Artist Archives - Page 17 of 40 - Alliance for California Traditional Arts

G.S. Sachdev studied North Indian classical bansuri (bamboo flute) with Vijay Raghav Rao for twelve years in Delhi, India and with Pandit Ravi Shankar for eight years in Bombay, India. In 2007, Sachdev taught apprentice, Sheela Bringi as part of ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program.

Joti Singh studied Guinean dance with master artist Alseny Soumah as part of ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program in 2007. Soumah’s family taught him to dance when he was a small child in Conakry, Guinea, and he performed with a neighborhood group before dancing professionally with Ballets Merveilles and Les…

Cher Ker Thao (Fresno) will study traditional Hmong bamboo flute with master artist Pao Xiong (Fresno). Xiong learned to play the flute from his father when he was growing up in Laos. He has been playing for over thirty years and performs regularly at community celebrations and for the local…

South Indian Classical Carnatic music is one of the oldest systems of music in the world. The violin found position in the Carnatic form within the last 300 years. The Lalgudi system of playing the violin is very advanced and is popular for its ability to mimic vocal music. Largely…

Ruth Yafonne Chen (San Francisco) will study Chinese Wushu (sword dance) with Ling Mei Zhang (San Francisco). Zhang studied with masters Liu Yuhua and Lee Wenjin in Tian Jinh and became the double straight sword Wushu champion for all of China in 1975. She has taught martial arts for over…

We at ACTA were saddened to hear of the passing of Lillian Nakano in February of 2015. In 1936, Lillian Nakano was an eight year old growing up in Hawai’i. At that age, she was attracted to the sound of the shamisen and immediately began studying shamisen as well as…

From time beyond memory or record an intricate textile art clothed Hmong people. A distinguishing technique is elaborate reverse applique carefully cut into a top layer of cloth sewn back to reveal the layers below. Symmetrical designs have names such as elephant foot, spider web, and snail shell. They identify…

In May of 2001, Joe Potzernitz passed away. He was a master artist who contributed so much to the cultural landscape of California. He is missed by the many who enjoyed and benefited from his work. One of the primary distinguishing features of California saddlery is the decorative floral carving…

The Croatian bagpipe or gajde is a common instrument in Croatian traditional music in Hungary. It is an ancient instrument with a large repertoire and several distinctive styles of playing, determined largely by the geographical/regional location of the musician. The instrument is constructed by various parts, the bag, which is…

Katsuko Teruya began studying kutuu (Okinawan koto) at the age of 18 under Nae Kochi the Senior Headmaster of the Naha Koyokai in Japan. After earning a junior teaching certificate in 1954, Katsuko moved Hawai’i but continued to study with Nae Kochi until earning the Senior Teaching Certificate in 1965. …