Hi Dave
Just a little message to say how much I enjoyed the wekend. The people were very friendly - it's strange, but I've never yet met a concertina player I didn't like! Organisation excellent, tutors very good. All in all, a very pleasant way to spend the weekend. Even had good weather.
many thanks.
(unsolicited testimonial)
Music for English, Anglo and Duet Concertinas.
Jenny Cox
Witney Concertina Band 2010
Welcome to the Concertina Band
John Kirkpatrick
Making it Dance
Work on your Anglo
Jody Kruskal
Keeping it Fresh
Twang!
Tim Laycock
The Classic Duet concertina Sound
'Rose and Rolls'
Dave Townsend
Music from Northern England
Concertina Rhythms
Steve Turner
Introduction to Harmony for Concertina Players
Song Accompaniment
Ability Levels Terms & Conditions Booking Form
TUTORS
JENNY COX first heard about the historic Concertina Bands when she met Tom Jukes (ex South Shields CB) wielding his bass concertina, talked with other senior players, and heard Nigel Pickles’ multi-tracked album of Mexborough Concertina Band music. This triggered an enthusiasm for learning to play single-line written parts well enough to make music with other people, and helping others to do so. It has led to her to organising, playing in and conducting at innumerable concertina gatherings at folk festivals and elsewhere. She has taught many children and adults to play English system. She enjoys a wide range of music styles and adapts and arranges pieces for concertina ensembles.
Jenny’s annual January Concertina Band weekends, steered by professional conductors, led to her biggest project in 2009, the creation of Hawkwood Concertina Band’s unique CD Marches and Tunes by 23 enthusiasts.
JOHN KIRKPATRICK is to many people, audiences and musicians alike, the ultimate squeezebox player. His technical mastery, individual style, and deep understanding of the essence of musical tradition have been heard in countless bands, recordings, musical projects, and above all solo performances. His workshops and classes are always an inspiration to all.
Concertina troubadour JODY KRUSKAL is known for his distinctive American sound on the Anglo. Jody’s harmonic and rhythmic style has been energizing contra dancers for over 25 years with the help of his New York City bands - Grand Picnic, Squeezology, Hog Wild and 10 Gallon Cat.
US tutoring engagements include the New England Concertina Workshops, the Incredible Concertina series in NYC, the Palestine Texas Folk Festival, Pinewoods Camp and the Augusta Heritage Center. Jody’s articles, music and reviews have been included in CDSS and ICA publications. Jody has delighted UK audiences and conducted workshops at Sidmouth, Warwick, Furness, Bradfield, Broadstairs, Towersey and Whitby Festivals.
www.jodykruskal.com
TIM LAYCOCK bought his first concertina, a Lachenal 42 keyed Crane duet, in a junk shop in Norwich in 1971. He learnt to play by ear without realising that hardly anyone else played Cranes, but liked the system so much that he’s stuck with it ever since! Early squeezebox influences were Tommy Williams, Peter Bellamy and Tony Hall. Tim has played the duet professionally as a solo folk singer and actor, and as leader of the New Scorpion Band in folk clubs and concerts, schools and theatres around the world. Recently he has been spending time writing new tunes for the Duet, and working on arrangements of recently-discovered folk tunes from Dorset.
www.timlaycock.co.uk
DAVE TOWNSEND is one of the acknowledged masters of the English Concertina, equally at home playing dance music, folksong, classical and modern music. He also plays accordion, fiddle and one-row melodeon, and sings. His wide-ranging musical activities cover composition, teaching, research and publication, music for radio, television and theatre, leading choirs and singing groups, plus dance workshops and calling. His interest in rural traditions of playing and singing in harmony led to the formation of The Mellstock Band and the West Gallery Music Association. He has toured and recorded widely as a soloist and with ensembles as varied as Jumpleads, Alianza, Sod’s Opera and The Lost Chord. He is the Director of Hands On Music Weekends.
STEVE TURNER comes from a family of singers and concertina players - his grandfather played the instrument in the 1890s.
Steve began his career on the Manchester folk scene at the end of the 1960s. Joining the Geordie band Canny Fettle in 1970, he made two albums and toured in Britain and Europe with them for eight years. In 1979, he won the Melody Maker tars of the 80s national competition, which persuaded him to turn professional for 12 years until 1991. During this time he made four solo albums with Fellside Records and toured internationally.
A period of thirteen years away from the folk world followed with Steve building a violin retailing business and diversifying musically into a more classical mode. But folk music has a way of getting into your blood, so 2004 saw Steve make a welcome return to the scene. His fifth album, The Whirligig of Time, was released in March 2008. It was his first for 22 years, and received excellent reviews throughout the folk press. For more on Steve, go to www.steve-turner.co.uk.
Ability Levels Terms & Conditions Booking Form
SATURDAY COURSE UNITS:
A1 - Jenny Cox - Witney Concertina Band 2010
Help create this year’s Witney Concertina Band! We’ll play something new, something familiar and maybe something weird, using trebles, tenor-trebles, baritones, basses and a piccolo. This unit is for people with experience of playing or singing from written music under a conductor, and who can tackle a modest range of keys on their concertina/s. Music parts will be sent out in advance, so please phone Jenny 0117 962 9931 when you have booked or if you have any questions.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)
*A2 - John Kirkpatrick - Making it Dance
Rhythms, harmonies, accents, great tunes - all the essentials to turn your concertina into a dance machine, whatever the system.
(Level - Basic/Intermediate/Higher)
*To avoid a “log jam” on Units A2 & B2, course members will NOT be allowed to register for BOTH of these units.
A3 - Jody Kruskal - Keeping it Fresh
Build a tool box of techniques and strategies for the Anglo to add variety in both the melody and accompaniment. Examine the art of fluid arrangements through the use of dynamics, articulation, range, density, right hand harmony and left hand chord patterns. For both C/G and G/D Anglos.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)
A4 - Tim Laycock - The Classic Duet Concertina Sound
Instrumental pieces, and maybe a song or two, from the repertoires of legendary duet concertina players Alexander Prince, Percy Honri and Tommy Williams.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)
A5 - Dave Townsend - Music from Northern England
Style, ornamentation, variation and harmony - how to get the best out of some of the trickier reels, jigs and hornpipes from Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria on English concertina.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)
A6 - Steve Turner - Introduction to Harmony for Concertina Players
How to create chords and harmonies for accompaniment, with an emphasis on singing with the concertina. For all concertina systems.
(Level - Basic/Intermediate)
SUNDAY COURSE UNITS:
B1 - Jenny Cox - Welcome to the Concertina Band
This unit is to encourage people to “have a go” at playing single lines of music alongside baritones and basses to create the special Concertina Band sound. We’ll use straightforward arrangements, mostly in G and C major. All concertina systems are welcome. If you play English system, you can also have a go on the low-pitch instruments. Written music will be sent out in advance: you’ll need basic music-reading skills. Seasoned CB musicians are welcome (please) to encourage and to support the music - you may get some special lines. Please phone Jenny 0117 962 9931 if you have questions, and when you have booked so she can sort and dispatch the music.
(Level - Basic/Intermediate)
*B2 - John Kirkpatrick - Work on your Anglo
Still hunting down chords, wrestling with tricky passages and bewildered by alternative notes? Does your Anglo feel like a combination of a bullworker and Rubik’s cube? Fear not - JK is at hand!
(Level - Basic/Intermediate)
*To avoid a “log jam” on Units A2 & B2, course members will NOT be allowed to register for BOTH of these units.
B3 - Jody Kruskal - Twang!
Learn a few American tunes and how to play them so that they sound American. Stylistic techniques include getting the right groove, phrase anticipation, fiddle double stops and melodic variations. For all concertina systems.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)
B4 - Tim Laycock - ‘Rose and Rolls’
Exciting and accessible folk tunes from Dorset that sound great on concertinas. Jigs, reels and hornpipes from Benjamin Rose, a village musician in North Dorset circa 1820-1870; and polkas and quadrilles from Daniel Rolls, a composer and musical entrepreneur in fashionable Weymouth in the 1840’s. This unit is for all concertina systems.
(Level - Basic/Intermediate)
B5 - Dave Townsend - Concertina Rhythms
Develop your sense of rhythm with driving and exciting tunes from different parts of the world, and learn some great rhythmic exercises which will transform your concertina playing. For all concertina systems.
(Level - Basic/Intermediate/Higher)
B6 - Steve Turner - Song Accompaniment
For more experienced players of all concertina systems. Steve will suggest some songs, and introduce ideas and advice on how to accompany them. There will also be opportunities for participants to demonstrate and discuss their own styles of accompaniment.
(Level - Intermediate/Higher)