Playing Basque music in several locations across the state, the OSPA Worldwide Tour event will make its first stop on January 5 at Gillette’s Campbell County Rockpile Museum. (Leap or Leap), Fandango, Arin from Iparalde (Northern Basque Country), Jota and Polurua from Hegoalde (Southern Basque Country) and the mixed musical heritage of the Basque He diaspora present in parts of the Basque Country. Shanxi.
“We were approached by David Romtvedt from last year’s buffalo shepherd festival About hosting a Basque band from Buffalo,” said Robert Henning, curator of the Rockpile Museum. “OSPA is he’s a five-piece band playing Basque community music and Basque dance music. We also have a new set of songs based on these. [19th century] Basque poet José Mari Iparaguirre Guernica tree”
The band was created by Romtvedt, professor emeritus of creative writing at the University of Wyoming and poet laureate of Wyoming from 2003-2011. Ospa is a Basque word that means ‘celebration’ or ‘scrum’ depending on usage. Other regular members include Romtvedt’s wife Margo Brown on percussion and vocals, Caitlin Bellen on vocals, violin and alto saxophone, Kevin Carr on violin, viola, alboca, Pandero, Daniel Steinberg on piano, Romvedt on vocals, Flugelhorn, Contains Trichytixa. and a three-row diatonic accordion.
“he [Romtvedt] I love teaching about Basque culture through song, poetry and dance,” said Henning. “Our desire to help convey the culture of the region to Gillette residents and visitors drew us to be hosts.”
Basque immigrants first arrived in parts of Wyoming in the early 20th century. They were actively involved in sheep ranching and invested in their own ranch operations. Several ranches in northeastern Wyoming are owned today by descendants of these immigrants, Henning said.
“They also made a few songs out of those poems, so I’m thrilled they’re sharing them all over the state, especially for those of us in the Powder River Basin because Buffalo, Johnson County, And then there are the Basque settlers, and it’s the same here in Campbell County,” he said.
of OSPA Tour It will be held from January 5th to 15th. They play Sheridan, Buffalo, Laramie, Casper, Cheyenne, Rock Springs and Jackson. If you would like to participate, please check the ticket price with the host venue. This tour is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the State Parks and Cultural Resources Service.
