119 W. 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011
First Friday: Sicilian Frame Drum Workshop with Michela Musolino
Friday, Oct 3, 2025
2–3pm
Discover the vibrant rhythms and cultural heritage of Sicily in this hands-on workshop led by internationally recognized Sicilian-American singer and musician Michela Musolino. Presented in connection with the exhibition The Future Was Then: The Changing Face of Fascist Italy, this program explores the resilience of folk traditions and the enduring power of community expression through music.
Participants will receive guided instruction in the techniques of the Sicilian frame drum, one of the most important percussion instruments in Southern Italian folk culture.
Open to all experience levels; no prior musical background required.
Michela Musolino is an internationally recognized Sicilian-American singer who explores her cultural roots and shares them with the world through the study and reinterpretation of the folk songs of Sicily and Southern Italy. With voice and frame drum, Musolino sings songs of daily life, songs of feast days, songs of protest, and songs of love, weaving the ancient and the modern into powerful melodies. She is the founder of Rosa’s Drum, a cultural events and educational organization that promotes and teaches folk traditions from Sicily and Southern Italy.
Friday, Oct 3, 2025
7–8pm
Experience the vibrant traditions of Sicilian and Southern Italian folk music with Michela Musolino and her ensemble, Rosa Tatuata, in a performance presented in connection with the exhibition The Future Was Then: The Changing Face of Fascist Italy. This program highlights the resilience of cultural expression in times of change, showing how folk music continues to bridge the past and present.
Drawing on years of research into traditional instruments—including the tamburo (Sicilian frame drum), organetto, marranzano (jaw harp), and zampogna (Southern Italian bagpipes)—Musolino and Rosa Tatuata weave a tapestry of sound that blends old-world authenticity with fresh interpretation.
Join us for an evening of music that celebrates resilience, joy, and cultural memory—an opportunity to hear how ancient traditions continue to resonate in our world today.
Michela Musolino is an internationally recognized Sicilian-American singer who explores her cultural roots and shares them with the world through the study and reinterpretation of the folk songs of Sicily and Southern Italy. With voice and frame drum, Musolino sings songs of daily life, songs of feast days, songs of protest, and songs of love, weaving the ancient and the modern into powerful melodies. She is the founder of Rosa’s Drum, a cultural events and educational organization that promotes and teaches folk traditions from Sicily and Southern Italy.
For more information, visit www.posterhouse.org
