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Swanky Kitchen Band: Guardians of Caymanian kitchen-band music

Last summer CCV Executive Director Jon Lohman met a gifted fiddler named Samuel Rose at the 87th annual Galax Old Time Fiddler’s Convention, a much beloved musical gathering that he regularly attended during his time as Virginia State Folklorist. Meeting new fiddlers at the world’s longest running fiddlers’ convention is…...

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What a Year! Striving for Empathy, Understanding, and Heart in 2023

As 2023 winds down, we want to take a moment to reflect on our year here at the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. We believe that the folk and traditional arts are not simply pleasurable diversions but at the very heart of how individuals express their connection to community, identity, and…...

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Africa to Appalachia to the Emerald Isle

What an amazing time we had in Ireland! CCV returned to the Clifden Arts Festival in beautiful Connemara, this time accompanying From Africa to Appalachia, a musical project that delves into the historical connections between West African and Appalachian music. The project featured renowned Malian n’goni master and griot Cheick Hamala…...

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Stellar lineup at the 2023 Richmond Folk Festival

The Richmond Folk Festival is in the DNA of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. This FREE Festival is one of Virginia’s largest, drawing fans each year to downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness, and variety of culture through music, dance, traditional crafts, and food. Featuring six stages and…...

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Khayaal: teaching to heal mind and spirit

Early this summer, we supported the launch of a new, transformative project in Lahore, Pakistan. “Healing Khayaal” follows the preeminent family of an ancient Islamic traditional musical practice as they engage with a cohort of apprentices to continue their practice and explore how traditional music and teaching methods can heal…...

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Healing Khayaal: the music of Ustadh Naseer-ud-din Saami

We are over the moon excited about our next project, which just launched in Lahore, Pakistan. Healing Khayaal centers around the work of Pakistani vocalist and spiritual teacher Ustadh Naseer-ud-din Saami, the living master of khayaal, who traces his lineage back to the foundation of the now-rare 49-note scale in…...

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