JM International (JMI) and The North Carolina Folk Festival announce a new partnership to bring the popular international musical exchange program, Ethno USA, to the North Carolina Folk Festival in Greensboro this Fall.
Ethno USA 2023 will welcome approximately 40 musicians from around the world (between the ages of 21-30 years old) along with 5 artistic mentors for a 12-day residency where the group will create a repertoire of songs from around the world played by a very unique Ethno orchestra.
Ethno USA will also be inviting guest mentors Billy Two Rivers and Phil Wiggins, who will be visiting us on site and sharing their traditional knowledge and music with the Ethno USA ensemble.
Participating musicians will get to experience a vast diversity of musical traditions both from the U.S. and other parts of the world. Between 12-16 songs will be shared from different countries and cultures. Participants bring with them a tune or piece of music which they teach to the other participants during the 12-day residency, creating a vibrant repertoire to be performed on stage.
All teaching at Ethno is peer-led and collaborative. Besides the formal workshops, there will be plenty of opportunities to share music, traditions and jam with each other. The residency will culminate in three performances for the public that will showcase traditional, original and newly-arranged songs created during the residency.
Ethno USA’s public performances will take place on Thursday, September 7 (location TBA), and at the NC Folk Festival mainstage on Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9.
How to Apply
Applicants should apply online via the application form. Scholarships are available for candidates that cannot afford the travel or participation fee (USD 318). Detailed information on Ethno USA is given in the Ethno USA brochure.
