The Rose Ensemble will take audiences back to America’s folk roots at 7 p.m. Monday at the Backus Community Center as the second show in Backus’ concert series.
The Rose Ensemble’s stop at Backus is part of its eighth annual Greater Minnesota Tour, states a news release. This year’s tour has grown to include 10 communities beyond the Twin Cities metro, and involves a concert performance and free educational outreach in each community, all accomplished in the span of two weeks.
The Rose Ensemble will meet with students at Falls High School Monday afternoon to teach them about a variety of vocal styles from the American musical landscape. The musicians will also demonstrate a variety of instruments including wooden flute, early African-American banjo, jaw harp, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass, with percussion provided by stomping feet.
The release states that The Rose Ensemble will bring audiences at Monday’s concert back to America’s folk roots through rousing hymns, Appalachian foot-stomping songs, southern harmony shape-note singing, and Shaker spirituals: the music that gave birth to bluegrass. The roots of bluegrass explores the country’s musical heritage with close vocal harmonies, banjo, guitar, and fiddle.
The group was founded in 1996 by artistic director Jordan Sramek and “reawakens the ancient with vocal music that stirs the emotions, challenges the mind, and lifts the spirit,” according to the group’s website. Based out of St. Paul, the group tours internationally with repertoire spanning 1,000 years and 25 languages, including new research in Middle Eastern, European and American vocal traditions.
The Rose Ensemble was a recipient of the Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award for choral excellence in 2005 and first place winner in sacred and secular music categories at the 2012 Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain.
Admission for Monday’s event costs $12 for adults, $6 for students and $25 for a family. Advance tickets are available at Backus Community Center and City Drug in International Falls, or Betty’s in Fort Frances.
Prior to the concert, Backus will host a Top the Tater dinner from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Backus Dining Room. Cost is $ 6 per person.
