Aaron Jonah Lewis is a multi-instrumentalist with experience teaching all ages and skill levels. He is well versed in many styles, especially traditional American music: bluegrass, old time, ragtime, country, blues, jazz, etc.
br>One of his students wrote, "I enjoy his style and temperament. He's patient, knowledgeable and prepared with numerous skill building and developmental activities... He's a well-rounded folk musician who can help people at various stages of learning to play instruments."

He also has experience teaching group classes and workshops as well as more specialized lessons for advanced students. He has taught classes and workshops at schools and festivals in the US and UK, including the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the English Folk Dance and Song Society in London.

He has won many awards including First Place Neotraditional Band in 2008 and 2015 at the Clifftop Appalachian String Band Festival in West Viriginia, First Place Bluegrass Fiddle in 2007 at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention in Virginia (the oldest fiddlers convention in the country), and First Place Fiddle at the Wilson County Fair in Tennessee (biggest fair in the state) in 2015.

He has also performed at major festivals from the US to the UK and from Italy to Finland and he has appeared on dozens of recordings from bluegrass and old time to swing jazz, modern experimental and Turkish classical music projects. He also plays and teaches banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass and is currently based in Detroit.

The Henna Workshop presents the fun and fashionable Indian bridal tradition of temporary tattoo art. Participants are taught to create their own henna art with handmade henna applicators containing organic henna and all natural color enhancers. A variety of traditional and attractive patterns are provided, and individual artwork is encouraged. Henna dyes the top layer of the skin in a burgundy color.

Participants are taught henna techniques, receive personalization instruction and learn about the henna itself, made from henna leaves, eucalyptus oil and brewed black tea. Henna is especially fun for teens, but is also enjoyable for adults of all ages. The Henna Workshop gives participants a cultural experience that follows them home, reminding them of the lessons learned from the traditional Indian art form until the natural dye fades away in a week to ten days.

Ara Topouzian is an Armenian American musician whose proficiency on the kanun has made him a nationally recognized artist. The kanun is a traditional Middle Eastern lap harp with more than 76 strings. Topouzian is an artist and producer dedicated to recording and preserving world music. He has performed in concerts, music festivals and many celebrated venues across the United States with top musicians in the Middle Eastern music industry.

This exhibition of fifty-nine photographs celebrates the cultural and historical complexity of southeast Michigan.

What makes a Blackthorn show unique is the variety of tunes, tempos and textures. Each member of the band plays multiple instruments, including wooden flute, accordion, tin whistle, five string banjo, cittern, bones and more. These instruments complement the lead vocal of Belfast native Richard McMullan and the band’s tight blend of four part harmony.

The Blue Water Ramblers sing extraordinary folk music- the folk song of Michigan, America and YOUR life. We perform wherever people want to celebrate: Folk festivals and concerts, paddle wheelers and lake ships, in cities and out in the woods, on stages and around campfires, at church gatherings and traditional dances.

Folksinger and author Carl Behrend brings to life true stories and legends from a wealth of Great Lakes history for the enjoyment of contemporary audiences. His ballads tell the tales of ships and sailors lost, true loves found and the great lighthouse beacons that guard the rocky coast.

Dunuya Drum and Dance is a global drumming collective presenting music and dance from Africa and the Diaspora. The group moves easily from traditional West African choreography and rhythms through Middle Eastern medleys, Garifuna songs and social dances, Brazilian samba and Caribbean music styles, including bembe, rumba, Puerto Rican bomba and more. Following the heritage of these traditions, programs include extensive use of call-and-response and audience participation, making the five-member Dunuya Drum and Dance a performance that is appealing to broad demographics.

Copper Tom is a full time children's music songwriter, performer & storyteller who specializes in shows for schools & libraries.

In addition to prewsenting his music- much of it original compositions from his award-winning CDs or new material, he also tells wonderful stories in a way that can be readily understood by listeners of all ages. His current featured story is called "The Sea of Gold". It is a Japanese folk tale of human kindness & understanding triumphing over fear & closed-mindedness. It has been aclaomed for being spell-binding, surprising and inspirational!

Corinne captivates listeners of all ages with personal narratives, folklore, historical and biblical stories. Reviewed as a wordsmith who crafts powerful and poignant stories laced with humor and humanity, her programs and keynotes emphasize themes of justice, peace, problem-solving, strong women and wisdom tales.

Before television, radio theatre captured the imaginations of Americans across the country. Donald Ramlow, founder, director, and performer with the classic radio All Ears Theatre in Kalamazoo, describes the radio of the 1920s and demonstrates the sounds, styles, and effects of the early days of radio.

A teller of world folktales, Michigan tall tales and personal stories, Eileen DeLorenzo captivates the youngest listeners through adult audiences.

The Ella Sharp Museum offers both art and history outreach programs for school children. “Jackson’s Underground Railroad” (History Goes to School Program): Elementary classes learn about the history of the Underground Railroad in Jackson, and how a secret code of quilt patterns may have helped set escaping slaves on the right path. We bring the program into the classroom, saving schools all transportation costs. Students learn about the Underground Railroad, Jackson’s role in the anti-slavery movement, and engage in a “make and take” art project.

Arts Go To School: One of the Museum’s most beloved programs, AGTS takes art into kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms via trained Museum volunteers, who expose students to art concepts and prints using the Visual Thinking Strategies Techniques (VTS). Six classroom visits alternate VTS kits and informational kits. AGTS brings art to many schools that have been forced to eliminate their programs due to budget constraints. Materials are geared specifically for each grade level.

Equinox has traversed the state to share their American-seasoned Celtic music and song with the people of Michigan. Adding bagpipes, hand drums, bass and guitar to traditional Irish whistles, flute, fiddle and concertina, Equinox ignites the stage with all of the passion and joy Celtic music can inspire. With their crisp vocals and diverse instrumentation, this ensemble has been featured in such venues as fundraising cruises for public radio, a Farmington Hills church concert, a Thumb eco-fair, a farm wedding, an outdoor library performance and many music and folk festivals. Also offers workshops.

A Lincoln Style.

Storyteller

Gemini writes and plays acoustic music for children and families, celebrating the fun, warmth, and humor of family life. Their recordings and concerts are filled with rousing sing-alongs, folk tales, and music from around the world.

Professional storyteller, retired public school teacher and historian Genot Picor specializes in the stories, songs and dances of his French voyageur ancestors.

Guy Louis, as the Chautauqua Express, has been presenting educational school assemblies and family fun concerts to rave reviews since 1986. School assemblies offer a wide variety of curriculum enhancing show themes, an incredible collection of unique and beautiful instruments, and maximum audience interaction along with phenomenal teacher evaluations.

Hear the music, see the rifles and learn about soldier life all from your classroom. Two costumed interpreters bring the fur trade and Straits history to life with exciting demonstrations, hands on activities and a truck full of touchables. Students help in trading and bartering, carry a fur bale, get dressed in historic clothing and hear the sounds of the past!