Performers 2010

Chinese Folk Art Workshop

TWO: High-Energy Juggling

Opa’s Oompah Band

Susie Burke and David Surette–
and Family

Akwaaba Drum
and Dance Ensemble

Drumming Workshop with the Akwaaba Drum Ensemble

Voices from the Heart

Accordion Warrior
Gary Sredzienski

Dick Kaplan’s
Excellent Jazz Band

Extreme Air Jump Rope Team

The Fiddling Thomsons

Mad Bavarian Brass Band

Sound Investment

Akwaaba Dance Ensemble

The Heritage Festival program brings together a rich mix of entertainment: under the Main Tent, in the Workshop Tent, on the Waterfront Stage, and strolling the festival grounds. Special thanks to L Wynn Sound for providing our sound. Click venues below to view performer bios. Visit the schedule page for performance times. NOTE: The 2010 program is filling up, but if you are interested in being considered for one of the remaining spaces, please contact us at newmarketfest@yahoo.org. Thanks!

main tent | workshop tent | waterfront stage | strolling

MAIN TENT
Visit the schedule page for performance times.

Accordion Warrior Gary Sredzienski
Gary Sredzienski’s professional accordion career began at age 9, when he made his debut performing with The Hog Hollow Hooters. He’s been hooked ever since. Gary demonstrates the diversity of the instrument with a wide variety of styles representing several continents. more

Akwaaba Drum and Dance Ensemble
Theophilus Nii Martey, of Manchester, N.H., is originally from Ghana in West Africa, where he began drumming when he was six. Today he is a master of West African drumming and dance and founder of the Akwaaba Ensemble, which bring to life the rich and subtle rhythmic patterns and styles specific to different tribal groups of West Africa. The group’s energetic performances are a reflection of their name, which means ‘welcome’ in the Twi language of the Ashanti tribe of Ghana. more

Chinese Folk Art Workshop
The Boston-based Chinese Folk Art Workshop promotes interaction with and understanding of Chinese culture, highlighting the beauty of Chinese Folk Arts and helping a new generation of American-born Chinese showcase their talents and gifts. Their performance includes the Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, Taiwanese Drums, Chinese yo-yo and Folk Dance. more

Extreme Air Jump Rope Team
Founded in 2003, the award-winning Extreme Air Competition Jump Rope Team performs nationally competitive single-rope, pairs, and double-dutch freestyle routines, original long-rope routines, and group choreographed routines, all to high-energy music. more

Jumbo Circus Peanuts Dance Party
New Hampshire’s Legendary Superband, the Jumbo Circus Peanuts, is the area’s top-drawing musical group with an ever-expanding repertoire that sails around the musical worlds of pop, funk, swing and rock — with stops that include Hollywood, Broadway, Detroit, Latin America and Hawaii. more

Newmarket Mill Workers Roundtable
Footwear industry expert and Newmarkt resident Ed Portyrata, along with several other former shoe shop workers, share memories and photographs of their careers during the heyday of the New England footwear industry. Rockingham Shoe, Little Yankee, Sam Smith, Abington and Timberland–all these companies–and those who worked for them–are part of Newmarket’s rich industrial history. more

Murray Irish Dancers
Murray Irish Dance Academy in Stratham, the Seacoast’s only school for Irish step dancing, is home to over 160 students, from beginners to championship level dancers. The award-winning dancers delight audiences with a range of team and solo dances performed in both soft, ballet-like shoes called ghillies and “hard” shoes that create a tapping sound. more

Newmarket Children’s Musical Medley
Newmarket’s Elementary School chorus and band perform a selection of American classics.

Opa’s Oompah Band
Achtung!! Opa’s Oompah Band, playing together for more than 20 years, specializes in German festival music, offering a varied mix of European folk music, waltzes, marches and polkas. (You may also occasionally hear a rousing rendition of Bill Bailey, Hello Dolly, or the Colonel Bogey March, as well as the lively Clarinet and Beer Barrel Polkas.)

Susie Burke and David Surette–and Family
Warmth, vitality, and spontaneity mark the performances of Susie Burke and David Surette, earning them a reputation as one of the finest acts on the lively New England folk scene. Susie’s beautiful, complex voice and David’s graceful, nimble-fingered string playing combine with extraordinary results on their own blend of contemporary, traditional, and original folk and acoustic music. For this year’s festival, Susie and David have put together a special performance featuring their two daughters, Isa (17) and Julianna (14), who have been involved with music and theater from a very young age. Both girls are talented singers and play a variety of folk instruments, including fiddle, guitar, piano, and ukulele. This show will feature a number of songs arranged specially for this foursome. more

TWO: High-Energy Juggling
Back by popular demand!! Dubbed “one of the hottest juggling acts in the country,” Jason and Matthew Tardy have created a high-energy performance that captivates audiences everywhere they perform. Their innovative, funny show features everything from high-tech juggling and fire eating to physical comedy and full body contortion—all choreographed to up-beat, original music. more

Voices from the Heart
Voices from the Heart is a 200-voice women’s alternative chorus located in Portsmouth, NH. The chorus sings a rich mix of soulful music from many cultural and musical traditions. more

WORKSHOP TENT
Our second stage, in the workshop tent, features demonstrations, performances, and participatory workshops. Visit the schedule page for times.

Apprentice Duo: Accordions at Work
Sylvia Miskoe and Doug Brunson demonstrate the apprentice relationship–and share some great accordion music.

African Drumming Workshop
Join a drumming circle and try your hand at the rhythms of Africa with members of the Akwaaba Drum Ensemble. more

Bollywood Dance Workshop
Be prepared for a high-energy, fun workout with the latest Indian dance craze. The workshop will be taught by a dance team from Bates College whose families are from India.

Laotian Dance Demo and Workshop
Discover more about Newmarket’s vibrant Laotian community through this traditional dance demonstration and workshop.

Fencing Demonstration
The Seacoast Fencing Club has been training champions in the sport of fencing for over 20 years. Eleven Seacoast fencers have won 27 national championships, and six have represented the United States at 17 World Championship events, earning gold (2000 US Women’s Saber Team) and bronze medals (2002 Junior Women’s Epee & 2002 Veteran’s Women’s Foil). more

Fiddling Thomsons
Newmarket’s own father-and-son duo, Ryan and Brennish Thomson, play Irish, Scottish, French, Hungarian, Appalachian, and bluegrass music on instruments including fiddles, banjo, accordion, penny whistle, wooden flute, foot percussion, Canadian spoons, voice, and rub board. more

Indian Folk Dance Demo and Workshop
Children from Newmarket families with roots in India demonstrate folk dance in traditional dress–and teach audience a few steps. Learn about Indian traditions and the story of these families and their journeys.

Jump Rope Demo and Workshop
Grab a rope and join the Extreme Air Jump Rope Team for a workshop following their demonstration. more

Sushi Demonstration
Newmarket resident Samsong Tokuno of Portsmouth’s Sakura restaurant demonstrates the art of sushi making.

WATERFRONT STAGE
The waterfront stage by the Lamprey River is a casual street-performance setting located under a small tent.  Visit the schedule page for times.

BrandyLeif Duo
Accomplished on both piano and organ, Brandy Irish has worked in the Boston jazz scene both as a solo pianist and singer. Her voluminous repertoire of classic standard songs from the heyday of tin pan alley include the works of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Richard Rogers and many more. Together with her husband Leif Gerjuoy on percussion they form the BrandyLeif Duo.

Music on the Lamprey
Join Peg Chaffee and Cheryl Sager of the duo Nice ‘n’ Naughty, along with a host of musical friends from around the Seacoast, for a rich mix of tunes and talent each afternoon on the waterfront. Performers include Steve Brennan, Clayton Willoughby Sylvan Roots, Ernest Whaley and Tom Hanlon, The Sidewalk Boys, Erin Robersaw, Sugar Shack Grass, and more!

Random Acts of Harmony
Random Acts of Harmony performs throughout New England for large and small audiences who enjoy listening to and singing along with familiar folk tunes sung in three part harmony with acoustic guitar and stand up bass accompaniment.more

STROLLING MUSIC
Hear these performers on the trolley, along main street, and at the festival entrance. Visit the schedule page for performance times.

Dick Kaplan’s Excellent Jazz Band
Dick Kaplan’s Excellent Jazz Band performs happy music guaranteed to appeal to people of all ages. Specialties include traditional jazz, swing and classic rock.

Mad Bavarian Brass Band
Follow the sounds of the Bavarian band, through the streets of downtown Newmarket. more

Fiddler Bruce Cobb
An active member of the Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire, Bruce Cobb has studied Scottish and Cape Breton music at the Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School. He plays for contra dances and Scottish dances–and is also an accomplished glass blower.  more

Sound Investment
Singing together since the fall of 2006, this women’s barbershop quartet loves to have fun and entertain others with their four-part a cappella harmonies.