Hampshire’s Light: A Folk Tribute to Joan Braderman and the Spirit of Hampshire College

In 1985, I graduated from Hampshire College with a degree that, like so many Hampshire journeys, was uniquely my own. That same month, I opened my music studio, offering private lessons and group classes on mandolin and violin. Hampshire had given me the courage to pursue my dreams, to carve out my own path, and to create something of value for my community.

Looking back, that choice shaped my life. Over the last 40+ years, I've had the privilege of teaching hundreds of students how to play beautiful music on their instruments. Each lesson has been its own kind of collaboration - not unlike the creative spirit that Hampshire encouraged in all of us.

This past week, Hampshire College shared the sad news of the passing of Joan Braderman, longtime professor and a true pioneer in feminist film. Joan was a force of nature: a filmmaker, scholar, and activist who used her art to challenge, inspire, and open doors for others. From her groundbreaking video works to her co-founding of the feminist film journal Heresies, Joan embodied the Hampshire ethos of fearless experimentation, curiosity, and commitment to justice.

Reading about her life reminded me of what Hampshire gave to me - not only the tools to build a career but also the inspiration to keep creating with passion and purpose. In many ways, her legacy continues to ripple outward, touching even those of us who didn't study directly with her but were nonetheless shaped by the culture she helped to foster.

To honor that spirit, I wrote a new song: “Hampshire's Light.” It's an acoustic folk tribute - with fingerpicked guitar, mandolin rhythms, and violin solos - that weaves together my own story with Joan's fearless legacy. It's a song about Hampshire College, about teaching, about community, and about carrying forward the light of those who came before us.

You can listen here:

👉 Hampshire's Light on Bandcamp

Hampshire taught me to believe in building something meaningful from the ground up, and Joan Braderman's life is a shining reminder of what that can look like. Her creativity, her activism, and her enduring curiosity are part of the same light that still guides me in my music studio today.

Here's to Hampshire. Here's to Joan. And here's to the music that keeps us all connected.