Native American flutist and composer Robert Mirabal is coming to Kalamazoo on November 13th for a performance at Stetson Chapel with the string quartet ETHEL as part of the Connecting Chords Music Festival. In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, Mirabal discusses the remarkable dialogue between his traditional music and European classical traditions that come together in this project.
Mirabal, who lives on Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, describes how his life moves with the seasons, deeply tied to agricultural cycles and ceremonial traditions. He recently participated in his community's three-day harvest ceremony, which coincides with Dia de los Muertos and connects indigenous farmers across the Americas in honoring ancestors and celebrating the harvest.
The concert features an unexpected personal connection: Lieurance's great-grandfather, Thurlow Lieurance, documented Native American melodies in the early 1900s, including a collection from 1913. Mirabal discovered this work years ago when a friend found an original copy in a Dallas antique store. He has created a musical piece imagining a character who might have met Thurlow Lieurance.
Performing with Ethel requires bridging two musical worlds—formal classical training and oral tradition. Mirabal explains that while Ethel works from written compositions, he brings improvisational storytelling elements to their collaborations. The quartet's openness to improvisation makes the partnership work, creating what Mirabal calls "a ceremony" of musical expression.
The performance promises to blend ancient Pueblo melodies, including the "Shield Dance" from warrior traditions, with string quartet arrangements. Mirabal encourages audiences seeking "something really uniquely inspirational" to attend, calling it a concert for all ages that offers cultural preservation, storytelling, and musical innovation in challenging times.
For tickets and more information, visit the Connecting Chords Festival website.
