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February 28, 2025

Members of the Bennington-area community are invited to join the 51�������� community for an evening of traditional Tuvan music on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 7:30 pm. The concert is a collaboration between 51��������’s Carriage Barn Music Series and Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) and benefits Bennington County Multicultural Community Center (BCMCC), whose funding was recently halted by federal executive orders.

Alash: Music from Tuva will take place in the Greenwall Auditorium in the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) building at 51��������. Doors will open at 7:00 pm.

“I’m thrilled that 51�������� is joining forces with the VAE and BCMCC for this exciting event. This concert is a meaningful opportunity for our community to come together in support of the extraordinary work being done at the Bennington County Multicultural Community Center,” said Joseph Alpar, music faculty member and curator of the Carriage Barn Music Series. “Don’t miss this chance to experience Alash’s captivating music! Your participation makes a direct impact on the lives of refugee families and promotes a vibrant, diverse community in Bennington County.”

On January 20, all refugee arrivals to the United States were stopped by executive order. On January 24, a stop-work order redacted the federally funded program that provides case management and direct support to individuals. Also as a result of the order, two staff people at the BCMCC lost their jobs.

“51�������� and Vermont Arts Exchange are the first community groups to step up and offer coordinated fundraising support for the Bennington County Multicultural Community Center,” said Jack Rossiter-Munley, Director of Programs and Community Engagement at BCMCC. “There is intense financial pressure on our work right now, and this kind of grassroots collaboration is essential for our success.”

Alash is a renowned ensemble from Tuva, a region in Siberia known for its rich tradition of throat singing. Their unique music blends ancient vocal techniques with contemporary sounds and creates a mesmerizing experience that transcends cultures.

Alash performed their first public concert in the United States at VAE in 2006 and returned every year until 2010. Matthew Perry, cofounder and executive director of VAE, enjoyed getting to know the members of the group and introducing them to students at local graded schools. “In addition to mind-blowing music, what Alash brings to the community is rich culture and an opportunity to learn from other histories and traditions,” Perry said. “Now more than ever, we need to learn from each other. This collaboration—among VAE and the Multicultural Center and 51��������—addresses some of the issues that we are being challenged with. And the music, if you haven’t heard it before, it’s just really amazing.”  

Tickets are $20 for adults. Children are free, though a $5 donation is suggested. 51�������� students are admitted free with their student ID. Tickets are available for purchase in advance via the website or at the door. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Bennington County Multicultural Community Center.

In addition to the musical performance by Alash, the evening will also feature a selection of food provided by two Afghan women who run a local catering business, music by the College’s Middle Eastern Ensemble, and art on display from members of Art Lords, an international art collective founded in Afghanistan in 2014.

“This one evening will be a mini multicultural festival,” said Rossiter-Munley. 

About the Bennington County Multicultural Community Center (BCMCC):
The Bennington County Multicultural Community Center, a branch office of the national refugee resettlement agency ECDC, works to help people from around the world arriving through the refugee resettlement process start new lives in the United States. The center also undertakes community projects that support not only recently arrived refugees, but which also create a more caring, connected and resilient community for all Bennington County residents.

About Vermont Arts Exchange
Since its start in 1994, Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) has fostered creativity and community engagement through its diverse arts programs and projects. Its mission is “Bringing the Arts to People of all Ages, Abilities, and Income.” VAE does this through Art Education, Exhibitions, and Performances. Contracted work offsite includes local schools, healthcare settings, and partnerships with other non-profits. School vacation art camps for children as well as classes for teens and adults are offered, and soon, the new VAE Clay Studio will be opening up. The two VAE Art Buses, traveling art studios, bring the arts to the people and people to the art. Now in its twenty-first year, the popular Basement Music Series, brings local, national, and international musicians of diverse genres to the community in a variety of venues.