MCTA Happenings

MCTA to Host Grammy Award-Winning Lisa Gutkin in “Call in the Klezmorim” 

Frostburg State University’s Mountain City Traditional Arts will present Grammy Award-winning Lisa Gutkin in “Call in the Klezmorim” on Sunday, April 2, at 4 p.m. at 25 E. Main St. in Frostburg. The live entertainment is open to the public through general admission with a suggested donation of $15. 

In addition to the afternoon concert, musicians will offer a workshop at 1 p.m. providing a brief history of Klezmer music and exploring Klezmer rhythms. 

During the pandemic, klezmorim (klezmer musicians) all over the world did online forums, festivals, videos and classes. In Brooklyn, N.Y., they held concerts on porches and stoops and had sessions in Prospect Park. A native New Yorker, Gutkin was deeply moved by how the community gathered despite the necessary distancing. 

“Call in the Klezmorim” – a name that was inspired by the song “Klezmorimlekh mayne libinke” (“Beloved Klezmorim, My Dear Ones”) – grew from that feeling of camaraderie. It is Gutkin’s invocation for musicians to gather and an opportunity for her to showcase some of the finest Klezmer players and composers. 

Featured in the MCTA concert are Gutkin, a longtime member of the Grammy Award-winning Klezmatics, on violin and vocals; Ilya Shneyveys on accordion and bass; Matt Darriau on clarinet and kaval; and Pete Rushefsky on tsimbl, the Eastern European hammered dulcimer. They will play traditional and original songs, freylekhn (dance tunes), doyne (mournful improvisatory pieces) and dobriden (tunes for greeting wedding guests), as well as share stories about their experiences. 

This event is supported by funding from the Maryland State Arts Council. MCTA is a program of FSU in partnership with the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. 

For more information, call 301-687-8040 or email Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas at krogersthomas@frostburg.edu.  

FSU is following CDC guidance based on current area conditions. For current health and safety guidelines visit www.frostburg.edu/COVID19.  

FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-3105 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.