Heritage in Motion: Identity Through Music featuring Bardin-Niskala Duo

A music and history-based collaborative event held at Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, this program will feature a performance by exceptional musicians, the Bardin-Niskala Duo, designed to explore the part music plays in identity, promote cultural awareness, and celebrate humanity.

The duo will present pieces that deal with historical events in the United States that are not often spoken about–Stories of how the US government approaches and interacts with indigenous cultures (both Navajo and Hawaiian), specific ethnicities (the internment of Japanese people and communities during WWII, and the disparate treatment of Blacks in the US), and immigration issues (Venezuelan humanitarian situation). None of these stories will be presented from a political standpoint. Rather, the artists will use music to explore the ongoing stories and impact created by these historical events–decisions which continue to resonate through today’s generations and which shape our cultural and societal attitudes.

The duo is comprised of cellist An-Lin Bardin and pianist Naomi Niskala. An-Lin and Naomi met while living and teaching in New Haven, CT, shortly after they finished their studies at the Yale School of Music. An-Lin is of Chinese-American heritage and Naomi is of Japanese-American heritage. They have been playing together in their piano trio (Trio Kisosen) since 2016, and formed the Bardin-Niskala Duo in January 2021 in response to the sharp rise in anti-Asian violence and hate crimes across the United States.