Robert will be playing and singing selections from his Mémère’s notebook of Acadian folksongs in the original French as well as his English translations, along with a discussion of the process of unearthing the autochthonous melodies, their origin and evolution through the generations, and his method of researching these traditional laments and broadsides.

Join us on Zoom! Register using this link: https://maine.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtfuqurD8jHtZ7Nt5U09sCetMKS5ocvE4a

ABOUT THE NOTEBOOK:

Robert’s grandmother, Elisa Sylvain née Thibodeau, grew up in the St. John River Valley, in the heart of Maine’s Acadian region. As the keeper of songs in his generation, Robert inherited his Mémère’s cherished notebook of old Acadian ballads, which he has painstakingly researched for historical sources, found the original melodies, translated and arranged the songs to present to new audiences as proof that Acadian culture still lives in Maine. Thanks in part to a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, a songbook and CD set of the music is now available for purchase.