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Lyrical Rebellion of French Folksong: Free Symposium Oct. 11

Thursday, October 11, 2018 - 8:30am to 1:30pm

The Lyrical Rebellion of French Folksong in Louisiana
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and the Center for Louisiana Studies to host symposium Oct. 11.

Lafayette, LA, Sept. 26, 2018 – Adding an educational component to Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, a symposium further explores the theme of lyrics and language this year. Scheduled for Oct. 11 at the Hilliard University Art Museum's A. Hays Town Building, “Work Is Too Hard, And Love Is a Cheat: The Lyrical Rebellion of French Folksong in Louisiana” will bring together scholars, authors and musicians to help kick off Festivals weekend.

Presented in partnership with the Center for Louisiana Studies at UL Lafayette, along with the Dr. Tommy Comeaux Endowed Chair in Louisiana Music, CODOFIL and the Hilliard Museum, the symposium will run from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The full schedule is below, but the symposium includes a panel discussion on language revival and song in Louisiana and a keynote address by Roger Mason, an internationally celebrated guitarist and interpreter of Louisiana French music who will discuss his forthcoming book on Louisiana French folksong, as well as the Louisiana singers he recorded in the 1970s.

"There's something rebellious about singing songs in French in the United States, especially here at the dawn of the 21st century,” says Dr. Josh Caffery, director of the Center for Louisiana Studies. “The staff of the center is excited to be teaming up with Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and the Tommy Comeaux Chair to organize this mini-symposium spotlighting the lyrical ingenuity of francophone
Louisiana and commemorating the role of CODOFIL in our region's linguistic and cultural revolution.”

The event is free to attend, but a brown bag lunch from Bread & Circus Provisions is $15. Attendees are asked to register and purchase lunch via Eventbrite (https://workistoohard.eventbrite.com) in advance.


2018 Symposium Schedule

8:30-9 a.m. - Registration
9-9:15 a.m. - Welcome & Introductions by Dr. Josh Caffery & Pat Mould
9:15-10:45 a.m. - “Élever la voix: language revival and song in Louisiana” Panel Discussion Moderated by Maggie Perkins (CODOFIL) with Chris Stafford, Jimmy Louis-Marie, Ashley Hayes Steele, Sam Craft & Steve Riley
11-11:45 a.m. - Lyrical Presentation “Travailler, c'est très dur: The Story of Caesar Vincent's Iconic Song” by Dr. Barry Jean Ancelet
Noon-1:30 p.m. - Brown Bag Keynote: “Louisiana Native American Songstress Alma Barthelemy and the Lyricism of Colonial France” by Roger Mason

Event contact email: 
Event contact phone: 
(337) 482-6027
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