First Plymouth Church

2000 “D” Street, Lincoln, NE 68502

Kytasty Family Bandura Ensemble, featuring Julian Kytasty, and Irene, Alina and Teryn Kuzma and Ukraine’s national instrument, the bandura.

Accompanied by Ukraine’s national instrument, the bandura, the songs of the Kytasty Family Bandura Ensemble demonstrate the rich cultural heritage that has persevered through epochs of war and occupation, both historical and recent. Julian Kytasty is a modern Ukrainian Kobzar, who combines music and poetry, much like a minstrel or troubadour. Together with his sister, Irene Kuzma and her daughters Alina and Teryn, the ensemble will perform with other Crossroads Artists in what is certain to be a moving opening performance of the festival. All proceeds from this concert will be donated to help the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

First Plymouth Church

2000 “D” Street, Lincoln, NE 68502

The 2022 festival’s opening storytelling slam, featuring Julian Kytasty

We are the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Come share your stories along with the festival’s artists and speakers! The first of two storytelling slams will be hosted by Nebraska storyteller Rita Paskowitz and feature your stories alongside those of the festival’s artists and other community members.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church

1144 M St, Lincoln, NE 68508

Experience an hour of uninterrupted music to calm the mind and soothe the soul.

Experience an hour of uninterrupted music to calm the mind and soothe the soul in a peaceful setting, listening to the meditative performances of festival artists. All are welcome, especially those struggling with grief, anxiety, depression and veterans with PTSD. Mats will be provided for lying down and gently shifting lighting will be projected on the churches many surfaces. Artists include Julian Kytasty, Erik Higgins, Oscar Rios, Aisslinn Nosky and others.

Johnny Carson Theater

on the West side of the Lied Center

North of 11th and Q Streets, Lincoln, NE, 68588

Gabriel Kahane’s intimate musical portrait of acquaintances made on an 8980 mile journey on Amtrak in 2016 takes a look at the heart of the America we live in.

8980: Book of Travelers is an attempt to rediscover and celebrate our collective humanity in the face of deep political and cultural divisions. The day after the 2016 presidential election, Gabriel Kahane set out on an 8,980 mile train trip around the continental U.S. with no phone or internet connection. The song cycle/monodrama that resulted etches a series of intimate character studies, people whom Kahane almost certainly would not have met within the confines of our silo’d digital culture. He asks the audience to contemplate the varied scars of our collective past, while at the same time offering a seed of hope that when we step outside of our digital lives, we may have more in common with our fellow Americans than we’re often led to believe.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church

1144 M St, Lincoln, NE 68508

Featuring the world-premiere of Layale Chaker’s “The Bow and the Read”

“The Bow and the Read” evokes the ancient language Aramaic, taking it out of its ancient and religious context and giving it new life. Lebanese composer Layale Chaker’s work for choir and solo violin uses texts from both pre-Christian divinations to gods and goddesses of Babylon, as well as contemporary Assyrian poets, from Iraq, writing about love, life, death, war, migration, etc… in their native language. This concert will feature the world premiere of “the Bow and the Read” in addition to other works by Chaker and other composers drawing on ancient and modern poetry.

Lincoln Community Foundations Gardens

215 Centennial Mall S, Lincoln, NE 68508

An informal late-night concert, featuring love songs from 8 festival artists.

The festival’s late-night performance featuring 8 festival artists, singing one love song each. One microphone, one amp and limited seating available.

Gabriele Kahane, Julian Kytasty, Teryn Kuzma, Daniel Martinez, Oscar Rios Pohirieth, Arkan Kasem, JP Jofre, Zeyad Shiekh

Johnny Carson Theater

on the West side of the Lied Center

North of 11th and Q Streets, Lincoln, NE, 68588

The 2022 festival’s second storytelling slam, hosted by Rita Paskowitz

We are the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Come share your stories along with the festival’s artists and speakers! The second of two storytelling slams will be hosted by Nebraska storyteller Rita Paskowitz and feature your stories alongside those of the festival’s artists and other community members.

Turbine Flats

2124 Y St, Lincoln, NE 68503

Join festival artists for an evening of free improvisation, learning about the musical styles and traditions from all over the world and experiencing first-hand the electric synergy of the festival’s artist roster.

By popular demand, the 2022 festival will include two jam sessions. These thrilling events are open to the public and provide an opportunity for community members, Crossroads artists, local musicians and curious minds to come together for an evening of shared improvised music.

South Street Temple

2061 S 20th St, Lincoln, NE 68502

Come hear a performance of Syrian composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh’s intimate chamber works

After a wildly successful debut at the Lincoln Crossroads Music Festival in 2019, Kinan Azmeh returns to Lincoln for an intimate look at the Syrian composer’s more intimate chamber works. Azmeh’s works are connected to meaningful places and stories that transport the listener somewhere very far away, yet that still feels like home. Azmeh will be joined on stage by local musicians and storytellers, for improvisations based on Syrian folk songs.

Program.

Azmeh: The fence the rooftop and the distant sea (for clarinet and cello)

Azmeh: In the element (for clarinet and string quartet + bass)

Azmeh: Cafe Damas, for violin, cello and double bass

First Plymouth Church

2000 “D” Street, Lincoln, NE 68502

The tango-inspired music of composer and bandoneon player JP Jofre

Program

Jofre: Double Concerto for Clarinet and Bandoneon commissioned by and dedicated to clarinetist Seounghee Lee

Inti Figgis-Vizueta: Imago (string quartet)

Jofre: Tango Movements (str., Pno, bandoneon)

Argentina has a unique musical tradition that combines the native traditional music with European influences, most famously in Argentinian tango. J.P. Jofre is a living example of the benefits of a rich historical tradition influenced by travel and exploration to create something entirely new and different.