Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH)

After a gap in our museum trips due to Spring Break and SNOW(!), the Fellows were eager for our trip to the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH).  The topic for this seminar was The Social Power of Music, and once again we were privileged to have Dr. James Deutsch,  CFCH Curator and Editor and Dr. Atesh Sonneborn,  Associate Director of Smithsonian Folkway Recordings lead us through the afternoon.

They begin by providing an overview of the CFCH, whose mission focuses on promoting understanding and sustainability of the world’s diverse cultural traditions.  Through using high-quality research and events that involve community participation and educational outreach, CFCH has been able to spearhead activities that have had an affect on cultural heritage practices and policies at local, national and international levels.

Fellows learned about the various components that make up the work of the CFCH. Along with the aforementioned research and education,  the CFCH is responsible for Smithsonian Folkways recordings, maintaining the Ralph Rinzler Folklife  Archive and Collections as well as producing the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, now in its 51st year.

The group then was give a VIP tour of the CFCH archives, where they were joined by Greg Adams, Assistant Archivist and Dave Walker, Audio Preservation Specialist. The group was treated to viewing a number of rare documents and materials and an explanation of some of the techniques involved in preservation and storage.

Following a short break the group gathered for a thought-provoking, engaging, lively discussion of the how music has played a role in democracy, and the social power that can be seen through songs of struggle (political, familial, religious), sacred (to approach, carry within, process toward) and those of celebration which entertain and uplift. As always, it was a highly informative afternoon and all left feeling enriched.