Northwoods Music Collaborative brings Malagasy Musical Traditions to region
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AMASA -- Beethoven & Banjos, the Upper Peninsula’s acclaimed cross-genre music festival, is proud to announce its 2026 festival theme, Music of Madagascar, featuring internationally recognized Malagasy musicians Mikahely Razafy (Mikahely) and David Rajaonary (Rade).
More than a presentation of classical and traditional music, Beethoven & Banjos is an immersive artistic residency that brings musicians together from diverse musical backgrounds to create new works and fresh interpretations inspired by the Upper Peninsula’s landscape, culture, and heritage. During a week-long residency, artists collaborate through writing, arranging, rehearsing, educational outreach, and performances, creating a unique musical experience for audiences and students alike.
The 2026 festival will unite Mikahely and Rade with festival co-founders Laurel Premo and Evan Premo, exploring connections between Malagasy musical traditions and North American folk, classical, and improvisational music.
“Mikahely’s music is deeply rooted in Madagascar,” said Evan Premo. “He sings primarily in Malagasy and plays the valiha, a traditional Malagasy bamboo tube-zither with a shimmering, beautiful sound. The rhythms in his music are absolutely infectious.”
Mikahely, a Malagasy singer-songwriter now based in Vermont, combines the gentle, flowing rhythms of traditional Madagascar with contemporary acoustic influences. A self-taught musician, he performs on both the valiha and guitar, crafting warm and melodic songs that draw from traditional lullabies and folk forms. His work explores themes of memory, nature, and social awareness, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience Madagascar’s rich cultural heritage. Mikahely is part of Silkroad, formerly the Silk Road Project, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, initiated by the cellist Yo-Yo Ma in 1998, promoting collaboration among artists and institutions, promoting multicultural artistic exchange, and studying the ebb and flow of ideas.
Rajaonary, known to many as “Rade,” has toured nationally and established himself as a respected member of New York City’s world music community. He performs with the world music ensemble BeMaeva and has collaborated with artists including Okaidja Afroso, Muriel Mwamba, and numerous others.
Laurel Premo is an experimental roots artist known for rhythmically deep and rapt delivery onfinger-style electric guitar, fiddle, and voice. Her sacred art reflects and amplifies the northern wilderness and reveals a complete submersion in heavy archaic roots--from the crossover of old-time and blues American traditions to darker Nordic sounds.
Evan Premo is a composer, double bassist and artistic director of Northwoods Music Collaborative. Known for creating music inspired by nature, community, and cultural exchange, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, appeared on NPR’s Performance Today and leads collaborative projects that bring together musicians from diverse traditions.
The performance schedule is at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 8, at Marquette Regional History Center in Marquette; at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Oct. 10, at Michigan Technological University's McArdle Theatre at the Walker Center for Arts and Humanities in Houghton; and at 2 p.m. CT Sunday, Oct. 11, at Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp in Crystal Falls.
Ticket information is available at www.northwoodsmusiccollaborative.org/beethoven-and-banjos.