This article was translated by John R. Bopp
As we mentioned last July, Basque-Idahoan musician Dan Ansotegui is going to receive the 2019 National Heritage Fellowship, which is given to US traditional musicians by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Dan Ansotegui thus joins tat group of Basques that has received this award, inaugurated in 1982. He’ll be joining the likes of Basque-Idahoan accordionist Jimmy Jausoro, and bertsolaris Jesus Arriada, Johnny Curutchet, Martin Goicoechea, and Jesus Goni from California and Wyoming. We’re sure more will follow.
The award will be given out tomorrow, September 20, at 8:00 pm EDT (2:00 am CET on the 21st) in Washington, DC. The ceremony will be broadcast live and can be watched here:
Live broadcast of the award ceremony
The National Endowment for the Arts has expanded Dan Ansotegui‘s page on the award’s page, with a video and a podcast:
Dan Ansotegui (video)
Dan Ansotegui (podcast)
2019 National Heritage Fellow Basque musician and tradition bearer
2019 National Heritage Fellow Basque musician, teacher and restauranteur Dan Ansotegui brings his passion for the Basque culture into everything he does. But he also sees culture as a breathing entity—not something set in amber. The roots of the tree may come from the Basque Region, but those leaves are growing in Boise, Idaho. Ansotegui is a great talker. In this podcast, learn about Basque music, dancing, and food (he does it all!) and the deep social connections these traditions give a community.
(Podcast transcript) (Automatic translation)
Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country