November 2017 concert

The Music of History

Journey With the Winds: Flute Concert

Journey with the winds on a shamanic quest to the chanting, storytelling, and unique spirit flute music of Omani Nagi. 

The next cross-cultural concert to benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2014, at 127 N. San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning. Your $10 helps support the Center's programs. 

Omani Nagi is a natural composer, musician and singer. His hauntingly unique form of music is shared on traditional Native American and custommade wooden Spirit flutes with ancient flavors ranging from the lands of Turtle Island (Pre-America) to the sands of Ancient Egypt. Omani Nagi will be sharing selections from his recently released original debut album, "NATIVE!", with compositions from his upcoming albums. 

Calling all Dragonflies

When the dragonflies come to you, the Ushkana lullaby says, it's because you're open to them and calm in spirit. If you're in inner turmoil, they'll stay away.

Ernest H. Siva (Pat Murkland Photo)

Our Head Dragonfly, Center President and Founder Ernest H. Siva, will share this beautiful song and more as a special guest of the Dragonfly Winds Flute Class on Saturday starting at 5 p.m., 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning. Come hear Native American stories and songs.

The class, led by members of the Inland Empire Flute Circle, meets every second Saturday to play Native American wooden flutes. Beginners are welcome, and if you don't have a flute, the teachers will loan you one. 

The emphasis is on playing from the heart. The gentle creativity of the Native American flute certainly helps one remain open for any and all dragonflies to come. Please do. 

Your $10 will go to Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's work to save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and music and traditional arts.
Information: 951.849.7736.

Fourth Sundays: Silver Sounds

It's time again for another wonderful concert to help our nonprofit save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.


Come hear Silver Sounds from 3-5 p.m. this coming Sunday at the Gathering Hall, 127 N. San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning. Just $10.


Silver Sounds is a flute choir. With the voices of flutes of all sizes — piccolos, alto flutes, bass flutes, contra-bass, E-flat, and G-treble — Silver Sounds shares joyful music, from classical to jazz, and everything between. 

Silver Sounds has performed at Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, The Redlands Bowl, Redlands Market Night, local churches, malls and other public locations. And now these wonderful musicians will be at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's Gathering Hall, already well-known for its wonderful acoustics. Come enjoy the music!


About Silver Sounds
Silver Sounds Flute Ensembles was founded in February 1993 by Jackie Aronowitz as a performing outlet for flute players.  This ensemble gives its members the unique opportunity to play in ensembles other than bands or orchestras.  Since its founding, the group has grown so that there are now two separate groups with different skill levels.  There are no age limitations.  Members of the “A” group have only been playing a few years, and are working on notes and tone, while the “B” group is for the more advanced student whose focus is more on style, musicality, and the performance of flute choir literature.

Come to the Hall

A wreath filled with Native American pottery ornaments hangs in our Gathering Hall, awaiting Saturday's downtown Phineas Festival and Christmas-tree lighting. Join Dorothy Ramon Learning Center during the festival at the San Manuel Serrano Band of Mission Indians Gathering Hall at 127 North San Gorgonio Avenue. The festival runs from 3-8 p.m. and offers lots of free family fun. At the Center's Hall, you'll find flute and other music and arts. See you soon!

Flutes!

It's nearly time for the annual flute-making workshop at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

This is your opportunity to make a beautiful wooden six-holed Plains-Style Native American flute in a 3-day workshop with master flute-maker Marvin Yazzie, Navajo, and his wife, Jonette.

Also learn the basics of flute-playing from Ernest Siva. Discover the music of the First People of Southern California.

Enrollment is limited to 10 people. The price remains $300. Pre-register at the email siva@dishmail.net. Or call 951.849.4676.

The workshop will be held on three days, May 6, 7, and 8. May 7 is the annual downtown Art Hop in Banning, and we have storytelling, singing, crafts and much more free family fun planned at the Center as part of the overall event.

Hope you can join us, at the corner of San Gorgonio Ave. and Hays Street in Banning, for Art Hop fun! Stay tuned for more exciting news about the Art Hop.

Music, Music, & More Music

Second Saturday Sidewalk Storytelling has been a hit since our debut earlier this year.

It's all about learning and free family fun.

This coming weekend our event features MUSIC:

• Learn about our Southern California music from Ernest Siva, the Center's leader.

Photo © Carlos Puma for The Center

• Discover animals that are in songs.

• Find out why we have dragonflies on our doors at the Learning Center.

Photo © Pat Murkland

Learn the Dragonfly Song! Make your own dragonfly to take home.

• Discover musical instruments of Southern California.

Make your own instrument to take home.

• Learn about flutes, hear flute music,

and play a flute.

Photo © Pat Murkland

DETAILS:

Corner of Hays and San Gorgonio Ave., Banning

1-4 p.m. this Saturday, April 9

INFO: 951.849.7736

Spring is for music

Fun With Flutes this Saturday!

All Photos by Pat Murkland

He comes with a pile of sticks.

But once Antonio Flores sets up a table and tools, a crowd appears.

People of all ages transform the sticks into handmade flutes, each with its own melodic voice.

By popular request, flute-maker Antonio Flores will return to Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, at the corner of Hays Street and San Gorgonio Avenue, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8, to teach people how to make and play their own Native American wooden flutes.

Flores, a volunteer, drives from his Oakland home to the nonprofit Center in downtown Banning.

Making and sharing the small, wooden Pomo-style flutes is his joy.

During his most recent visit at the downtown Phineas Festival in November, nearly 100 sticks of elder wood became flutes, custom made to fit each player’s hand.

Flores also teaches the flute-makers how to play their flutes, often adding stories or a little music from local Native American cultures.

Second Saturdays

His free flute-making session is part of “Fun With Flutes,” this month’s theme for a new family event called Second Saturday Sidewalk Storytelling. Every second Saturday, the nonprofit Learning Center plans to host hands-on activities, storytelling and traditional singing that help save and share Southern California’s American Indian cultures, languages, history, and music and other traditional arts.

Along with free flute-making, “Fun With Flutes” will feature stories and songs from Learning Center leader Ernest Siva, a Cahuilla-Serrano culture bearer, and others.

Future Second Saturday Sidewalk Storytelling events at the Learning Center include:

• Serrano Toys and Tools, Feb. 12, from 1-4 p.m. Families can learn about Serrano toys and tools and make some of their own to take home. Co-hosted by the San Bernardino County Museum. FREE.

* True Cowboy and Indian Tales, March 12, from 1-4 p.m. People will learn real stories from the Pass and can try their hands at some traditional cowboy and Indian skills. FREE.

What would you like to see at a second Saturday? Let us know.

Come join the fun. Share the stories. Sing the songs.

Art Hop Springing Into View

Time to start thinking about the Art Hop, Banning's annual downtown cross-cultural arts event. This year it's May 1. But we're celebrating cultural arts the whole weekend!

A few of our planned activities:

American Indian Music Workshops

Flute-Making Workshop, April 30, May 1 & 2

Make a beautiful wooden six-holed Plains-style Native American flute in a 3-day workshop with master flute-maker Marvin Yazzie, Navajo, and his wife, Jonette. Learn the basics of playing with Ernest Siva. Discover the music of the First People of Southern California. Limited to 10. $300.

Pre-register siva@dishmail.net, 951.849.4676.

Art Hop Workshops, May 1

• Clappersticks

Chumash culture bearers Georgiana Sanchez and her family will teach how to make this ancient wooden musical instrument, then share and teach songs and stories important to the Chumash people. Decorate a clapperstick to take home. Sessions limited to 15 people. $20. Pre-register siva@dishmail.net, 951.849.4676

• Rattles for kids

Kids can learn how to make a tin-can rattle and about appropriate use. FREE as long as supplies last!

Discover The Center at Hays & San Gorgonio, Banning

OPEN HOUSE! Help Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,

Save & Share Southern California’s cultures, history, languages, & traditional arts.

Inland Flute Society Presentation

On August 30, I was a guest of the Inland Empire Valley Flute Society as a presenter of the Native American Flute. The members of the society who owned NA flutes were asked to bring them while others could borrow flutes from me or Jackie Aronowitz, the host and President of the Society.

As June and I approached Jackie’s home, we could hear strains of a flute choir in rehearsal. What a treat for us! They were preparing for next month’s Flute Festivaal special concert featuring internationally recognized contrabass flute artist Paige Dashner Long. (For further info: inlandempirevalleyflutesociety.com) We hope to attend this event, on October 10.

I figured this presentation would be mainly to introduce the flute (to the new members) and give them a few examples of the indigenous music of southern California. I think it went fairly well, after all, these are fine musicians with a new toy in their hands. I reminded them  that some flutes are better to look at than to play while others are easier to play. I recommended the flutes made by Marvin and Jonette Yazzie, my friends and collaborators. The Yazzie’s are local and one can rely on their creations. (yazzieflutes.com for further info)

I explained that by my desire to play our traditional music led to the system I devised, which is employed and demonstrated in Voices of the Flute. (Ushkana Press, 2004)

We were treated to a wonderful potluck dinner which we enjoyed. Flutists are hardy eaters!

Ernest Siva

 

Sharing Stories and Songs

If you ever get a chance to attend a conference offered by the California Indian Storytelling Association take it!

The group keeps cultures vibrant by sharing stories and songs. 

In this video from 2008 are a few of our favorite Chumash songs, accompanied by clappersticks:

The Flutes of August

The Inland Empire Valley Flute Society people enjoy their flutes so much they have organized and met since 2003 to promote flutes, flute-playing and flute education. On August 23 they have invited Ernest H. Siva, an extraordinary flutist, to teach them about Native American flutes and the flute notation system he devised for the Ushkana Press book Voices of the Flute. Stay tuned.

Art Hopping

The Art Hop in downtown Banning was a great success. Our workshops with traditional Native American music instruments were fun and informative. Read about the entire event here.

Make Music at the Art Hop

Scene from 2008 free tin-can rattle workshop,

Photo by Pat Murkland

UPDATED APRIL 9

Banning's annual Art Hop will be here April 25. Many events are free or affordable and family-friendly. Check out the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. calendar chock full of activities at the Banning Cultural Alliance, the lead sponsor.

Last year more than 3,000 people celebrated a day of amazing cross-cultural arts events in downtown Banning, and Dorothy Ramon Learning Center was indeed in the Center of it all.

This year, we again are offering special events that save and share Southern California's American Indian music and other arts. We are proud to announce that Banning Unified School District's American Indian Education Program will co-sponsor our Art Hop workshops:

In the A.M.

CLAPPERSTICKS with Georgiana Sanchez and including family members Sue and Ray Diaz, and Patricia Estrada, Chumash culture bearers.

Limited to 15 people. $20 per person; all proceeds benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn about these traditional rhythm instruments that accompany song and dance. When struck against the palm, we hear a clacking, clapping sound. Decorate a bamboo clapperstick to take home with designs possibly from traditional stories or baskets. Learn about Chumash culture from traditional culture bearers. Share in a songfest and learn fun and easy songs to sing while you play your clapperstick. Some interesting kelp seaweed rattles and other unique music instruments will be on display.  Make sure you get in; pre-registration encouraged, siva@dishmail.net. We encourage teachers and parents to participate in this workshop purposely kept small. 

Don't miss their FREE onstage performance scheduled for 1 p.m. Here they are last year, with fellow singer June Siva (in Trojan red). Photo by Pat Murkland.

TIN CAN RATTLES FOR KIDS. FREE!

Kids learn how to make a tin-can rattle to take home and learn about the rattle's appropriate use in Southern California music. Presenters: Banning schools Indian Club members.

In the AFTERNOON.

GOURD RATTLE WORKSHOP with Gerald Clarke Jr., Cahuilla artist. 

Bird songs and other traditional music are accompanied by these beautiful-sounding instruments made from gourds. Learn how to make one to take home, while also learning the respectful use of the rattle accompanying traditional music. $30. Enrollment limited. Pre-registration encouraged, siva@dishmail.net. For teens and adults. Proceeds will benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

Gerald Clarke, Jr. teaching the 2008 workshop

Photo by Pat Murkland

Meanwhile, our annual NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE WORKSHOP with Marvin and Jonette Yazzie will run a three-day weekend, from April 24-26. 

In this workshop starting at 9 a.m. Friday, each student will construct and decorate a six-hole wooden flute under the guidance of Marvin Yazzie, experienced Navajo flute maker, and his wife, Jonette. Students will also learn some history of flutes as well as the care and handling of their newly created instrument. During the course, ethnomusicologist Ernest Siva, president and founder of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, will teach the basics of flute playing and each student will receive a copy of Voices of the Flute book and CD (Ushkana Press). You do need to sign up ahead of time, enrollment is already filling fast. The price is $300. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Learning Center.

Click here to see scenes from the Yazzies' similar flute class at Idyllwild Arts.

All events will be at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 17 West Hays, Banning.

Watch for more events, we're going to be adding some free family fun!