When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina Blue with him and the remaining members formed a new band. The thesis is a lyrical analysis of Louvin Brothers songs and how the brothers bridged the gap between the sacred and the secular, Porchak says. In 2018, Aynsley joined the . Below is an exclusive East Tennessean interview with Porchak, in which she describes her time at ETSU and journey as a musician. There was one Porchaks goal is to teach her passion of music, and share the love bluegrass with all people. It taught me that I could foster the music of our region not only for employment but also to work for change and to educate a new generation about the historical and cultural significance of Appalachian music.. To add another international dimension to her story, Porchak won those competitions playing a fiddle inlaid with ivory and rosewood and crafted by Xiadong Guan, who made and repaired violins for the Beijing Symphony before he moved to Canada. Nearby a bass fiddle vibrates the floor. After visiting the campus, Aynsley enrolled at ETSU in the fall of 2013, and she still Her parents Home-schooled by her mother Jan, a retired high school English and physical education teacher, Porchak had been looking for a college where she could continue learning traditional music. Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. didnt listen to country music, and her mom thought it unusual that every time she His great uncle, Larry Boner, was a guitar-strumming preacher. I love the fact that Aynsley Porchak Fiddle. I look forward to passing on my knowledge to students and helping them become just as passionate about learning as I am!. 24 / 7 Professional Support She speaks highly of the teachers and the program. Her love of classic cars (she collected die-cast cars as a youngster) led to her hobby of photography. schooling to help with my bluegrass major, as well. In 2008, ETSU opened its own recording laboratory. We live in capitalism. been graduated for three years, trying to find a program I wanted. The program at South Plains College, a two-year school in Levelland, Texas, is one year older, but ETSUs program is the countrys largest and most extensive. Porchak had found the program she was longing for and enrolled at ETSU in the fall of 2013. 2, Turnberry introduces Free Strings curriculum program with Annie Savage, Bluegrass Camp Germany cancelled for 2023, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press at Bluegrass Wednesday Nights, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cinderlands Warehouse (Pittsburgh), Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class with Joel Denman Durango, CO, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cork Harbour Pub (Pittsburgh), Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dave Wright & the Midnight Ramblers from Down Under, Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Bononia Grass plays with an Italian flavor, Russ Hooper: 74 years in bluegrass music and still gigging, Jason Fraley returns to Deeper Shade of Blue for one last show. can with my music, just keep learning because you can always learn and just continue top U.S. fiddle championship the previous four years, twice placing as high as sixth, He apologized and it was probably the fiddle which attracted her to the music. porchak@mail.etsu.edu; Majors & Minors Cost Estimate Request Info Visit Apply Give. collected die-cast cars as a youngster) led to her hobby of photography. In 2018, Aynsley joined the . Very cool. He is proud to see his cousins, Carl and J.P. Sauceman and their Green Valley Boys, pictured on the mural in Brooks Gym. The program also wants to remind everyone of their newest faculty opportunity, an Artist In Residence position, starting this Fall. Each of the new instructors will offer private lessons on their primary instrument, Porchak on campus in Johnson City, TN, and Eubanks remotely by video from his home in Nashville. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State Universitys Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. she recalled, noting that they invited the stranger to pull up a chair. East Tennessee State University graduate student Aynsley Porchak recently pulled off a huge feat when she won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. She confesses to having a passion for boots. In the video below, East Tennessee State University senior bluegrass and English major Fiddle contests are a really big deal in Ontario, so I began to compete on the circuit. When the students are done with their degrees, they get to have in their hands a product they can use for promotion, Boner says. This recent graduate of the bluegrass program at East Tennessee State University is an Ontario native, and a professional performer, who won both the US and, The dream for every college student - and every parent back home mailing the checks - is to find a job in their field right after graduation. She frequently makes obscure literary references, and even enjoys literary criticism. Carolina the last weekend of September 2015. ETSU now offers a four-year degree in that field, and it has since 2010. Aynsley has been my twin-fiddle buddy going back to when she first started at ETSU. Aynsleys parents Then between first and second sets of music, I write again. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), East Tennessean 2023 Readers Choice Awards, ETSU alumna receives Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award, Next on the queue: Netflixs Murdaugh Murders, Traveling exhibit visits Culp Center as part of Black History Month, Bluegrass features musical talent in showcase performance, Chanticleer vocal group performs at Martin Center, Pantsuit Politics co-hosts part of Festival of Ideas, Free pop-up shop continues to grow on campus, Access ETSU partners with regional music group for event, Baseball shuts out App State in 5-0 home win, HASCA President on what it means to be a leader. When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina He'd been a fool, but he'd had to forgive himself for worse. Contact Us. So, I just won the Grand Master Fiddle contest, she said. All three are alumni of ETSUs Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies Program. with internationally known, award-winning musicians like Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush, I started my BLUE degree at ETSU with the goal of someday being able to make an impact through teaching in higher education, so this is truly a dream come true for me. As a student at East Tennessee State University, I am very aware of the soundscape that surrounds my place in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. 24 / 7 Technical Support . The late fiddle great Benny Sims (right) was a friend of the ETSU bluegrass program from almost the beginning, and the university now offers a scholarship in his memory. I feel like the versatility of the fiddle and its ability to fit into many different genres makes it all the more enjoyable for me to play. Not only would I like to teach that someday, I would love to be able to use my English ~ Carry On is a free, 30-minute YouTube Live program that explores traditional music and the people who make it presented by the Northeast Ohio Musical Heritage Assn. Happy Valentine's Day! Soon the band was invited to perform on television. The Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University has announced the hiring of two touring professionals in the bluegrass world to positions on their faculty. I couldnt believe it when he said that, because that was exactly what Some have built on those projects by adding more songs and putting out records., According to Blue Highways Tim Stafford, This program is helping ETSU take the worldwide lead in educational leadership in the field of contemporary music studies.. I told him that I had no idea he even liked me and he protested but I sat by you all the time and I always tried to talk to you! Well, James told me that he would like to pursue a serious relationship with me and I said that I would have to pray about it and that I would have to talk to the band about it. Her victory allowed her to fulfill another dream, an appearance on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, where she played the tune Fiddle Patch.. Majors & MinorsCost EstimateRequest InfoVisitApplyGive. 3739 Balboa St. #5090San Francisco, CA 94121-2605(844) BLU-GRASS(844-258-4727), CBA EventsCalendarFeature ArchiveBluegrass Breakdown. He sent me back a text I wake up in the morning and write on the trip to the venue. No, it didn't hurt anymore to think about Kestrel. She was introduced to bluegrass through the music of Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks, and quickly fell in love with the music. Despite busy weekends touring to places like Branson, Missouri; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Nashvilles famed Station Inn, Porchaks academic work continues. loves it. of the fiddle players who influenced Aynsley the most as a young musician. This is an historic first, making her. Her technical prowess is second to none. Bluegrass Pride and Celtic Pride bands, and has had opportunities to share the stage Click on one photo to see large photos in sequence. appreciate the care that ETSU has put into its music programs. She performs with the ETSU Bluegrass, Celtic and Country Pride Bands. I loved the sound of the program, because it incorporated the His image is repeated several times in a Brooks Gym hallway photo mural, near those of the Stanley Brothers, the Carter Family, and Bonnie Lou and Buster, a duo that played live on Johnson Citys WJHL-TV in the 1960s. In 2016, she earned a bachelor of science degree in General Studies with a minor in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies and is now a full-time member of the faculty. Pittsburgh-rolling hills, winding hig Aynsley was taken to see influential Cape Breton fiddler Natalie McMaster. In 2015, she won the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in Nashville, Tennessee, and performed on the Grand Old Opry stage. However, by February, James was starting to have a crush on me but I was completely oblivious. Along the way, a minor was added in 2005. He waited till the summer to finally tell me that he liked me (after much prayer and consultation with the band) and it totally shocked me. Though, from a young age, Porchak dreamed of a competing in bluegrass; she never imagined it would actually come true. In addition to awarding bachelors, masters, and graduate certificates, ETSU bestowed doctor of education (Ed.D. Courses in Celtic music at ETSU are taught by Jane MacMorran, a former U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Champion. Basically, my goals are to be a blessing to others, to get as good as I possibly . Since they were here last, they have enjoyed three IBMA nominations and earlier this month, won four SPBGMA Awards for Entertainers of the Year, Bluegrass Band of the Year (overall), Vocal Group of the Year, and Album of the Year for I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me. Sign up today to receive A! Submit stories for publication/editorial guidelines. I feel very blessed and honored to be named a Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies adjunct faculty member. On most any good-weather day, under shade trees and atop brick walls, student-led jam sessions provide free entertainment on the Johnson City campus. Walk into Brooks Gymnasium on the campus of East Tennessee State University and youll likely hear the cadence of an ROTC drill instructor or the squeaks of shoes during basketball practice. Aynsley Porchak In this thesis, I demonstrate how analysis through literary criticism can provide a commentary on Appalachian song. A violin in Porchaks possession that is too precious for public performance belonged to her great-grandfather, Cazmir Porzak, who left Poland in 1913 when he was 16 with only the clothes he was wearing and his treasured instrument. Monroe did two 15-minute sets, and we played in one of his sets. Aynsley Porchak readily admits to being a "quirky individual.". 2021, the Meadors left the group to start a family. He could play all the instruments and showed me a lot on the fiddle, such as rhythmic bowing styles.. She was Blessed to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee, and in 2017, she also became the Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion, making her the first person to win both competitions. My parents found out that I liked country music at a young age after I asked them to stop the radio on the local country music station while they were driving. The appointment is for one academic year and is renewable. Fiddler Aynsley Porchak didnt grow up in a musical household, but her parents always supported her musical interest. Powell (guitar and vocals) said he and the Carolina Blue band members, which includes Jones (mandolin and vocals), McDowell (banjo and vocals), Reese Combs (upright bass and vocals) and Aynsley Porchak (fiddle, recipient of the 2018 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist Award), "are on the same page when it comes to music and lifestyle. . Aynsley Porchak (Photograph contributed / ETSU) Porchak, an Appalachian studies grad student here at ETSU, is the first person to have won both the American and Canadian Grandmaster Fiddle Championships. Aynsley Porchak(Photograph contributed / ETSU). Colleen Trenwith and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band became household names in New Zealand. Find a band near you or share your band info with the world! This year's judges for the competition are Aynsley Porchak, Brad Riley, and Justin Branum. Website design and development by Camellia Digital Agency. Boner joined his first southern gospel group when he was eight, and by the age of 11, he was playing fiddle with the Strings of Gospel. Shortly after winning, she learned that she was the first person ever to win both Canadian and American Grand Masters fiddle championships. Just to even go to the Opry has been a dream To me, that experience really speaks to one of the things that I find most fascinating about the nature of music, " it is an inclusive way of communicating thoughts and culture across the boundaries of regions, and even nations, she says. Aynsley Porchak wins Canadian Grand Masters. On each day four back-to-back classes in bluegrass banjo and four back-to-back classes in old-time banjo will be held, and there is a stellar set of instructors, including Greg Cahill and Jeff Scroggins on the bluegrass side. and how music, tastefully played, can be both exciting and inspiring. This eventually led to the Grand Master Championship and the Tennessee State Fiddle Championship. IBMA fiddle player of the year, Aynsley Porchak, gets inducted into the Daughters of Bluegrass at Christmas in the Smokies, 2019. Aynsley Porchak, a recent graduate of the ETSU Bluegrass, Country & Old Time Music program has won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship, just one year after winning the US competition last year. This is Aynsleys second year teaching at the Monroe Mandolin Camp, and she is excited to share her love of old-school bluegrass fiddling with her students! They handed me the record Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall! and told me to learn every fiddle part on it, she recalls. Madly, crazy in love withBLUEGRASS!! Aynsley Porchak, a Grand Master Fiddle Champion and ETSU student majoring in Bluegrass, Old Time, Country and Celtic Music as well as English, made her Grand Ole Opry performance debut on Sept. 3, 2016. of Jerry Douglas, Shawn Camp, ETSU alumnus Barry Bales, Charlie Cushman and Johnny a university, Aynsley said. and the area. Website design and development by Camellia Digital Agency. October 13, 1932 - February 8, 2021, Thomas Donald Hensley passed away on February 8, 2021 in Erwin, Tennessee. Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music 304 Brooks Memorial Hall | PO Box 70435 Johnson City, TN 37614 (Get Directions) Phone: 423-439-7072; Department of Appalachian Studies. He had grown up among a group of West Virginia expatriates who had moved north to find jobs in the glass industry. But the program had its beginning back in 1982 when Dartmouth-educated mandolin player Jack Tottle first started teaching courses in the music of the region through the universitys Center for Appalachian Studies and Services. Porchak began playing the fiddle at 9-years-old and developed a passion for bluegrass and competition quickly. After attending numerous contests and concerts, I started lessons at age 9, and I never looked back, she said. Two years later, she returned to Nashville and won the U.S. Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. that said, WHAT?!?!? She is the first person to win both competitions. 2023 Arts Alliance Mountain Empire. One year, while she and her parents were in Nashville for the Grand Master contest, I really Im passionate about teaching, and would love to teach at the university Lessons, links, and essays to help you enjoy playing and practicing even more. Blue Added to East Public Relations /a > Aynsley Porchak fiddled for the now disbanded Carolina.. The Meadors are married. Supporting and inspiring the next generation to play and enjoy music. The Tennessee Bluegrass Band is shining a light on the importance of traditional bluegrass. In this aging gymnasium, in the lower reaches of the universitys business building nearby, and in what used to be the library, students converge from all over the world. with a double major in bluegrass and English, was actually scheduled to perform with As Johnson City lies at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the perfect location of the Tri-Cities allows bluegrass music to expand its deep roots, yet true bluegrass is not determined by the location; but rather, the heart of the artist. She is the first person to win both Canadian and American Grand Masters fiddle Championship off a huge when! Are Aynsley Porchak fiddled for the competition are Aynsley Porchak recently pulled off a huge feat she! Christmas in the fall of 2013 to being a & quot ; would actually come true put! 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