Leyland Accordion Club, Leyland, Lancashire, England.

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Leyland Accordion Club - 17th June 2009

Our Website

Our Internet website has had 129,682 visitors as at the 10th of July 2009, that's 618 visitors since last month. We recently added film of our last guest artists Julie Best and Jean Corrighan to the website so that people who missed the night can watch them playing one of the pieces of music they played on the night.

Leyland Accordion Club Virtual World

I have set up a virtual world meeting place for accordionists on our website. Visitors to our website can sign in and design themselves an Avatar (little cartoon type character) that can walk around our virtual club. They can see others in there and they can talk to people. The visitors to this place can sit around and chat to other accordionists from around the world. It is like playing a computer game, but with a difference, you control the main character while any other characters are real people wanting to talk about accordion stuff. This runs on our website, visitors dont need to install anything or open up any new windows. Virtual worlds are in their infancy still, but both Myself and Rebecca have been designing them for over 2 years now which is why Leyland is the first club in the world to have one, we hope it gets used.

This Wednesday

This Wednesday we have The Kyiv Duo as our guest artists. They have just arrived in the country from the Ukraine on a tour to raise money for The Children Of Chenobyl. This duo play some fantastic duets including Ave Maria, Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, Sabre Dance, Waltz Of The Flowers, Libertango, Flik Flak, Russian Folk Tunes and much more. You will be impressed by the standard and I hope you can come down to support them in this good cause. Doors open at 7.30 for an 8pm start. Please let your friends know about this event. We always have space for a few local players so please bring your accordion and give us a tune. See you there... David Batty

St Audries Bay Summer Accordion Week

This event is not taking any more bookings as it is fully booked but I thought you might want to know about it anyway. Maybe for next year?.. The St Audries Bay Summer Accordion Week takes place from July 18th to 25th in the English county of Somerset. Founded by the late Malcolm Gee in the 1980s, this is the original "Friendly-Fun Summer Accordion Week" is now organised by Mary Randle. There is chalet or caravan accommodation available - half board or self catering. The guest artistes include Harry Hussey, and the activities offered include Accordion Bands (Advanced/ Intermediate/ Beginners), Vintage Workshop, Scottish Workshop, French Accordion Circle, Composers Competition, Scottish Ceilidh Evening, Accordion Repairs, Accordion Tuition, Trade Show, Duets, Groups, Solos, and Busking.

Benny Andersson Band

A well known accordionist is touring the country and I thought you might be interested to hear what he is up to since his chart heydays...
To the majority of UK residents Göran Bror Benny Andersson , one of the 'B's in ABBA has been a man whose reputation as a music maker ended somewhere around the era of Chess, although of course his role as co-executive producer (along with his most famous writing partner Bjorn Ulvaeus) of the musical Mama Mia! has kept his biggest legacy alive and well. But to fans and Swedes he's a busy man, not least with his 16-piece Benny Andersson Orkester wherein he's been combining a love of Swedish ( and European) folk, big bands, early jazz and Bach to spectacular, if idiosyncratic, effect. Story Of A Heart, with its combination of older BOA material and new compositions is designed to bring his CV up to date for non-Scandinavians. To those not aware of Benny's folk roots, this album may come as a bit of a surprise (his first major success was with The Hep Stars, a huge pop act in Sweden who combined his love of traditional music and rock 'n' roll). Songs from his back catalogue like Glasgow Boogie, Jehu or Tyrolean Schottische combine celtic forms with jolly brass and wheezing accordions and Trolska demonstrates his love of his nation's native music. It's life-affirming, purely instrumental fare, and a far cry from his more famous material. Elsewhere we're offered Debussy-like cinematic beauty in the piano meditation of Song From The Second Floor. But Story Of A Heart's USP is undoubtedly the title track; the first song he's written with Bjorn in 15 years and sung by Swedish star, Helen Sjöholm. It's a slice of pure B&B magic. Elsewhere both Helen and former Chess star Tommy Körberg deliver more pop tunes which mainly fall into the style of 20s blues or 50s rock 'n' roll ballads (You Are My Man, Fait Accompli and Our Last Dance), delivered confidently with musical theatre at their heart.It's an odd mixture of styles that will neither appeal to hardcore musicologists or ABBA fans, but it does showcase a man whose talents are both eclectic and accomplished.

Oldest Musical Instrument Found

A flute carved more than 35,000 years ago has been unearthed in Germany and scientists believe it is the world's oldest musical instrument. The vulture-bone flute was found in the Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany. It dates back to the time when early modern humans began settling in Europe, which suggests that they had a creative culture and were socially cohesive. Experts also say this might explain why they survived, while neanderthals - who were more isolated - became extinct. The 20cm (7.9 in) long flute has five holes and a notched end. A team led by University of Tuebingen archaeologist Nicholas Conard said that fragments of two other primitive flutes - carved from ivory taken from the tasks of mammoth - were also found. So far, eight flutes have been discovered from this era. Dr Conard says this suggests that the playing of music was common when early modern humans spread across Europe and indicates that the concept of music and other creative expression runs deep in human culture. "It's very clear that music played an important role in these people's lives," he says. Dr Conard says he believes that emergence of art and culture so early in human history might explain why modern humans survived and neanderthals became extinct. He suggests that cultural expression might have helped human species become more sociable and co-operative, whereas neanderthals were culturally more conservative and so remained isolated.

Our 2009 Picnic/Concert

For the last two years our Our Annual Picnic and Concert has been absent from our diaries because of the wet weather. The good news is that its back again this year(weather permitting). This years event is to be held on Sunday the 26th of July 2009 at the usual venue of Hollins Farm, Hollins Lane, Leyland. This is a concert held in a field with all the cars parked facing the stage like a drive in movie. We have a curtain sided trailer as our stage, full amplification is provided for the players, and the stage is even carpeted! You bring along yourself, park your car with a view of the stage and bring a chair or blanket to sit and enjoy the concert. Most people bring along a picnic, some drink, cameras, their accordions and, most importantly, something to shade themselves from the sun like a hat. The normal start time is from 12 noon with no formal finish time but we normally play until about 6pm or later, but some people leave after a few hours if they have other engagements. This is a very informal affair, there is no admission charge, simply turn up and enjoy the concert, or, if you are a player who doesn’t feel confident enough to play at the club, then bring along your accordion to play at the picnic, most of the time people are only half listening to the player, they are chatting amongst themselves and it’s a very easy booking. We have had caravans and people on motorbikes at our previous picnics but most people turn up in a car. I have included some photographs taken in previous years to give you an idea of the day. Apart from our first picnic in August 1999 we have had great weather, for every other picnic. That’s one rainy day then six years of good weather, then two years of being rained off. Don’t forget to put this in your diary, bring along family friends, etc. and, if you get lost on the way, then telephone 07943 803816 for directions. I have marked the map on the back page of this newsletter with a big cross showing Hollins Lane. From The Priory Club leave the car park, turn right, take the second right (West Paddock), at the end turn right at the mini roundabout. Turn Left at the next roundabout on to Leyland Lane, at the next roundabout take the first exit continuing on Leyland Lane, Hollins Lane is about 1 minutes drive away on your right. Please bring along family and friends who might enjoy the day and don’t forget to bring your accordion to give us a tune. Remember, Sunday 26th July from 12 Noon onwards. If there is any doubt about the weather then you can check the website at www.accordionclub.co.uk for the latest news, or ring the above number, fingers crossed it will be another scorcher of a day like many others we have had in the past. Please tell others about this event.. See You There..