Community Outreach & Workshops
Unique educational outreach programming and workshops for libraries, museums, schools, and community organizations.
History and culture have been at the center of Earthwork Music Collective member Ben Traverse’s passion for music since they started playing. In addition to releasing multiple albums that are historical presentations in their own rights, Traverse has brought educational programming to nearly 100 institutions across Michigan and beyond like the Ann Arbor District Library, Leland Public Schools, Michigan Maritime Museum, and the Songwriters Summit for Resilience.
Outreach & Educational Programs:
American Folk: Old Time in the Current Times
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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When people say “American folk music,” they’re often referring to the folk revival of the 1960s, a continuation, and sometimes appropriation, of the old time tradition into the cultural mainstream. But what is old time?
Old time music is a small part of the tapestry of traditional American music, primarily reflecting the culture of working class English-Americans. But this definition is flawed; it fails to take into account inspiration from other cultures, especially African American culture, from which many staples of the style, including the banjo, originate.
In this program, listeners will be given an overview of old time music. Traverse, along with their guitar, banjo, mountain dulcimer, and autoharp, will perform a variety of songs, serving as lenses through which to view old time’s wide range of cultural and systemic influences, how those affect its perception today, and the music’s continual evolution and growth.
Presented at: Wheatland Traditional Arts Wknd, Berkley Public Library, Traverse City Area Dist. Library, St. Joseph Library
Sea Shanty Singalong
Recommended Ages: a truly all-ages program!
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It makes sense that sea shanties would become a viral TikTok sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic- They’re simple songs designed to be sung in community, and it provided an outlet to feel that again. Sea shanties are a unique tradition with deep roots in African American, English, and Irish cultures, yielding an infectious repertoire of singalongs designed to bring people together to accomplish a common goal.
In this program, listeners will be taken on a participatory journey across both the High Seas and the Great Lakes, singing together, learning the roles shanties played on the ship, and the cultural seeds which sprouted into this maritime tradition.
Presented at: Ann Arbor Dist. Library, Michigan Maritime Museum, Port Huron Lightship Museum, Kent Dist. Libraries
What is a Folk Song?
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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Traditional music is unlike anything else. It’s an ever-flowing river. When we engage with traditional music, we’re dipping our feet in, feeling the current built up over hundreds of years. It belongs to everybody equally. It isn’t music sanctioned by the King, the Church, or the State. It’s the music of the working folk. The common folk.
In this program, listeners will be shown firsthand how traditional music evolves – a game of telephone we’re still playing today with our ancient ancestors. Select songs showcasing a variety of ways people engaged with traditional music including regional variation, modernization, and how folk music reflects working class culture will be performed on a variety of traditional instruments.
Presented at: Crystal Falls Library, Michigan Celtic Festival
Songs of the American Rail
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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The railroad was a revolution for more than just commerce. It enabled people and ideas to travel across America at speeds previously unseen. The railroad became romanticized, developed its own mythology, and left a massive mark on traditional American music.
In this program, listeners will be presented with an array of traditional songs centered around the railroad, as well as songs in which the rail played a significant role in their evolution.
Presented at: Wheatland Traditional Arts Wknd, Boyne Dist. Library, Kent Dist. Libraries
Why Are All These Irish Songs in English?
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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We all know that English is not Ireland’s native tongue. So why are all the Irish songs we know in English? Using a variety of English-language Irish songs as starting points, together we will explore how traditional music flows freely between people, how the commodification of a culture can distort tradition, and how systems influence traditional art.
Presented at: Pere Marquette Dist. Library
Old Songs for New People: Folk Songs for Kids
Recommended Ages: for the kiddos
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On an array of traditional instruments, Traverse will play songs our parents’ parents’ parents sang growing up. Play parties, game songs, singalongs, and more! Through this program, children will not only enjoy the music, but will also learn about the historical and cultural contexts under which the music came into this world.
Presented at: Earthwork Harvest Gathering, Dunesville Music Festival, Escanaba Public Library, Glen Lake Community Library
Songs of the Revolutionary War
Recommended Ages: all ages
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Presented at: Montcalm Community College
Songs of the Civil War
Recommended Ages: all ages
Traditional Celtic Music
Recommended Ages: all ages
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A performance of historical Celtic music. Performances can focus on Irish songs, Scottish songs, or a blend across Celtic nations.
Intro to Harmony Singing
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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Few things are as fulfilling as voices singing together in harmony, but it can be tough to find your place and make sure you aren’t stepping on other singers’ toes. In this workshop, participants will learn how to find harmonies and leave with a tool kit to develop their ear.
Presented at: Manistee County Library
Sing Like a Sailor: Vocal Techniques for the Shantyman
Recommended Ages: teens – adults
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The golden age of sail would have been a lot less enjoyable, and a lot less coordinated, without it’s signature musical form – the sea shanty! Together, we will focus on the unique techniques and stylistic choices that bring sea shanties to life. Participants will explore breath control, projection, and group singing skills essential to the powerful, rhythmic style of maritime work songs. Through warm-ups, call-and-response exercises, and ensemble singing, you’ll learn how to sing with strength, stamina, and expression—just like the sailors who used these same songs to keep time and build camaraderie at sea. Open to all skill levels, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of folk vocal technique and raise their voice in song.
Beyond leaving this workshop better-equiped to host your own community shanty sing-out, singers of all varieties can benefit from learning how to open thier voice and gain more control over vocal projection, especially at higher volumes.
Intro to Old Time Rhythm Guitar (Intro-Intermediate)
Recommended Ages: teens – adults
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This workshop is intended for folks with beginner or intermediate experience. Advanced players of other styles will still find value!
Old time guitar is all about foundation. Unique from other genres, this style explores the guitar as a simultaneously melodic, percussive, and rhythmic voice. Learn the musical foundation of traditional American stringband music!
Guitars are not provided for this workshop. Let me know if you want to buy me a couple dozen guitars though!
Foraging Folk: Songwriting and the Fruits of Tradition
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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A unique, tradition-forward approach to songwriting that examines the foundations laid by our ancestors and how that can be brought into the 21st century. This can be a short songwriting workshop or a whole program for your music camp!
Topics:
- What is Folk Lyric?
- Art of the Ballad: Writing a Story Song
- Foraging Folk: Incorporating Tradition
- Traditional Song Structures: Beyond the Verse/Chorus
Presented at: Earthwork Songwriters Summit for Resilience, Evart Dulcimer Festival, Michigan Celtic Festival, Capital Area Dist. Library (Okemos Branch)
Indie Music 101
Recommended Ages: teens – adults
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Looking to be a musician and making it work? Regionally-touring, full-time folksinger Ben Traverse will break down what it takes to play music professionally and earn your living from it while keeping your head above water.
Presented at: Grand Rapids Public Library
DIY Music Recording
Recommended Ages: teens – adults (appropriate for all ages)
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In addition to being a touring folksinger, Ben Traverse also has a degree in recording music and produced over half a dozen records. While recording studios often have desirable equipment, they aren’t always financially feasible. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of recording and what they need to make professional sounding recordings at home on a budget.
Ben was a joy to work with and brought their knowledge of both sea shanties and the history of the Great Lakes to our library. Their music was stellar, and our patrons had such a great time listening, learning, and singing along that many asked us to host them again. I highly recommend Ben Traverse’s Sea Shanty Singalong program.