Come celebrate the rich history of Czech and Slovak bluegrass and country music at the first Common Chords Symposium!
Přijďte oslavit bohatou historii českého a slovenského bluegrassu a country na první Common Chords Symposium
When: Saturday November 23rd, 5pm
Kdy: Sobota 23. listopadu v 17 hodin
Where: OREA Pyramida, Prague 6
Chicago’s Henhouse Prowlers have partnered with the US State Department in more than 28 countries, using the power of music to connect people across cultures. These tours inspired the band to start Bluegrass Ambassadors, a non-profit organization with a mission to celebrate moments when people from different parts of the world find commonality through music and build a sense of global citizenship. One of the most powerful examples of this is when the people of Czechoslovakia heard American music on German radio stations after the war. They fell in love with the music, finding it spoke to them and gave them a sense of freedom and belonging during a time when those things were being taken away.
This symposium celebrates this lasting musical connection. It also acknowledges how Czech and Slovak musicians have made this music their own, leading to exceptional original songs and some of the best bluegrass instruments ever made. Few Americans fully understand this phenomenon. One of Henhouse Prowlers' main goals is to share this incredible story of talent and unity both in the US and abroad.
The band is eager to hear the music and stories directly from the people who lived through this significant moment of cultural diplomacy. They’ve even learned a few Czech songs, and while you may laugh at their pronunciation, you'll also see how much they genuinely admire the tenacity, talent and determination of Czech and Slovak musicians and music lovers.
Several guest speakers will share these stories from a historical perspective. Attendees are encouraged (but not required) to share their own stories, old and new. Food and beverages will be served, and all are invited to bring instruments for a jam session.
Chicagští Henhouse Prowlers uzavřeli partnerství s americkým ministerstvem zahraničí ve více než 28 zemích a využili sílu hudby k propojení lidí napříč kulturami. Tato turné inspirovala kapelu k založení Bluegrass Ambassadors, nezisková organizace s posláním oslavovat okamžiky, kdy lidé z různých částí světa nacházejí spojení prostřednictvím hudby a vytvářejí pocit světového občanství. Jedním z nejsilnějších příkladů toho je, když lidé v Československu po válce slyšeli americkou hudbu z německých rádií. Zamilovali se do té hudby, zjistili, že k nim promlouvá a dává jim pocit svobody a sounáležitosti v době, kdy jim tyto věci byly odnímány.
Toto sympozium oslavuje toto trvalé hudební spojení. Oceňuje také, jak si čeští a slovenští hudebníci tuto hudbu přizpůsobili, což vedlo k výjimečným originálním písním a k výrobě některým z nejlepších bluegrassových nástrojů, jaké kdy byly vyrobeny. Jen málo Američanů si tohle vůbec umědomí. Jedním z hlavních cílů Henhouse Prowlers je sdílet tento neuvěřitelný příběh talentu a jednoty jak v USA, tak v zahraničí.
Kapela touží slyšet hudbu a příběhy přímo od lidí, kteří prožili tento významný okamžik kulturní diplomacie. Naučili se dokonce i pár českých písniček, a i když se jejich výslovnosti zasmějete, uvidíte, jak upřímně obdivují odolnost, talent a odhodlání českých a slovenských hudebníků a milovníků hudby.
Několik hostujících řečníků se podělí o tyto příběhy z historické perspektivy. Účastníkům se doporučuje (ale není to nutné), aby sdíleli své vlastní příběhy, staré i nové. Bude se podávat jídlo a nápoje a všichni jsou zváni, aby si přinesli nástroje na jam session.
What is Common Chords?
Over 15 years of diplomatic ventures spanning 25+ countries, the Henhouse Prowlers, a bluegrass quartet from Chicago, have exemplified an unwavering belief, that the exchange of music stands as the most potent means of nurturing connection and empathy among diverse communities. The Common Chords series, overseen and presented by their nonprofit Bluegrass Ambassadors, celebrates this idea as a diplomatic mission in itself.
At the heart of this program is the desire to learn and then document the history of these meaningful musical connections around the world. Along the way, the Prowlers will learn to sing and perform this music, giving the band a deeper understanding of the music and culture itself, all while reflecting back to the originators the timelessness and importance of their creations. Ultimately, the group will bring these experiences back home to the U.S. in the form of accessible educational programs and mixed media to be showcased at schools and gatherings across the country – and around the world.
The outcome? A deep mutual respect and natural evidence of the powers of unity and understanding that exist in all of us – common chords and collective humanity.
Why Czech Republic and Slovakia?
The people of Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic and Slovakia, are a resilient and ferociously talented population. Their complicated and fascinating history involves oppressive governments and social uprising, alongside embracing bluegrass and then expanding upon the music, making it fundamentally their own.
Along the way there are tales of Armed Forces Radio broadcasts inspiring the “sound of freedom,” banjos built simply from referencing photographs, and an all-female bluegrass group performing with Johnny Cash, among many others. This history is widely unknown here in the U.S. and elsewhere, and we’re determined to hear the stories directly from the people who lived them and to amplify them.. It’s a tale of “cultural diplomacy” before those words ever became a pair.
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