Tunes workshop in Shropshire at Easter

Subject: Tunes workshop in Shropshire at Easter
From: treewind
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 07:10 PM

Over the Easter weekend (Friday 2nd - Mopnday 4th of April) at Gleanings rural study centre in Shropshire, Mary Humphreys and Anahata will be leading a weekend of workshops for instrumentalists.

We'll be focusing mainly on tunes from the Fens - the unpublished manuscript of William Clarke of Feltwell in Norfolk, and the tunes from the John Clare manuscript (Helpston, near Peterborough) but quite possibly tunes from elsewhere in England and even further afield.

All instruments are welcome, but we'll be concentrating on melody instruments, and mostly keeping to melodeon-friendly D and G. There will be printed music to take away, and plenty of time to learn tunes by ear too. There will be a good deal of work on harmony playing, with written out parts and with opportunities to experiment with making up your own. You'll be able to explore the possibilities afforded by playing with other musicians, and we'll look at what's needed for playing dance music and other aspects of turning a group of musicians into a band.

We play melodeons, Anglo and English concertinas and cello and of course Mary sings. I don't anticipate that we'll be doing a lot of singing but if you want to work on song accompaniments and arrangements we could do that as well. And apart from learning a few things, we're there to have fun!

More information and bookings: Gleanings (John and Yvonne Hart)

Anahata

Subject: RE: Tunes workshop in Shropshire at Easter
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 07:19 PM

Thoroughly recommended - Anahata and Mary did a splendid workshop for us at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club last year.

Valmai

Subject: RE: Tunes workshop in Shropshire at Easter
From: treewind
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 05:56 AM

Just a reminder that it's not too late to book for this.
The bookings are coming in but there's still room for a few more
Details as above.

Subject: RE: Tunes workshop in Shropshire at Easter
From: treewind
Date: 06 Apr 10 - 03:07 AM

Since there are other workshops at Gleanings coming up, and at least one of them being run by another Mudcatter, you might be interested to know that the first music workshop there was a great success. Much credit for this is due to the generous hospitality of John and Yvonne Hart who made us all feel very welcome and who turned up unfailingly with delicious food when we most needed it. Everybody worked their socks off during the day, we had a couple of great evening song and music sessions, one at the nearby Miner's Arms where there is a regular Easter folk weekend, and the other at Gleanings itself where John and Yvonne invited a few local singers and musicians round. There is a great view of the Shropshire hills from the big windows, or you can step out on to the balcony to really take in the view, but it was a bit cold for that. We did go for some lovely evening walks though.

I think everybody went home with something useful, whether it was good tunes, improved ability to read music or better playing, and also new friends and old acquaintances renewed.

Anahata