| Leyland Accordion Club - 20th December 2006
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Our December Concert
As usual, our December concert was our Christmas party celebration. Many thanks to those who brought food along to the Jacob's Join. A great feast was set up while the first players took to the stage. Our night started with Gordon Priestley playing Bianca Cabanna, Premier Musette, Barbara Polka and Corinne. Colin Ensor then gave us La Vie En Rose, Under Paris Skies, Sweetheart Of All My Dreams and then, after switching to Harold Bleasdale's accordion, which Colin had refurbished and tuned, Colin ended his session with Return To Me and The Greatest Mistake Of My Life. Our next player was Bill Agnew playing a selection of Medleys as we made final preparations for the food to be uncovered. Once the food was announced as being ready, the lights went up and we started to dig in to the feast, leaving the stage open to anyone who wanted to get up and play. The music continued with Basil Berry playing Red Sails In The Sunset, Harbour Lights, Cruising Down The River, I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Spanish Eyes and Silent Night. Alan Gelling's selection consisted of Snow Waltz, These Are My Mountains, Carousel Waltz, and Let Me Call You Sweetheart. Rebecca Parker played two pieces, Dance Of The Jesters and Bianca Cabanna. At the end of her performance there was very loud applause, whistles and cheering from the audience, which came as a shock to Rebecca, who left the stage with a great big smile on her face. Ann Parker followed Rebecca, playing The Harry Lime Theme and Frog Chorus. David Rigby played Whispering Hope, Highland Cathederal, Maori Farewell Song, Daisy, and After The Ball Is Over. Our next player, Steve Heap, started with Virginia Reel, then Newcastle Bridge, finishing with Dear Old Donegal. Bernard Belshaw was making his debut at Leyland. His session consisted of Moulin Rouge, Pigale, Jealousy and Bluebell Polka. Tom Bennett played a selection of Christmas carols followed by Peg of My Heart, Kerry Dance, With A ShillelaghUnder My Arm. Tom then invited me to join him to play Plaisir D'Amour, Snow Waltz, Daisy and Matchstalk Men. John McCormack was next to play. He brought along his acoustic guitar and played Pictures Of Spain, Adagio From Aranjuez and Malaguena. Gerard Dawber played a medley on his melodion before another player Graham Driver made his debut. Graham, who normally plays with Stone The Crows, played Cuckoos Nest, Jump At The Sun and Statten Island. Graham continued with a selection of hornpipes:- Portobello, Joe Greens Colledge followed by a medley of unnamed tunes. Bill Agnew, Shirley Seed and Bob Seed then took to the stage to finish the evening with Bob on drums. They played All Of Me, That's Why The Lady Is A Tramp and My Mother's Eyes. After lots of eating and some great music, we finally left the place at almost midnight. I must thank those who helped in the kitchen to prepare the food, I did thank them on stage on the night but they have to have a mention here. There was a lot to do in the kitchen and the team led by Pat made good work of the food preparation. Thanks go to all the players and those making their debut, we look forward to hearing more from the new players in future. David Batty
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Four Fools Folk Festival
This is to be held from 29th of June to 1st of July 2007 at Lostock Hall Community High School, Todd Lane, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 5UR. Further details afrom Ken and Angie Bladen on 01257 263678 or write to 36 The Oaks, Eaves Green, Chorley, PR7 3QU. You can also Email four.fools@virgin.net or visit their website at http://freespace.virgin.net/four.fools
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Llandudno Event
Alan Venn is holding an organ keyboard and accordion event at the Annan Hotel in Llandudno from the 19th to the 23rd of March 2007. The organ part of this event features the playing and tuition of Harry Hussey. Further details can be obtained from Alan Venn on 01204 840 279.
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This Wednesday
This Wednesday we see the welcome return of Johnny Coleclough as our guest artist. It was way back in 2003 when Johnny last played for us. During that time he has been busy playing accordion festivals, Bernard Manning's club in Manchester and many other bookings. With Johnnys playing, comedy songs and anecdotes, this promises to be a great way concert to start 2007 and I hope that you can make it. The doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. There is a chance that we will have one of our other past guest artists there on Wednesday if he can make it across the country in time for the concert. Please tell your friends about our concerts, and maybe bring one or two of them along? I look forward to seeing you there.
David Batty
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NAO North Central Accordion Championships
This is to be held from on Saturday 24th of February 2007 at Victoria Hall, Saltaire, Shipley, Near Bradford, West Yorkshire. The event features competitions throughout the day from 9am. Admission is free to the daytime competitions. The evening features a Ceilidh with Gary Blair, admission is £7, if bought in advance, or £7.50 on the door, children (15 & under) £3.50. For further details visit www.yorkshireaccordionfestival.co.uk or telephone Harry Hinchcliffe on 01535 631583.
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Reed Manufacturer Voci Armoniche
The well-known Italian company Voci Armoniche, manufacturer of reeds for accordions now has a new website, with detailed contents, information and news. The site is mainly directed at accordion manufacturers, but is also of interest to musicians and accordion enthusiasts. There is general, as well as technical, information: showing the origins of the company, and the tradition of Italian craftsmanship and quality (Antonelli and Salpa). There are pages dedicated to their wide range of products, technical charts explain clearly the working process for each type of reeds. A reed comparison summary chart is also on there to explain the different types of reeds. Visit www.vociarmoniche.it and click on the link at the bottom right hand corner of the page saying 'English', unless you want to read the site in Italian of course. If you are interested in how a reed works, what one looks like etc., then this site might be of interest.
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Saturday Teach Ins
I have arranged for us to hire the club for the day on various Saturdays in 2007. These days will follow the same format as our previous tutorial days led by various folks who have been guest artists at the club in the past. The days will probably start at 10am through to 5pm with dinner included. Workshop leaders, costs and dates are yet to be decided. Let us know on the door if you might be interested.
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Howard Goodall's Big Bangs
Howard Goodall's Big Bangs Starts on Tuesday 23rd January 2007 from 8am to 8.50am. This five part series is broadcast each day until the 27th Of January on Artsworld. Artsworld can be found on Sky Digital channel 267. the five programmes in the series are:-
Defining moments in musical history.
The invention of notation: Howard traces early notation, especially the work of Guido, whose ideas led to the musical stave.
The Inventing of Opera
Howard travels to Florence to explain events circa 1600, when the operatic form was taking shape, but not without a struggle.
Accidentals Will Happen
Goodall's musical history turns to the tuning system. Enormous amounts of the world's most beautiful music would not exist without it.
Bartolomeo Cristofori and his Amazing Loud and Soft Machine.
Goodall revisits Florence to follow the emergence of the piano, invented by Cristofori.
Mary and Her Little Lamb
The Invention of Recorded Sound. Goodall examines how the invention of recorded sound has influenced music as we know it.
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Our Website
Our Internet website has had 101409 visitors as at 13th of January 2006. That's 875 visitors to the main page of our website since last month. This is lower than our 1000+ visitors but we have had Christmas during that period which would account for the lower numbers. The radio station has had 1769 listener hours in the last 30 days, the station has been visited 5308 times in the last month with each visitor staying for an average of 20 minutes.
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Got An Accordion for Sale
If you have an accordion for sale then why not bring it along to the club on any of our nights and put it on the stage with a sign. Alternatively visit our website and place your advert on our web noticeboard.
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Club Membership
Many thanks to those of you who have paid your annual £5 subscription to the club and this newsletter. The membership fee gets you this newsletter delivered to your door every month, and also grants you discount on the admission price of any, or all, of our concerts until the end of 2007. If you still have not paid, and you can't get to the January concert, then you can send a cheque, made payable to Leyland Accordion Club, to the address on the back of this newsletter. I don't know if you have noticed, but your address label has your membership year on it; if it says 2006 then it's due for renewal, then it will say 2007.
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Caister Accordion Festival
The Caister Accordion Festival is to be held from the 1st to the 5th of November 2007 at Caister On Sea, Norfolk. Telephone Heather Smith on 01482 805387 for further details.
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NAO UK Championship 2007
The NAO will celebrate their National annual competition and festival in Scarborough from the 4th to the 6th of May 2007. For further information contact Pauline Noon, 112 Countesthorpe Road, South Wigston, Leicester, Leicestershire. LE18 4PG. Telephone 0116 241 2856 or 0116 278 4094. Email anouk@accordions.com
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Houghton Weavers
Here are a few selected dates when you can see The Houghton Weavers at a local venue along with the telephone number to obtain further details or book your ticket.
January
18th Poplar Club, Accrington 01254 231280
24th Coliseum Theatre, Oldham 0161 6242829
25th Norcross Social Centre, Cleveleys 01253 333898
26th Town Hall, Stockport (with Poynton Band)0845 8330973
27th Nazareth Unitarian Chapel, Padiham 01282 773336
February
12th Village Hall, Pilling 01253 790739
17th Hornby Institute 01524 222227
20th British Legion, Longridge 01772 784214
Further detailsof the Houghton Weavers music, forthcoming performance dates and some examples of their music you can listen to, can be found on the Internet at www.houghtonweavers.com |
Eastbourne Accordion Festival 2007
The next Eastbourne Accordion Festival in February is now fully booked, the hotel is full to capacity and guest artists have been moved to a nearby hotel to ensure that as many people as possible can attend the festival. The next Eastbourne Festival after that is to be held from the 12th to the 15th of October 2007. The October festival is booking up fast so if you plan to go then you might be advised to book soon. Mauro Carra has so far been booked to play in October. Further details and a booking form can be obtained from John Romero on 01323 733700 or by writing to Carillon Studios, 2 The Retreat, Avard Crescent, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8TY. Photographs from previous festivals and further details of forthcoming Eastbourne festivals can be obtained by visiting our www.accordionfestival.com website. Click on the link to the Eastbourne Accordion Festival website or to any of the other festivals mentioned on there.
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