Rudy performs piano and harpsichord concerts for audiences across the country. If you are interested in having Rudy perform for your event or organization, you may contact him at (512) 416-1802.

"BYNA" Captures Life of Southern Appalachian Women
"Listen...the silence is loud in the woods"

While the original BYNA Ensemble is no longer available for concerts, read about our most memorable concerts below.

And remember, sopranos, pianists and instrumentalists can create your own ensembles and perform BYNA for your university, chamber music organizations, schools and music festivals. To purchase the score send $60.00 check or money order to:

Delilah Elsen, Manager, Byna Project
86 Driftstone Circle
Arden, NC 28704



BYNA: LIFESONGS OF A SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WOMAN OF CHEROKEE DESCENT
was the final evening cultural event in a week long literary conference exploring Southern Culture, From Okra to Opera, at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. The conference marked the 50th anniversary of the Southern Literary Festival which met in the spring of 1962 at Converse and featured Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Connor, and Cleanth Brooks, among others. Participants were invited along for the interdisciplinary exploration of the diverse facets of today's Southern culture: from country music to collard greens, from poetry to paintings, from tobacco twine to the Tupelo Honey Cafe. Writers and keynote speakers Lee Smith and Hal Crowther addressed the question of whether there still is a distinctive Southern culture. More than 50 scholars, artists and experts from throughout the Southeast rounded out a week-long events series that truly offered something for everyone. Cultural events were offered every evening during the week at Converse and venues throughout Spartanburg. The performance was Friday April 13 at 7:30 PM at the Daniel Recital Hall on the Converse Campus. Megan Kusek, Converse ’12, interviewed Delilah Elsen prior to the concert. Rebecca Turner, soprano; Kelly Vanemen, oboist; Kenneth Law, cellist; and Mildred Roche, pianist, performed.

The following day, the BYNA ENSEMBLE performed the work again in Hayesville, NC. An hour prior to the Hayesville performance Cherokee artist Faren Sanders Crews, a self taught artist who created the signature BYNA pencil sketch, exhibited her art in the lobby of the Peacock Playhouse in Hayesville. The Hayesville performance was presented by the Lillith Lidseen Performing Arts Association.