Augusta Heritage Center

The Chris Miller Band sound checking for Augusta concert 2024

The soundcheck is underway for the first Augusta concert of July 2024. It’s going to be an incredible show, including this spooky awesome number from Chris Miller with John Vidrine, Amelia Biere and Gina Forsyth. Tuesday, July 9, 7:30 pm. Harper McNeeley Auditorium at D&E.

Cajun and Creole Week at the Augusta Heritage Center!

Take a look at this slice of awesomeness at Cajun and Creole Week! Students of “open fire cooking” learn traditional Cajun cooking from Louisiana’s own Greg and Michelle brown while music students and instructors jam on some killer Cajun tunes. Come check out the dances happening every night and the concerts on Tuesday and Thursday! July 7-12, 2024

The music is hot and the dance moves are too! Last year's Honky-Tonk dance during Classic Country Week was incredible. See you on the dance floor. augustaartsandculture.org #augustaheritage #elkinswv #honky-tonk #dance

Throwback Thursday! What an amazing porch jam from last year's Cajun week. There's more where that came from - Cajun & Creole Week starts next month! More info at augustaartsandculture.org/2024-programs. #augustaheritage #elkinswv #cajunmusic

Students of the Augusta Strings Program preform “Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down” at the Spring Concert.

This piece showcases an incredible 12 weeks of learning. Many students in this ensemble started “from scratch,” and had never picked up an instrument before starting the program. The Augusta Strings Program is instructed by Jesse Milnes (fiddle), Adam Casseday (banjo), Seth Maynard (guitar), and Allen Talbott (guitar). Support for the Augusta Strings Program comes from the Claude-Worthington Benedum Foundation and many contributors like you. Through this support, Augusta has purchased a class set of fiddles, guitars, and banjos. By providing an instrument and funding scholarships, we endeavor to eliminate barriers of access to learning traditional music. Experiences like this transform lives, and we are thankful to be able to achieve this work. Many thanks to The Arts Center, Elkins, West Virginia for the incredible performance venue.

The Voices of Augusta Children’s Choir sings “Po Moryu.” This traditional Ukrainian song celebrates nature and touches on several traditional Ukrainian themes.

This piece was a highlight of the Augusta’s children’s programs Spring concert last night. It was taught to the students by Ukrainian singing master Nadia Tarnawsky, who also conducted many school assemblies as a part of Augusta’s educational outreach initiative. The Voices of Augusta is under the direction of Olivia Perske and Kaitlin Exline. Support for the Voices of Augusta comes from the Claude-Worthington Benedum Foundation and many Augusta contributors like you. The educational outreach program in our area schools focuses on the joy of group singing and fosters an understanding of world traditions. That project is made possible with funding from Chorus America Many thanks to The Arts Center, Elkins, West Virginia for the incredible performance venue.

Augusta Heritage Center - Spring Sing Sunday Morning Gospel Session

Ginny Hawker, Dudley Connell, Sally Love, Val Mindel, Flawn Williams, and Emily Miller lead the participants of the Augusta Heritage Center’s Spring Sing in a Sunday Morning Gospel Session at the Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge.

“Trios,” with Ginny Hawker, Val Mindel, and Emily Miller. This workshop is about creating a “buzz in the air” by singing three part harmonies. This is what it sounds like after an hour of vocal exploration. This workshop is part of Augusta’s Spring Sing at Blackwater Falls State Park.

Immerse yourself in a world of rich cultural experiences and artistic exploration with the Augusta Heritage Center's Summer Workshops! The online course catalog containing over 100 courses, is now available (link below). For over 50 years, the Augusta Heritage Center has been a trusted source of traditional arts education. This summer, join us to learn music, create art, and become part of our vibrant global community. Classes fill the days with inspiration, while evenings come alive with dances, concerts, jams, and celebrations. 📅 Mark your calendars for our exciting theme weeks held on the scenic campus of Davis & Elkins College: July 7-12, 2024: Cajun/Creole and Classic Country July 14-19, 2024: Bluegrass (2020 IBMA event of the year) and Vocal July 21-26, 2024: Old-Time, Blues, and Teen Week Craft classes and Folk Arts for Kids are offered every week, ensuring there's something for everyone. Plus, scholarships are available, making this extraordinary experience accessible to all! Don't miss out on this chance to be part of an unforgettable summer filled with creativity, connection, and cultural celebration. Visit https://augustaartsandculture.org/all-workshops-2024/ to explore the course catalog and secure your spot today!

We had an incredible time at the Augusta Irish Retreat at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge! During one of the cultural sessions, singers and instrumentalists alike joined in a traditional Ceili dance taught and called by Brenda Castles. Brenda, the cultural adviser for this event, comes over from Dublin each year to teach and lead tune and song sessions.

We welcomed Ginny Hawker to our Thursday Cultural Session during week three of the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops. Ginny sings and teaches songs from the Primitive Baptist church tradition. The songs are traditionally sung a capella, meaning without instrumental accompaniment. She told stories about singing old gospel songs with her family and recording with musicians including Kay Justice and Tracy Schwarz. Ginny told a story about meeting Hazel Dickens - it was Ginny's first time attending the Augusta Heritage Center workshops. Ginny felt uncomfortable at first as if she didn't belong, but Hazel encouraged her to participate and share the important singing tradition she carries on. Ginny uses Primitive Baptist songs when teaching people how to sing because she believes it's easier to learn. When she sings, she closes her eyes. She says, "Hold it for a minute and let the note ring." Ginny leads the audience in "Amazing Grace" followed by Hazel Dickens' "West Virginia My Home" with Emily Miller.

Folklorist, author, and musician Gerry Milnes gave a presentation about West Virginia old-time music during a week 3 Cultural Session at the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops. Gerry showed photos, told stories, and briefly described the lives of over sixty musicians he met while they were still living. He learned songs and tunes that he carries on today from these musicians. He explained that he either met them at festivals or, more often, he would hear about them and knock on their door to introduce himself and play music together. Gerry invited musicians to come up and perform West Virginia songs and tunes at the end of his presentation. Mike Miller, Emily Miller, Rachel Eddy, Chance McCoy, and Tessa McCoy all performed. In this video, Gerry Milnes and Mike Miller play William Sherman Holstine's "Cabin Creek" and Chance and Tessa McCoy play Clark Kessinger's "Durang's Hornpipe"

On Wednesday night during week 3 of the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops, an enormous jam fired up on the Halliehurst porch! Sunpie Barnes led the jam with many of the instructors of the workshops including Phil Wiggins and Bob Thompson. The music brought together both blues and old-time musicians who played late into the night! ✨Don't miss tonight's Blues and Old-Time Music Concert at the MCA Harper McNeely Auditorium at 7:30pm! A square dance featuring music from Tatiana Hargreaves & Allison de Groot will follow✨

The Augusta Heritage Center hosted a Blues & Old-Time music concert Tuesday night during their 2023 summer workshops. The line up was filled with fantastic performances by the week 3 instructors. Here are a couple of the most compelling moments from the show featuring Phil Wiggins and a surprise ensemble of musicians and dancers!

Thursday night's Bluegrass Extravaganza at the Augusta Heritage Center featured the best of the best from our bluegrass instructors. The musicians gathered together on the stage and formed ensembles for each performance. Here are a couple clips from the night: 1. "Shady Grove" performed by Brian Wicklund, Joe Newberry, Tammy Rogers, Tyler Grant, Lauren Price Napier, & Ira Gitlin 2. "Darcy Farrow" performed by Greg Blake, song written by Steve Gillette

Thursday's Cultural Session at week 2 of the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops featured a variety of very special musical guests! Béla Fleck performed new music for a packed room of Augusta workshop participants who were eager to hear his solo set! Across the campus, Annalee Koehn and Chuck Cox sang a few duets including "Pastures of Plenty." Dr. Kathy Bullock brought the audience together as a choir, singing "Say Say Yes" written by Melanie DeMore.

Wednesday's Cultural Session at the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops brought together the bluegrass staff featuring mandolins and fiddles! ✨See them tonight at our Bluegrass Extravaganza at 7:30 at the MCA Harper Mac Auditorium!✨ Alan Bibey, Lauren Price Napier, and John Seebach discussed the role of the mandolin in bluegrass music. They demonstrated Bill Monroe's style of playing and called attention to some of its identifiable techniques: downstrokes, emphasis on right hand rhythm, and solos and licks crafted out of the chop chord shape. Grant Flick, Tammy Rogers, and Brian Wicklund performed next and showcased many styles and techniques of playing the fiddle from bluegrass music to swing, blues, old-time, and much more. Ira Gitlin moderated the session and provided guitar accompaniment. Here, they are playing Bill Monroe's tunes "Old Dangerfield" and "Road to Columbus"

Tuesday night's concert was an absolute joy beginning with Dr. Kathy Bullock who opened with the gospel song "He Has Done Marvelous Things." She transformed the audience into a choir, which filled the auditorium in four-part harmony. Dr. Bullock is a Professor Emerita of Music from Berea College in Kentucky, educator, scholar, singer, accompanist, arranger and choral conductor who specializes in gospel music, spirituals and classical works by composers from the African diaspora. Abigail Washburn and surprise guest Béla Fleck closed out the concert with "Take Me to Harlan," an original song. They stunned the audience as Abigail clogged and sang simultaneously. Abigail came to the Augusta Heritage Center as a student in the early 2000s. Inspired by her experience, she credits Augusta as a turning point for her to become a professional musician. ✨See our Bluegrass Extravaganza on Thursday night at 7:30 at the MCA Harper Mac Auditorium!✨

During Tuesday's Cultural Session at the Augusta Heritage Center's 2023 summer workshops, Pat Broaders led everyone in singing "Green Grows the Laurel" played on a bouzouki with a guitar body. Abigail Washburn followed telling stories of China and the woman who taught her the song she performed, in English translated to "the sun has come out and we are so happy." Abigail came to the Augusta Heritage Center as a student in the early 2000s and reflected on her experience: "Augusta is a birthplace for me as a musician." Thank you Pat and Abigail for sharing your songs with us!