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Reprinted from The Mountain Messenger
April 4, 2009
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Pocahontas Music, established two years ago and operated by two volunteers, Founder Lucinda Tyler and Teacher Lois Airgood, was awarded a grant of $16,885 by the West Virginia Humanities Council along with funds from the community: Pocahontas County Drama, Fairs & Festivals; Pocahontas County Convention & Visitors Bureau; and The Pocahontas County Arts Council in support of "Teaching the Origin of Appalachia Music through a 4-month Workshop." The Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation is the Sponsoring Organization for this grant.
It is hoped that this experience will enable Pocahontas Music, Hillsboro Elementary’s 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, to reach new audiences and to inform the community about the success these students are having learning about their Appalachian roots both lyrically and musically. The process will inspire the students to further understandings and collaborations.
West Virginian musicians Kate Long and Robin Kessinger are the Honorarians conducting the workshop. In tandum they want to help the students be links in a chain of traditional songwriters. Long, widely acclaimed for her singing, song writing and music workshops, is working with the students to develop their own songs about their heritage specifically here in Pocahontas County. She herself has done a lot of local research and is imparting that information to the students who in turn are bringing to the classroom stories from their elders. Collaboration in writing these songs has already begun.
Kessinger, an award winning flat-picking guitar player, is carefully bringing the students to a level of guitar playing that is both satisfying and inspiring. They are learning not only the chords to play on the guitar, but also how to sing and play at the same time and together in unison.
Local musicians are also doing their part in the workshop. Recently visited were string instrument teacher Alan Duchess and Marlinton store owner and guitar player Terry Richardson. Scheduled to appear are the Hefner family, guitar playing and harmony singers and Board of Ed Curriculum Advisor and dulcimer player Maria Busic.
Also scheduled to participate is another Honoraria, West Virginia Poet Kirk Judd. He will work with the students on their verse, prose and collaborations.
The climax of the workshop will be a demonstration May 8 in the early evening on the Great Lawn of the Pearl Buck House to share with the community what they have learned about their rich heritage through their workshop of music, lyrics, prose and collaboration. Honorarians Long, Kessinger and Judd will accompany the students as well as those local musicians who participated in the workshop.
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