Northern Exposure to Lifelong Learning Program to feature Historic Music

Much of American history can be taught in song. From the songs of the gold camps, the civil war, the Minstrel and medicine shows, people learn how music was a common thread in the 1800's. The music is presented in a traditional manner and played on the popular instruments of the period including the Boucher banjo, tambourine and bones. In all cases the oldest known lyrics to the songs are used to maintain the accuracy of the music. Traditional music from the 1800's is covered in detail along with fascinating tidbits of history from the Victorian era.

Along with Mark Bridge, you will meet interesting figures from history- Pioneers, settlers, miners, outlaws, hucksters, soldiers and more. Every song and interesting piece of history is a small but important lesson about our national heritage.

Mark Bridge has been performing historical music for over a quarter of a century and is a member of the Minnesota State Historical Society.  Performance venues have ranged from historical re-enactments to Chuck Wagons of the West, Disney World, the National Festival of the West, The Journey Museum, Medora Cowboy Poetry Gathering and many more.  He is on the Board of Directors for the  Nemeth Art Center and the Upper Mississippi Center for the Arts as well as Vice Chairman of the Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council.

His repertoire covers a wide variety of musical selections and subjects from the 1800's.  The songs include compositions by Stephen Foster, Daniel Decatur Emmett and other composers of the period along with many other selections popular during the Victorian era. Some of the songs are taken from actual "banjo instructors" dating back to the 1850's.

The music is performed on a variety of banjos including the gourd banjo and a replica of a 1855 Boucher banjo typical of the style used in Minstrel shows.  Instruments also include the Minstrel tambourine and the bones.  This combination of instruments replicates how the songs actually sounded like in the 1800's.

The program will be at 9:30 am on Wednesday April 6 at the Fosston Library and Arts Center • 403 Foss Ave N in Fosston. For more information contact NELL coordinator Tamara Edevold at 218-694-2856 or find us on facebook.