This fall, the Family Folk Machine will begin a project called “Dreaming Iowa.”
We’ll be exploring stories and songs from Iowa’s past and reflecting on what we want for our state in the future. Throughout our two semesters, we’ll sing traditional music that represents some of the groups of people who lived in Iowa 100 years ago. We’ll sing some brand-new songs written for this project and we’ll sing other folk music that supports our theme. We’ll consider questions of belonging, we’ll sing about the experiences of immigrants, we’ll sing about present-day Iowa City, and we’ll even sing about the act of looking for the voices of the past.
There are notable moments to be proud of in Iowa’s history. It’s helpful to remind ourselves of these moments from time to time, and to make sure that children and newcomers to Iowa learn about them. I was already living in Iowa when our state was one of the first to pass a law recognizing the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry. But I only recently learned that the oldest extant mosque in the U.S. is the Mother Mosque in Cedar Rapids. And did you know that Iowa was the first state to legally desegregate its public schools (in 1868), due to the actions of Muscatine entrepreneur, Union solider, and civil rights activist Alexander Clark on behalf of his daughter, Susan? You can read that story and many others on the Our Iowa Heritage website, a project of Iowa City-based historian Marty Boller.
The Family Folk Machine welcomes new singers each August and January as we’re starting new sessions, and people of all backgrounds and levels of musical experience are welcome. The Machine is a place where expert musicians and those who have never sung with other people before come together and make something good while benefiting from each other’s company. Rehearsals begin at 2 p.m. on Aug. 17, at the Iowa City Senior Center, with an orientation for newcomers at 1 p.m.
With an eye on Iowa’s past, we’re going to enjoy some special events this fall. Marc Janssen will offer an old-time jam class for those who play instruments, and we’ll look forward to participating in the Longfellow Front Porch Music Festival at the end of September. As part of Nicole Upchurch’s curriculum for the FFM kids, she and Craig Klocke will lead the kids in an instrument-building session. All these activities resonate with the old-time music vibe of making music wherever you are, with whatever resources you have on hand.
The first installment of “Dreaming Iowa” will be performed at 3 p.m., Nov. 9, at the Englert Theatre, with the second half coming in May. We’re excited to feature a couple of guest artists in November, stay tuned. If you’d like more information or would like to join our mailing list, get in touch through Facebook or by dropping a note to jean@familyfolkmachine.org.
Jean Littlejohn is the Artistic and Executive Director of the Family Folk Machine and Director of Music at Trinity Episcopal Church. She lives in Iowa City with her husband Michael Sauder and kids Sebastian and Ben. For more information on the Family Folk Machine, including how to join, visit www.familyfolkmachine.org.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Family Folk Machine: Dreaming Iowa | Music Column
Reporting by Jean Littlejohn / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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