Al Striplen was a professor and counselor at Sacramento State for 40 years and now teaches Native American culture, spirituality and music at the State Indian Museum. Of Amah Matsun Ohlone and Aztec heritage, Al emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things.

Ben Isaacs aka Professor Slap, played many instruments as a youth before falling in love with West African percussion at 19. He studied with masters in West Africa, performs with international touring artists, works with schoolchildren, and teaches group and private lessons.

Bobby Edwards began French horn study at age 11. As a musical hobbyist, he also enjoys playing ‘relatives’ of the horn, like the (valveless) Natural Horn, and the long, wooden Alphorn. He sometimes plays the garden hose, too!

Carlitos Medrano was born in Havana and grew up steeped in traditional Cuban music. He studied and performed with many prominent Cuban musicians before moving to California in 2008. Carlitos plays with many bands and has performed in festivals all over the Bay Area.

Carey Dubbert is a charter staff member of the California Autoharp Gathering. A longtime Occidental resident, Carey has performed and recorded for many years on autoharp and hammered dulcimer and has won national championships for both instruments.

Carrie Souza has studied and taught many dance styles including Belly Dance, Hip-Hop, Urban Contemporary and all forms of Latin, which she studied in Cuba. Carrie loves sharing the dance floor with others, spreading positivity through movement, energy exchange, and FUN!

Chris Reid has traveled extensively and immersed himself in Latin American music and culture for over two decades. He has deep roots in the Lark In The Morning community and has taught this workshop at the Freight & Salvage, in Berkeley, since 2018.

Darina Drapkin has been singing Balkan music for 20 years. She performs with Sonoma County’s Balkan ensemble, Gradina, and is making a solo album. She is also a trained Waldorf teacher and teaches music through Santa Rosa Symphony’s education programs.

David Pascoe is an award-winning musician who performs across the Bay Area, including as band leader & guitarist in Late for the Train (Americana/folk). He co-founded Every Folk, a 3-day folk music camp for adults, and teaches Bluegrass fiddle monthly here at OCA.

Faisal Zedan was born in Lebanon, raised in Syria, and grew up playing the Derbakki drum. From there, he mastered the intricacies of Arabic music, moved to California in 1992, and is now a nationally known percussionist dedicated to the transformative power of rhythm.

Gary M. Sugiyama is a fixture in the Bay Area Hawaiian and Bluegrass communities, performing with Hawaiian band Maile Swing, leading his own Cedar Mountain String Band, and teaching at many festivals and retreats here and in Hawaii.

Holly Tannen is a folklorist who sings Appalachian, English, and Scottish ballads (songs that tell stories) and her own satirical songs about Mendocino and the internet. She teaches rhyming and SongCraft and writes sploems: songs that also work as poems and plays.

Janessa Lynna has been belly dancing since she was 8 years old, performing at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Lark in The Morning traditional music camp, and throughout the Bay Area. Janessa has studied dance abroad, won awards, and she loves to teach.Janessa Lynna (Belly Dance) has been belly dancing since she was 8 years old, performing at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Lark in The Morning traditional music camp, and throughout the Bay Area. Janessa has studied dance abroad, won awards, and she loves to teach.

Jim Partridge has been committing folk music in the Bay Area for many years. He now sings with Brass Farthing, whom you may have seen at Dickens Fair. Approach Jim with caution; he harmonizes with complete strangers with no provocation whatsoever.

Julio Reyes is an award-winning classical guitarist, conductor and lecturer who has performed at Carnegie Hall. He is currently Music Director and Conductor of Aspirante Youth Orchestra for the Santa Rosa Symphony and also teaches guitar privately.

Katiana Vila is a global vocalist, percussionist and songwriter. Katiana has lived and studied in Spain, Brazil, and Latin America. She performs with various Bay Area latin bands, flamenco ensembles and as a soloist.

Ken Genetti s a versatile multi-instrumentalist who discovered Balkan music at Lark Camp in 1999. Inspired, he has since learned music from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece on several instruments and is a member of "Gradina," the North Bay's Balkan music ensemble.

Kim Atkinson is an internationally recognized percussion artist, ecstatic drummer and teacher who uses sound, rhythm and noble intention for personal and group transformation. A master facilitator, he has recorded and performed with renown musicians and dancers from many cultures since the 1980's. For more on Kim and his offerings, please visit www.PulseWave.com

Lars Tergis evolved from classical to folk violinist at folk music events like Lark Camp, where he fell in love with Greek and Near Eastern music. He studied in Istanbul for 3 years and now leads Balkan dance band Lars and in Charge while working on his album.

Laura Benson is a lifelong vocalist and multi-instrumentalist whose roots are in Celtic fiddle music. She has a degree in Hispanic Studies, and spent years studying folk music throughout Spain. She currently spreads joy via the exploration of rhythm and melody as an after-school marimba instructor with Play Marimba and she tours regularly with Late for the Train.

Leslie Hubbert has been learning Cuban and Puerto Rican songs for 25 years. She has taught in schools, festivals and Lark in the Morning music camp. Leslie plays in the band “Los Piratos” and also as a duo with husband Michael Hubbert.

Lisa Doyle grew up in England and attended Royal College of Music before discovering traditional music here in California. Lisa is a member of Scottish dance band “Flindrikin” and has played in symphonies and chamber groups across the Bay Area and beyond. She teaches violin in her Sebastopol studio.

Mamadou Sidibe is a master of the ngoni, a Malian Hunter’s Harp traditionallyused for storytelling. Mamadou transforned the instrument by adding more strings and writing lyrics about politics and daily life. He perfors internationally and is one of the “Fula Brothers”.

Mark Sellin is a veteran musician and stage performer. He has acted on stage over 1000 times and directed over 30 plays. For Mark, focus is a key concept throughout the performing arts because it helps the meaning come through.

Michael Greenberg (Fingerstyle Guitar) has been playing strings since age 11. At first he was strictly a strummer, but in college he discovered fingerstyle technique and has been loving it ever since. Michael is excited to share his insights on fingerstyle guitar with other aspiring pickers.

Nathaniel Sellin is an audio engineer and studio musician with a long time passion for jazz, classical, and world music. He works with a wonderful and wide spectrum of artists across their musical journeys.

Rick Fulkerson leads the popular local band Le Hot Club Swing and specializes in Gypsy Swing and Gypsy Swing styles of guitar and bass.

Ron Wallace has been teaching Scottish and Cape Breton dance full time since 1981. He currently plays with "Findrikin" and teaches weekly classes in dance and bagpipes. He founded A-Scot-in-Time.org which supports training, publication, performances and research in Scottish dance and music.

Sean Tergis grew up so immersed in folk music from the Middle East, Turkey, Greece and the Balkans that he moved to Istanbul to study and perform. Now back, Sean plays with multiple bands and produces a weekly event in San Francisco called Balkan Sundays.

Shawna Selline is an award-winning Celtic harpist who has performed at fairs, festivals and with many bands including The Chieftains. She currently plays with The Story Wrens, teaches at Lark in The Morning camp and serves private students in west Sonoma County.

Shay Black comes from a legendary Irish singing family. His irresistible stage presence graces Irish band “Garva” and sea shanty group “Stormalong John,” and his popular classes at the Freight & Salvage and the Starry Plough draw people in into traditional music.

Sophia Zimmerman trained at Colorado State University and The Hartt Conservancy. She is deeply inspired by Alexander Technique, a movement practice that helps singers work harmoniously with their body to maximize sound and minimize fatigue. Sophie teaches privately and performs around the North Bay.

Sue has studied Balkan and international dance and song with many teachers all over the United States and Europe. She has been a member of four performing groups over the years, including Nashville's own Dancefolk. Sue has taught Balkan dance to school groups, dance camps, recreational dance groups, senior citizens, ranch hands, and people waiting for various types of public transportation. She currently teaches Balkan dance at several dance groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, and has been the Balkan Dance teacher at Lark World Music and Dance Camp in Mendocino, California for the many years.

Tim Cadell has performed many years at Renaissance Faires and the Dickens Christmas Festival, singing madrigals and English folk with Goode Company and English Victorian songs with Brass Farthing. Tim is also a founding member of the world-famous Poxy Boggards.

Tyehimba Kokayi has a deep, wide-ranging background in dance, theater and music. He studied with great West African Dance masters, earned degrees in Ethnic Studies and Education, has received grant funding, and founded The Lions Den Educational Institute to educate about West African Culture.