The Roger Mikulas Young Artist Showcase
SATURDAY, APRIL 6: 2-3 PM & 4-6 PM / SUNDAY, APRIL 7: NOON to 2 PM & 3-6 PM
NEW LOCATION: WILDFLOWER STAGE – JACOME PLAZA
This year’s festival has an incredible line up of young performers for the Roger Mikulas Young Artist Showcase! It is important for a folk festival to have a program for young musicians designed for growth and self-discovery. Our aim is to nurture musicians in the community and provide career stepping stones so they may one day lend their voices to inspire a younger generation.
(To learn more about Roger Mikulas, go to bottom of page.)
WILDFLOWER STAGE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
12:00 – 2:00 pm Stefan George Memorial Songwriting Competition
2:00 pm – Ayla Moreno
Ayla started playing piano and violin at the age of three and currently studies piano with Dr.Svetlana Arakelova, and violin with Dr.Laura Tagawa. She has been invited to perform at various venues including Tucson Japanese Festival, Tucson Museum of Art, churches and more. In two consecutive years, she won 1st place at the Merit Scholarship Competition and last year, she won 1st place for the Competition by Civic Orchestra and performed piano concerto with them. Today, she will perform folk influenced songs around the world.
2:30 pm – Garcia Brothers
The Garcia Brothers, Rico 17 and Diego 15 years of age, have been playing as a guitar duo for the last 10 years. They play a unique style of improvised acoustic guitar music to include their own compositions of Christian, Spanish, Country, Blues, Latin, Classical, and Flamenco music.
3:00 pm – Family Show – Mr. Nature’s Music Garden
4:00 pm – Magic Voice Studio Songbirds
Magic Voice Studio has been helping people find their voices for many decades. One of the most wonderful aspects of the Studio is the diversity of music, much of it discovered through its diversity of students. Together, the Songbirds will share with the folk festival their diverse cultures as they present together songs of China, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, India and of course, the USA! Students will be garbed in their own heritage’s folk attire.
4:30 pm – Tara Maria Belger
Tara plays an acoustic guitar and sings. Some of the main groups who have influenced her songwriting are the Pixies, David Bowie and the Cure.
5:00 pm – Mariachi Los Potrillos of Cholla High School
Hailing from Tucson’s La Cholla High School, the 13 members of Mariachi Los Potrillos have performed together for three years. They’ve appeared in multiple events around Tucson and been featured half-time performers for the Arizona Cardinals. In addition to learning Mariachi, the group is studying studio recording, stage management and other skills to become professionals in the music industry.
5:30 pm – Jovert Steel Drum Band
When people hear Jovert they will hear familiar songs . . . they just won’t hear them in a familiar way. When Jovert plays, listeners can expect to be surprised, enlightened and above all entertained. Movement, theatrics and choreography are very much a part of each Jovert performance.
SUNDAY, APRIL 7
11:45 am – Grace Nicole Sunshine Lorring
Grace Nicole Sunshine Lorring is 7 1/2 years old. She has been playing violin for almost three years. She loves dragons, unicorns and mermaids. She also likes to do aerial silks, contortion, and other circus tricks. And, she loves her family.
12:00 pm – Corbyn Cleveland
Corbyn Cleveland is an 11 year old performer with rich vocals and songs that are beyond her years. She was accepted to attend the prestigious Broadway Artist Alliance in New York City this summer for her unique musical theatre skills. Performing at venues around town for the past year, including Monterey Court, Corbyn is a young talent to watch for.
12:30 pm – Piper Layne
Piper Layne has been a vocal and guitar student with Pamela Dean at Allegro School of Music for just over a year. She is a model and actress and aspiring performer originally from Tucson. She enjoys indie music and classic rock.
1:00 pm – Nic Guereque
Nic is a 7th grader and Honor Roll student at Mansfield Middle School. He began playing the piano at age six and drums at eight. Nic’s been playing guitar for two years now and loves classic rock and folk music. He began performing this year and plans on making music for life.
1:30 pm – Paige Brumm
Paige is a young folk artist and Tucson Native. She is a senior at Canyon Del Oro high school and will be pursuing music in Nashville later this year.
2:00 pm-3:00 pm – Family Show – Mr. Nature’s Music Garden!
3:00 pm – Jonas Blackketter
Jonas is a self taught 13 year-old folk guitarist, whose influences include classics such as John Denver, Cat Stevens and Jim Croce.
3:30 pm – Hannah & Meredith
Hannah & Meredith are a vocalist and piano duo who perform covers and original music in the style of contemporary jazz. They are both aspiring artists and musicians with intentions of pursuing careers in entertainment and music.
4:00 pm Salem in Oregon (Kokino)
Sad ukulele jams. The songs are pretty soft and mellow, lots of it is about love, so if you want to hear some smooth stuff, come watch the show. I’ll give you a hug if you want.
4:30 pm – Cecilia Rose
Cecilia Rose has been singing since before she could talk and writing and composing original music since she was ten. Cecilia plays guitar, viola, ukulele, recorder and keyboard, but her best instrument is her voice. Cecilia is a prolific songwriter with over 200 original compositions. Each song tells a personal story, whether it’s a story of love, social commentary, or throwing a bit of sassy shade. In 2018, she produced and released her first album, Angel from Hell.
5:00 pm – Lucia & Renz Iurino (I know, it looks like L but it is capital I ) 
Traditional fiddle and original arrangements of folk and alternative folk set for fiddle, voice and ukulele.
5:30 pm – Maria McArthur
Maria is 16 and has placed nationally in fiddle and banjo contests and has played at many festivals nationwide. She enjoys all styles of music and has played locally with Nic McBlaine, the Tucsonics, and The Sonoran Dogs. Maria is now the state champion banjo player and state champion flat pick guitarist. She also placed 11th nationwide at the national fiddle contest in Weiser, Idaho. She will be accompanied by Western Music recording artist Dan McCorison.
The Young Artists Showcase provides an opportunity for musicians 18 years of age, and under, to gain live performance experience with the Tucson Folk Festival audience! Several Young Artists from prior years have gone on to perform full sets as regular performers at subsequent festivals, including Run Boy Run!
TKMA has always recognized the importance of reaching out to the younger generation. They are our replacements and the future balladeers to chronicle all of life’s interesting twists and turns! The influence of Tucson’s music scene is displayed in the diversity and talent these young artists embody. The entire festival is kid and family-friendly, as well. The music, workshops, crafts and food appeal to all ages!
We are often amazed at the talent displayed by these young musicians. Who knows . . . someday you may be saying, “I remember seeing him/her play at the Tucson Folk Festival when he/she was just yay high . . . “
ROGER MIKULAS:
Roger Mikulas was a strong supporter and one of the originators of the Young Artist Stage that began in 2006 at the Tucson Folk Festival. He also helped organize and participated in a Music in the Schools Band. The band played for elementary school children in Tucson, introducing them to folk instruments and folk music. Unfortunately, Roger fell and suffered a serious injury while setting up the Young Artist Stage and never fully recovered. After this happened, he set up the Mikulas Musicians Fund, which lends assistance to Tucson musicians who have health problems that interfere with their ability to play music. He passed away in 2010. However, he had a larger-than-life spirit that is still remembered and still inspires the provision and teaching of folk music for young people.