London Based Female Melodeon Players

Subject: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Dick The Box
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 02:59 PM

My son's partner is a young classical composer and she has been commissioned to write a piece for performance in Cambridge next year. She would like to write a piece for cello and melodeon and so I wondered if anyone out there in mudcat land might be able to suggest some london based, preferably female, box players who might have the appropriate capabilities. The e-mail she sent to me with the details is below.....
Cheers,
Richard Ashe aka Dick The Box

I've been commissioned to write a new piece which will be performed on 30th January 2011 in a Sunday lunchtime concert at Kettle's Yard in Cambridge http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/
The concert will last for an hour and will be made up of a piece I wrote a couple of years ago for cello and dance (there are some pictures of a previous performance of this piece on my website http://www.hannahvarty.com/page8.htm), the Ligeti Cello Sonata performed by the cellist and then the new piece. The brief I have been given is to write a piece for cello and one other instrument which will also include choreography by the same choreographer as the first piece. I'd really like to use melodeon as the other instrument as I think it'd work well with the cello and it's portability allows for some movement. The choreographer is keen to incorporate some kind of movement into what the musicians are doing so I am looking for someone who is open to experimentation and won't be put off by being expected to be more involved in the performance than simply providing a soundtrack!

The fee is somewhere between £200-250 and that will include the rehearsals as well. Ideally it would be best to find someone who lives in or near to London as we will need to rehearse with the other players. The rest of the performers are all female, and though not essential, it might be nice to continue that theme if you know of any female players? Don't worry if not. They would need to read music.

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: treewind
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 03:38 PM

I play cello and melodeon *and* live near Cambridge! Shame I'm disqualified...

I might see if I can get to the concert though - sounds interesting!

Anahata

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: treewind
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 03:41 PM

P.S. Try posting on melodeon.net - melodeon specific, UK based, a much better place to ask than here...

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Old Vermin
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 06:38 PM

Actually, how do the sex discrimination laws apply to taking on musicians?

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 06:41 PM

Well it might depend on whether there's a payment involved?

Kitty

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 06:57 PM

All the London Melodeon Players are girlies!!!

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Micca
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 07:23 PM

You could try New Esperance , they have always had Merde Chaud female box players!!!

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: pavane
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 04:46 AM

Suspect you will need someone who plays a Chromatic (aka Irish) box, not diatonic. Though stricly speaking, I think these are known as chromaic accordeons (e.g B/C tuning, not G/D). Two very different beasts to play, though they look and sound similar.

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: pavane
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 04:47 AM

Chromatic Accordeon (My T key is sticking)

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 05:59 AM

I think the chello works well in folk music and is underused. You might like to listen to the Tollpuddle suite by Graham Moore with Gill Redburn playing the chello.   

If you want your music to ' go into the tradition' it might be best to include a good dance tune that can be played by the majority of english melodeon players who tend to use boxes that play in G and D without accidentals. Spiers and Boden or Morris on might give you ideas. be aware that many melodeon players do not read music.

Why not check out what the Cambridge folk club is doing on that Friday if you are there anyway. They are a very welcoming lot but some nights are guests only while others are open stage.

Many melodeon players sing as well as play so you might want to include some voice in your composition.

All the best with your project.

Flora

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: GUEST,LDT
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 06:10 AM

Well I'm female I play the D/G melodeon and I live near london...but I'm still a beginner. and I have two left feet. So won't be putting myself forward. ;)

Do post on melodeon.net like Anahata suggested you'll reach a wider 'melodeon' audience.

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: pavane
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 06:32 AM

I play melodeon and live in London during the week - but male & travel home to Wales at weekends

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 06:46 AM

I play the didgeridoo, live in Paris, and only have one leg, but I fancied seeing my name in print!

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: GUEST,Sandy
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 07:14 AM

I'm in Oxfordshire but could poss travel depending on times. (I also have a base in London.)
Not quite sure what you are after but this is me:-)

http://www.youtube.com/squeezyjoan
http://www.myspace.com/sandrashallis

Good Luck

Cheers

Sandy

Subject: RE: London Based Female Melodeon Players
From: GUEST,Alison Scott
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 06:28 PM

London based, female, can play a fair amount, have boxes in different keys though obviously there are limits.