2020-06-10

Dan Ansotegui

Dan Ansotegui (Boise, Idaho)

Dan Ansotegui was raised by the scents and tastes of his mother’s cooking and the sound of his father’s music. The music came from the accordion and the aromas that filled the house were brought to this country by his grandmother Epi. His exposure to the traditions of the Basque Country prepared him for a life of immersive study, commitment to preservation, and a talent for performance. Through his role as master, mentor, and entrepreneur, Dan is a bearer of Basque music, dance, and foodways traditions that contribute to the creative growth and sustainability of his cultural community. Dan is a National Heritage Award recipient (2019), performs traditional Basque dance music, and plays in a fusion Basque pop band called Amuma Says No. He is also one of the primary teachers in the Boise trikitixa and pandero teaching program, training new players of Basque music on diatonic accordion and tambourine.

Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 06/10/2020.

Raquel Paraíso

Music; United States; Covid-19 Pandemic

Boise, Idaho

Musicians in America during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Society for Ethnomusicology