Summer Solstice shines on annual flute school and festival
For information about the Summer Solstice Flute School and Festival at the Homestead, 700 North Homestead Drive, visit http://www.solsticeflutefest.com.
The sun will rise for another year on the Summer Solstice Flute School and Festival next week.
The celebration of Native American music, which first opened in Park City in 2012, will set up camp at the Homestead in Midway from Monday to Friday, June 18 to 22, with a special community concert on Saturday, June 23.
Organizer Nancy Haga has recruited a slate of Native American musicians, healers and teachers to bring their cultures and spirituality to the Wasatch Back.
Both the school and festival will focus more on the healing aspect of the music this year, and although the school registration is filled, the festival, which will be held on June 22, will offer some healing workshops to the public, Haga said.
“The festival is a gift that we want to share with the community so everyone can enjoy the music and what it does,” she said.
The healers and teachers include Suzanne Teng, Joseph Young, Rona Yelllow Robe, Kalani Das, Shelley Morningsong and her husband Fabian Fontenelle, Juranita Ramos-Corum and Russell Feingold.
While festival admission is free, two of the workshops — New World Native Ancient Wisdom Workshop and Shamanic Sound Healing Bath — do cost extra, Haga said. The Wisdom workshop, which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., is $44 per person and the Healing Bath that will run from 1:45-2:45 p.m. is $15 per person.
“Ancient Wisdom Workshop participants can experience the power and mystery of Native American healing practices that will be led by Medicine Woman Juanita Ramos-Corum,” Haga said. “She will use the ancient and contemporary healing practices of music, chanting, storytelling and movement to help everyone find the courage and compassion to release old patterns and claim their birthright of contentment.”
Ramos’ parents were of Asian-Pacific, Spanish and Native American descent, Haga said.
“Seven years ago she stood before a First Nations drum circle and was given the blessing by the elders to practice their traditional Earth medicine on non-tribal people,” she said.
Ramos-Corum will be joined by Rona Yellow Robe, Fabian Fontenelle and Shelley Morningsong during the workshop.
Yellow Robe is a member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, and she is the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Native American Music Awards Flutist of the Year.
“She is a favorite healer at wellness and healing workshops throughout the country and has worked in close partnership with Multicare Hospice in Washington State for the past five years,” Haga said.
Fontenelle, who is of the Zuni and Omaha tribes, is the great-great-grandson of Chief Big Elk of the Omaha people, Haga said.
“Fabian is an original member of the American Indian Dance Theatre, and an educator on the history of Native America,” she said. “He was a consultant for the History Channel’s ‘Into the West’ miniseries.”
Fontenelle’s wife, Shelley Morningsong, the 16th Native American Music Awards Artist of the Year and winner of the 2011 Native American Music Awards Record of the Year, is of Northern Cheyenne and Dutch descent, Haga said.
“They work together and are favorites among the Native music culture,” she said.
Registration for the New World Native Ancient Wisdom Workshop is ongoing at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/ancient-wisdom-workshop-2018-tickets-43963202121.
The Shamanic Sound Healing Bath workshop will be facilitated by one of the Summer Solstice School’s graduate, Russell Feingold.
Feingold, who also practices Eastern healing methods, travels every year to Peru and the Far East to train in shamanic medicine, according to Haga.
“He uses flutes, didgeridoos and drums to cleanse, purify and heal the body,” Haga said. “The lights will dim and Russell will play the instruments over their bodies. It’s fabulous.”
Registration for Feingold’s workshop can be done by visiting http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shamanic-sound-bath-tickets-44718178275.
In addition to the workshops, the Solstice Flute Festival will feature an array of Native American crafts and items, live music and interactive demonstrations, Haga said.
“We have 10 different vendors that will offer anything from Native American flutes to drums and other Native American wares,” she said. “We will do music workshops in tipis, so anyone can come in and jam or listen. And we will have didgeridoo demonstrations, a rescue raptor (falcon) release and hands on drumming with the Drum Bus.”
The night will cap off with a free Concert Under the Stars on the Homestead’s front lawn presented by the Solstice Flute School and Festival teachers and healers.
An additional concert headlined by Michael Graham Allen, of Coyote Oldman, will be presented Saturday, June 23. (See accompanying story).
Haga is grateful to The Homestead for housing the Summer Solstice School and Festival.
“Six years ago, we started the school and festival at Newpark, and then we moved to Peaks Hotel the next year,” she said. “When Peaks went through a renovation, we had to move,” Haga said.
She reached out to Jamie Leatham, The Homestead’s special events coordinator, and asked if there were any options.
“They came to our rescue, and it’s the perfect venue,” Haga said. “We’re an all-volunteer organization. Those of us who help put things together really put our blood sweat and tears into making something that everyone can enjoy.”
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