Students and faculty of Berklee College of Music put on a tremendous showcase for Berklee’s 40th International Folk Festival. Walking into the Berklee Performance Center, there was an air of excitement. Students were seen through the windows meticulously practicing as the entrance hall buzzed with speculation of what was to come.
Berklee’s Annual International Folk Festival is a series of student and faculty performances aimed at celebrating different music traditions of the world. In the fall, students can apply to lead a group representing a country or a region to showcase its culture through music. When the festival started in 1986, there were only eight groups that applied, and all eight were accepted. Now, dozens of students audition for the opportunity to share their culture with their greater community.
As the lights went down, the crowd hushed with anticipation. The first group, representing Peru and the Andes soon took the stage. The crowd cheered and the show began. The two soloists playing the charango and the guitar jumped into their performance, their smiles growing wider as they got into their groove. By the end of their first song, they were joined by a chorus of other students. The group began to sing together, creating an energetic and uplifting atmosphere as students swayed and danced on stage. When the final note rang out, the audience cheered in celebration of an excellent performance. The stage was officially set for the night.
Throughout the evening students played music from China, Iran, Appalachia, India, France, the Levant, the Balkans, and Mexico. But the highlight of the evening was the Suku traditional rhythm from Mali, an improvised solo led by faculty member Moussa Traore on the Djembe. Traore embodied the true meaning of an event like this: the sharing of cultures and the connection between people. The rhythm of his song was fluid, fast paced, and engaging. Heads moved, feet tapped, and hearts changed. In the middle of Traore’s performance, he added a vocalization, and encouraged the audience to repeat it back to him. While his efforts were well intentioned, the audience could have used a few more singing lessons. Nevertheless, Traore still continued to try and engage with the audience, even though they were woefully off beat. Still, he laughed and continued on with his drum solo. The crowd joyfully joined in, laughing at their own ineptitude. As the room filled with laughter, a warmth of genuine connection between artist and audience was created as they created new music together.
Folk music may sound different depending on what region of the world it originated, but it all shares the same goal: to portray love, grief, joy, and, most importantly, connection. 40 years later, Berklee’s festival still holds true to celebrating intercultural connection and the celebration of its community.