Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK

Subject: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 25 May 09 - 06:44 AM

Shammick Acoustic has been fortunate enough to engage the skills of the wonderful Bonnie Shaljean to give a half-day workshop/recital on "The Music of O'Carolan and other Celtic harpers" before her concert in Combe Martin, N. Devon on 25th July.

This gives us a once-in-a-blue-moon chance to hear this internationally recognised expert on the Celtic harp, its music, and the old composers and players. Since she stopped touring the circuit in England, Bonnie has been living and teaching in Cork. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear her (the only other workshop and performance is at the Lewes Saturday Club) and explore this extraordinary aspect of the traditional music of these islands.

If you're taking the opportunity to come to the workshop, it's worth staying on for the concert in the evening. Bonnie was born in America, but her love of the Celtic harp brought her first to London, where she worked with the great Irish performer Packie Byrne, then to Ireland where she teaches at the Cork School of Music, as well as running her own publishing company for harp music. She is an accomplished musician who plays piano as well as harp, sings and composes music, and is an acknowledged expert on Celtic harpists and their music. She is currently working on a historical research project which will include a CD of traditional and other 19th Century music. A beautiful singer of a wide variety of songs with an engaging personality, she will delight all those who love Irish music or the harp.

The workshop is subsidised by Shammick Acoustic. Places may be limited and are allocated on a first come/first serve basis – early booking is advised! A form can be downloaded from the Shammick Acoustic website here

Barbara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 27 May 09 - 03:26 PM

Perhaps I should have headed this thread 'Celtic harp workshop'. I can't believe there's no interest in it!

Barbara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 May 09 - 05:04 PM

keep harping on,and someone will respond.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 28 May 09 - 02:37 AM

I'm delighted to say that Bonnie's workshop and performance at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club are already attracting interest and bookings from individual harpers and harp societies. There's already a separate thread about it here.

Nothing to stop people attending the workshop at Shammick Acoustic and the one at Lewes as well!

Tootle pip,

Valmai

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: ard mhacha
Date: 28 May 09 - 05:18 PM

Bonnie has made many appearances on RTE tv, this workshop should be well worth a visit, good luck Bonnie.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 28 May 09 - 05:55 PM

The email address on the form, [e-mail], doesn't work. It needs .uk on the end, which is the way it is shown on the web page.

Richard

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 29 May 09 - 02:28 PM

Thanks, Richard. It will be corrected on the site, when we catch up with ourselves!

I should point out that the day-long workshop at Lewes is, I believe, essentially a practical one, whereas our half-day one is about the lives and music of the old Celtic harpers and therefore more of a talk/recital, so you could go to both and not have the content repeated!

We've also already had bookings, so hopes are high that we'll both sell out.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 31 May 09 - 10:39 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 02 Jun 09 - 02:11 PM

Up again

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 03 Jun 09 - 09:40 AM

This appears to be creating some interest, I'm glad to say - some from Cornwall already booked, and one from Harrow! Thanks, Richard.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 08:20 AM

No harpers from Essex have booked for Lewes either, so there must be more in Harrow than in Ongar.

Tootle pip,

Valmai

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 07 Jun 09 - 06:10 PM

Just a reminder...

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean - w'shop, N. Devon, UK
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 09:21 AM

Hi everyone -   

I've been taking a break from the blogosphere for awhile, so have only just seen this thread and thought I'd weigh in. Thanks to Barbara for all the energy she's put into this announcement, and also to Ard Mhacha for the kind words.   

Just an overview:

SATURDAY 18th JULY - LEWES, SUSSEX

A day-long workshop on playing in the highly-ornamented traditional Irish style of harp music, which is an aspect of harp playing that is heard but not widely taught outside of Ireland, so it's a good chance for harpers to get some hands-on experience. Please note that people will need to bring their own harp (of any size) and already have some knowledge of playing.  Ability to read music is useful but not essential.

SATURDAY 25th JULY - SHAMMICK, NORTH DEVON

A programme in two halves of an hour+ each. The first is devoted to the life and works of the blind 18th-century harper Turlough O'Carolan, and the second will expand to include other wandering harpers of Ireland, Wales and Scotland - all three nations have strong traditions in this instrument, so it's an interesting blend of harps and history. Although it's billed as a "workshop" please note that it doesn't involve any hands-on participation so there's no need to bring a harp. 

I'm also playing in each folk club in the evening - different material so there's no repetition. Hope to see some of you there -

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 02:38 PM

Joe's kindly changed the thread titles so that it's clearer. Thanks, Joe.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 15 Jun 09 - 09:23 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 02:32 PM

Time for a reminder, perhaps.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 06:54 PM

I've never heard Bonnie's music, and I wondered what it was like. I found sound samples here. I can't quite figure out which is Bonnie playing and which is Eileen Monger, but both are delightful.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 05 Jul 09 - 05:06 AM

Joe, many thanks for the samples in your post above. Bonnie is also doing a workshop and evening performance for the Lewes Saturday folk club on Saturday 18th. July.

Shammick and Lewes are in for a couple of treats!

Valmai

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 05 Jul 09 - 01:17 PM

[lured out of Lurk-mode for a minute] I hadn't seen that particular compilation disc before - my tracks are taken from my own album Farewell To Lough Neagh, though there's none of my singing on either record. The track numbers I'm on are below, and it's pretty easy to hear the difference because I'm mostly playing a gut-strung harp and Eileen always plays a wire-strung one. My wire tracks are only 18 & 19, of very old harp music.

If any Catters make it to either of these gigs be sure to come up and introduce yourself!

1. Kerry Polkas - Eileen Monger         
2. Her Mantel So Green/Im Aonar Seal (By Myself Alone) - Bonnie Shaljean
3. Poll Ha'penny/Plains of Boyle/Cnoc Na Gclarach Slides - Eileen Monger         
4. Portmore, Bonny - Eileen Monger         
5. Captain O'Neill/Colonel O'Hara/Sir Festus Burke - Bonnie Shaljean
6. Wild Geese - Eileen Monger         
7. Kilburn Jig/Kiarmuid's Well/The Wild Irishman - Bonnie Shaljean
8. King of the Fairies/The Lilting Banshee - Eileen Monger
9. Pibddawns y Gof/Dyn y Geg - Robin Huw Bowen         
10. Dafydd y Garreg Wen (David of the White Rock) - Robin Huw Bowen         
11. Pant Corlan Yr Wyn (The Lamb' Fold Vale) - Robin Huw Bowen         
12. Meillionen O Feirionnydd [The Clover of Meirionnydd] - Robin Huw Bowen         
13. Gypsy Hornpipe/PWT-AR-Y-Bys - Robin Huw Bowen         
14. Roslin Castle/The Lea-Rig - Bonnie Shaljean         
15. Fingal's Cave - Eileen Monger
16. When She Cam'ben She Bobbit (When She Came in She Curtsied) - Bonnie Shaljean
17. I Was Not...Since Martinmas/An Muileann Dubb (The Black Mill/The ...) - Bonnie Shaljean
18. Port Priest/Port Atholl - Bonnie Shaljean         
19. Airs by Fingal - Bonnie Shaljean         
20. Maggy Lauther/Bonie Jean Makis Meikill of Me - Bonnie Shaljean

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: BB
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 07:02 AM

Bonnie's on her way over here as I write.

She's only doing two gigs (and workshops) - at Lewes, E. Sussex this coming Saturday, and Combe Martin, N. Devon on the 25th.

Don't miss these rare opportunities to see and hear her - it happens once in a blue moon!

Babrara

Subject: RE: Bonnie Shaljean-Celtic harper wkshop, N. Devon, UK
From: InOBU
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 07:13 AM

Hi Bonnie:
I was hunting about for information about Egan Harps, as you might imagine... and see you played one of his harps awhile ago, I think it was a thread about doors on the sound holes ...
It would be great if you are in New York in about three years, to play my pre-Royal portable after restoration. We are planing some charity concerts at the Quaker Meeting in that future time, built around the harp.
All the best
Lorcan