Boualy Ratsombath

Boualy Ratsombath was an elder who learned to play the national instrument of Laos known as khene (a tall bamboo mouth organ made from multiple reed pipes bound together and held upright when played) as a boy from his father. Revered as a master khene player, he came out of retirement to teach khene to students at Lao Saturday School for several years under the Southeast Asian After School Program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and coordinated by CCHAP. This opportunity was a great boost to his spirits, and brought his music into the community’s cultural life. He also shared musical skills with molam singer Sisivath Inthisone as part of Year 10 of the Southern New England Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program. He passed away in 2015.