| Leyland Accordion Club - 17th October 2007
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Our October Concert
Our October concert started with Harry Davies playing a German drinking song, Spanish Eyes, Rosanna, Vienna City Of My Dreams, Fernando and Return To Me. Gordon Priestly was our next player with Bianca capanna, Vienna Forever, My Treasure and Premier Musette. It was time for David Rigby to perform, David played Loveliest Night of The Year, Daisy, In The Good Old Summertime, Whispering Hope, The Spinning Wheel, Highland Cathedral and The Old Rugged Cross. It was now time for our break, after the break we started with Colin Ensor who played once In A While, Sunshine Of Your Smile, Some Day, Just Couldn't Say Goodnight, Where Is Your Heart, Laras Theme (Somewhere My Love), We Won't Tell A Soul, You May Not Be An Angel, You'll Never Know and May You Always. Phil Sanderson was our next player, Phil played In My Liverpool Home, Rare Auld Times, Galway Bay, Fourty Shades Of Green, Streets Of London, You Raise Me Up, After All These Years, If I Had My Way, Annies Song, Beautiful Dreamer and How Great Thou Art. It was my turn to take to the stage with I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, Whispering Hope, Black Mask Waltz, American Patrol, Red White And Blue, Beer Barrel Polka, Sailors Hornpipe Medley and Can't Help Falling In Love. Gordon Priestley then took to the stage starting with Oh How We Danced, Barbara Polka, Skybird and Gypsy Polka. Gordon finished with West High March and Corrine. To finish we hear Colin Ensor playing What More Can I Say, Stranger On The Shore, Beautiful Days, Crusing Down The River, and then Harry Davies joined Colin for Who's Taking You Home Tonight. Colin then invited me to the stage to play three tunes with him- The Greatest Mistake Of My Life, I Wont Forget You and Sweetheart Of All My Dreams. This was to be the last club night in the old decor, the room has completely changed since you last saw it, I am looking forward to the newly refurbished club at our next concert. Don't forget membership at £5 per year is now due, please give it on the door anytime between now and February, thanks. David Batty
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Caister Festival
I attended the recent Caister Accordion Festival run by Heather Smith. The camp had closed the day before we got there so most facilities were closed. There was a limited programme for the evenings events, which just announced one featured artist each evening so we didn't know who else was on or timings etc. I was disappointed that there were orchestras mentioned in the day's events but only one thing marked as a workshop. One of the main features of a festival for me is attending workshops to learn something new- a specific teaching workshop on things such as chord formation, jazz playing, bellows control, left hand techniques etc. but sadly these were non evident on the programme. There were no masterclasses or auction but there was the usual trade show which was well attended. On the Sunday evening, we attended the concert as normal and found that the Sunday Service was the first event, followed by a lot of dead time while the various orchestras took to the floor to play what they had been learning over the weekend. It wasn't until 10pm that the first of the weekends guest players took to the stage to do the first of a series of 20 minute spots. We left on the Monday morning and made the 5 hour 30 minute treck back home. |
Our Website
Our Internet website has had 111,261 visitors as at 18th November 2007. That's 1313 visitors since last month.
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This Wednesday
This Wednesday is our 10th Annivarsary concert featuring Julie Best and Jean Corrighan. In a recent poll at the club Julie was one of the top three guest artists chosen to return as soon as possible so this month here she is. Our room has been stripped and refurbished since you last saw it, they took out everything from the floor to the wallpaper and seats. I am looking forward to seeing the new club room as, at this moment, I haven't been along to look at the completely new room. The stage is in the same place as before but that's all I know. Julie Best is one of our most requested guest artists and I know this night is going to be popular. Please bring along your friends and I know we will have a great night of entertainment. Doors open at 7.30 for an 8PM Start. I will See you on Wednesday....
David Batty
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Fleetwood Accordion Competitions
The Blackpool and Wyre Accordion Festival and the National Accordion Championships North West Area are to be held at Marine Hall, Fleetwood on Sunday 25th of November 2007. The adjudicators for the competition are Frederick Parnell, Mavis Parnell, Raymond Bodell, Wendy Farran and Ken Farran, There are also sections for Keyboard, Piano, Guitar and Voice. The evening will end with a presentation concert with the CIA and CMA World Champion. Julian Gonzales and a guest orchestra will also feature in the concert. For more details of the competitions or of the concert, contact the event organiser Gina Branelli on 01253 778764 or 822046. If you haven't been to this event before, and dont play, then you might like to know that non players can turn up and watch the competitors competing throughout the day.
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Gordon Pattullo DVD
Scottish accordionist Gordon Pattullo has just released his first DVD, ‘Gordon Pattullo, His Accordion and Friends’. Introduced by Bill Torrance and filmed largely at the Red House Hotel, Coupar Angus, and the Wellbank Hall, Dundee. The DVD also includes scenery from the east and west coasts of Scotland. The guest musicians include accordionists Freeland Barbour and Tom Alexander, fiddle player Ian Powrie, and pianist John Crawford. The 16 tracks including ‘Bonnie Strathmore’, ‘Hornpipe Selection’, ‘The Cuckoo Waltz’, ‘Tribute to Will Starr’, ‘Lament for Jack Miller’, ‘The Flying Scotsman’, ‘The Dark Island’, ‘The Four String Polka’, ‘Waltzes’, ‘Fraser's Favourites’, ‘Tribute to Sir Jimmy Shand’, ‘The Orange Blossom Special’, ‘Kiwi Pipers Medley’, ‘The Sands of Kuwait’, ‘Scotch 'n' Irish’, and ‘The Furrows End’.For further information email: info@concordemusic.com
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Eastbourne In February
I did mention in the last newsletter an article entitled Eastbourne Goes... but I missed out 'To St Audries Bay', The Eastbourne festival has not moved, its just that the organiser John Romero has added St. Audries Bay as one of the venues for a new teaching festival from the 8th to the 13th of October 2007. The tutors at this new festival will include Gary Blair, Harry Hussey, Pearl Adriano and George Syrett. Further news just announced is that, in the two days leading up to this festival, John Romero is organising The Roland V Accordion festival at the same location. This will be a festival aimed at Roland electronic accordion owners, featuring concerts and workshops on this instrument. For details of the Feburary event at Eastbourne, or the Roland event, or the teaching festival at St. Audries Bay, give John or Jackie Romero a call on 01323 733700.
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Our Clubs 10th Anniversary
It was ten years ago that I held the first meeting of Leyland Accordion Club in the room above The Highfield. I decided to start the club, I found the room and booked Steve Roxton to be our first guest artist then I printed some leaflets to give out about the club. I contacted the local papers and the club was born. The first night had 45 people in attendance with playing from myself, Richard Eastham, Tom Bennett and Steve Roxton. Since that night we have had 300 meetings at The Highfield, The Mill and then The Priory Club, alternating between practice nights, guest artist nights and concerts featuring our own players. From the start, I have held a raffle and the coffee is still the same price (20p) as it was in 1997. We have been on Channel 4 Television and BBC1 and, to promote the club, I have played on Radio Lancashire several times . Our outdoor activities have included our picnic/concerts and various charity events such as a concert for the Brittle Bones Society or providing players for other charity events. I recorded two cassettes of our club players which were extremely popular, it was a big job but the mixture of amateur talent and guest artists who donated two hours and 30 minute of tracks ensured that there was something on each tape to inspire anyone. These have recently been converted to CD. We have played for the opening of The Ribble Link at Preston Docks, provided accordionists on narrow boats during boat festivals, and generally put ourselves about a bit. One person that will bring back a few memories for the long term club members is George Hicks who was one of our ace players. Our website was started on 1st August 1997 as a way to attract any prospective members to the club. Back in 1997, it was mainly us 'nerds' that used the internet as it wasn't well known by the general public. Our website has since had 111,265 visitors to its front page, that's not counting people that visit pages other than the front page. I added a noticeboard for people to post their own adverts or contact each other and, for a while, I had a chat room on there but most people were listening to scare stories about chat rooms so didn't use it. I tried to explain that it was safe to chat to other accordionists on there, just don't go meeting strange people offline but it was never popular. I started the Internet radio station (www.accordionradio.co.uk) on the 27th of March 2001, and it has been broadcasting accordion music 24 hours a day ever since. The station has had 4332 listeners in the last 30 days and is great for introducing non players to our instrument, or accordionists to new artists they haven't heard before. We have had visitors from other countries and Inspired other clubs to start, including one in Perth, Australia. Two of our members visited the Perth club on different occasions. Many friendships have been created because of people's attendance at the club. Being in the middle of Stockport, Chester and Blackpool, people from these clubs got to meet each other at Leyland and further promote inter club friendships. More recently, I filmed and edited a video of Fintan Stanley playing and have the kind permission of Fintan to sell it for club funds Copies can be purchased at www.accordionshop.com . I am looking at producing other DVD's and other stuff in the forthcoming years running the club. I already have one person working on their tutorial DVD and I am lookng forward to seeing what other opportunities there are to be innovative in the future. I have to thank all those who have supported the club over these 10 years and I look forward to the next decade of accordion entertainment and friendship at Leyland.
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