Friday, March 19, 2004
Family folk musician John McCutcheon, five-time Grammy nominee, to perform benefit concerts for Goshen College arts and athletics April 3
GOSHEN, Ind. -- The music of five-time Grammy nominee and folk musician John McCutcheon will benefit both young budding musicians and hard-working college athletes when he performs a benefit concert to support Goshen College athletics and the Acorn Music Project on April 3 in Sauder Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. he will also perform a benefit concert geared especially for children, also in Sauder Concert Hall.
Called the country's "most important hammer dulcimer player," McCutcheon blends song and story with humor and insight, displaying his talents on a half dozen different instruments. McCutcheon has emerged as one of the country's most respected and loved folksingers, and has been on the forefront of redefining "children's music" and introduced the concept of the "family album" to be loved by parents and children alike. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe and his 26 recordings have garnered every imaginable honor, including five Grammy nominations. His books and instructional materials have also introduced upcoming players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.
Even before graduating from Minnesota's St. John's University, this Wisconsin native literally "headed for the hills," forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches and square dance halls. McCutcheon's apprenticeships to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music passed on a love of not only homemade music, but a sense of community and rootedness. The result is music -- whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs -- with the profound mark of place, family and strength.
A Bay Area newspaper exclaimed, "The pithy insight of Will Rogers, the understated delivery of Garrison Keillor, the song leading ability of Pete Seeger and the virtuosity of an orchestra … John McCutcheon is a national folk treasure!" In addition to his usual circuit of major concert halls and theaters, John is equally at home in an elementary school auditorium, a festival stage or at a farm rally. He launched the first-ever joint tour of a Russian and an American folksinger with 1991's US-USSR Friendship Tour, playing to packed houses in both countries.
It is in live performance though that McCutcheon feels most at home -- bringing his music into the lives and homes of one of the broadest audiences any folk musician has ever enjoyed. People of every generation and background seem to feel at home in a concert hall when McCutcheon takes the stage, with what critics describe as "little feats of magic," "breathtaking in their ease and grace..." and "like a conversation with an illuminating old friend." In performance, McCutcheon combines the versatility, energy and sense of fun so evident on his recordings, with a magnetism that involves parents and children alike. Not satisfied being merely an entertainer, McCutcheon teaches his audiences how to make music themselves: in groups or all alone. And he weaves tales as modern fables, rich in history and universal in scope.
The Goshen College groups benefiting from the concert are the Acorn Music Project and the Athletic Department. The Acorn Music Project offers lessons in both piano and strings and encourages a broad number of children to participate in music through generous need-based scholarships funded by grant money and community support. The concert will help the Athletic Department provide scholarships for student athletes, host games and provide the equipment that the athletes need to compete. To learn more about the Goshen College athletic program, visit http://www.goleafs.net/.
Tickets for the evening concert are $15 general admission and $10 for seniors and students. Tickets for the afternoon children’s concert cost $8 general admission, $5 for seniors and students. For information about ticket availability, prices, reservations or more information, contact the Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mail joannp@goshen.edu.
Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values -- passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership -- prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," Kaplan's "Most Interesting Colleges" guide and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit https://www.goshen.edu/.
Editors: For more information, contact News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.
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