Ryan Shah with a Demonstration + History of the Tabla: Community Conversations & Presentations (Statesville Heritage Festival)

As part of the Statesville Heritage Festival, we have included a Community Conversations & Presentations portion.

Throughout the day, the Media Room will host educational presentations, demonstrations, and community conversations designed to share stories, traditions, and perspectives from across our community.

Current Schedule:

• 10:00am-11:00am: Statesville Recreation & Economic Vitality - Community Forum

• 11:00am-11:30am: Ryan Shah – Demonstration of the Tabla (Hindustani percussion instrument) and history of the Tala theory
• Ryan Tushar Shah is an accomplished percussionist, composer, and educator who has performed at renowned venues across the United States and India, including the Georgia Dome, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, and the South Carolina Governor's Mansion. An award recipient of the South Carolina Arts Commission, Ryan has dedicated his career to performing, teaching, and preserving the traditions of Hindustani music. In this interactive session, he will introduce participants to the tabla, explore the fundamentals of tala (rhythm) theory, and share the instrument's rich history and cultural significance.

• 11:30am-12:00pm: Iredell County Public Library – Crimes of the Carolina’s Podcast with Shellie Taylor

• 12:00pm-12:30pm: Iredell County Public Library – Green Street Cemetery Project

• 12:30pm-1:00pm: Spoken Word

• 1:00pm-1:30pm: Alfonso Reyes – Impact of Latino culture on Statesville

• 1:30pm-2:00pm: Full Bloom Film Festival (2 award winning films and a Q&A with Festival Staff)

• 2:00pm-2:30pm: Tedx Speaker, Mayuko Fukino-Mayhill – Traditional Japanese stories and folklores

• 2:30pm-3:00pm: Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce – Beyond the American Dream: The State of Asian Americans in the Carolinas

• 3:00pm-3:30pm: Seifullah & Mahasin El-Amin – Q & A on the Muslim community in Statesville

Additional presentations and discussion sessions will be announced as they are confirmed.

Statesville Heritage Festival

📅 Saturday, August 1, 2026

🕝 10AM - 4PM

📍 Statesville Event Center

💲 FREE Admission

🔗 Learn more about the Statesville Heritage Festival: recreation.statesvillenc.net/heritage-festival