Cherrymae Golston
Location: Albuquerque, N.M.
Occupation: I am a fiber artist and a ceramicist. I also sub in the Albuquerque School System in bilingual elementary schools.
Connection to Balkan music/dance: I folkdance sporadically and I sing Balkan music on a weekly basis with a group of experienced and inexperienced singers in Santa Fe. We are led by Willa Roberts.
Number of times at Balkan camp: I went to camp for the first time in the late ‘70s and this last summer was maybe the fifth time. I think it was 16 years between the last time I got to go to camp and this most recent time.
Studied at camp: I loved Michele Simon's warm-up class and I loved that it happened first thing in the morning. It warmed up my voice for the other singing classes I took. I got very useful information on how to use my voice, which has made me more confident when I sing. I learned new material from Carol [Silverman] and singing with Brenna [MacCrimmon] made me more comfortable about singing in Turkish.
Memorable moment at camp: I was very happily surprised by how little camp had changed over the years. It was still the welcoming, fun, beautiful place I remembered. I was also touched by the generosity toward the camper who had had her luggage stolen.