Karen Celia, a longtime resident of San Francisco, has a thriving practice playing and teaching American Old~Time music on fiddle and guitar, and performing locally, nationally and internationally. Karen also teaches at camps and festivals, holds classes locally, and teaches private lessons.
Well, that's what was happening before the pandemic!!! I and my musical pals did perform online here and there, I did a workshop online for the Portland Festival, and my lessons went onto Zoom. The Square Dance, and fiddle classes are not happening for the time being. Check the schedule page for some local, outdoor performances that are coming up.
More about Karen on the teaching page.
This is a statement regarding the musical traditions that I, and my musical community, are a part of:
As appreciators and players of early American traditional music, we actively question what it means to share this music in the context of systemic racism.
My community is engaging and learning about the immense contributions of Black and Indigenous musicians to this music, in the past and in the present.
It would not exist without them.
We acknowledge the forces that have historically denied these contributions and that have worked to sever their living connections to this music. We also acknowledge our own complicity in this oppression. As we play this music, we are reckoning with our history and present condition. We strive to build a road toward reparation.
Here is a link to the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention website; look for our ongoing work, and plans for the future.
