble, along with some of Sarah’s Fiddleheads students, at Burlington’s Converse Home.
The Friday evening concert was a fabulous show at Contois Auditorium by Himalayan Dreams: Shyam Nepali (Sarangi & Vocal), Pramod Upadhya (Percussions-Tabla & Madal), Ranjan Budathoki (Bamboo Flute), Tilak Shrestha (Vocal & Effects), Sushil Gautam (Author, Percussions, Mouth Harp & Effects)
Saturday morning we set up at the Burlington Farmers Market for our Student/Mentor Showcase. Nice groups performed from a wide range of musical traditions to an audience of market goers. This was our first time holding the Showcase at the Farmers Market, and it was a smashing success. Many thanks to the market staff for making it possible.
While the Showcase was underway, the Young Tradition Touring Group was busy rehearsing with artist leaders Pascal Gemme and Véronique Plasse. During the Saturday evening concert, the Touring Group performed in the first half, alongside Nicholas Williams’ Trad Band, another group of talented young musicians. In the second half, Genticorum took the stage, and at the end of the night, members of all three groups joined together for a final song.
Sunday morning musicians gathered in radiating circles on the auditorium floor (“like the peels of an onion” in the words of Pascal Gemme) for a family-friend jam. session.
The festival concluded Sunday afternoon with a family contra dance, lead by Luke Donforth, and covered on the local news.
