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Leyland Accordion Club - 13th December 1998 Firstly, I would like to wish you a happy new year. It's now only 11 months to the year 2000 and all the year 2000 problems that are predicted, and only 23 months away from the new Millennium and living in the 21st Century. That's 23 months to return the accordion in it's acoustic, midi and electronic forms to where it belongs in the popularity stakes in time for the next century. We have gone through the electronic keyboard age where you can apparently play anything by simply pressing a few keys and letting the keyboard do all the hard work and I predict that there will shortly be a return to 'real' music as people who can play without smoke and mirrors enjoy a revival in their popularity. I think the accordion is a perfect instrument to be a part of this. In the last year we have gained two new accordion clubs in the area and a new accordion magazine was released called 'Accordion World' which is now attracting many new subscribers. Our Internet website has become very popular attracting over 1000 visitors this month. We have broadcast our November night over the Internet and the tape of our players is selling to other countries where it is being well received. Our players have been booked to play at Christmas parties and charity events and we are bringing a lot of non-players into our world. This has all been in the last year, just think what we can do in the next year or two. Now to name a few of the people responsible for getting us here and who have the job of getting us there. |
Rebecca with her new accordion |
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Jay and Jeff Ward were first to play at our December meeting, Jay on the Keyboard and Jeff playing the accordion. As you know Jeff had problems with his heart but after removal of the bass reeds in his accordion he found it much lighter and was then safe for him to play, because he has Jay playing the keyboard at the same time he can get by with just the right hand, it's good to see him playing again. We had noticed that the heating in the room was turned off and, despite an assurance from downstairs that it had just been switched on, it never warmed up. At the end of the night I received an apology from the Highfield because the heating had broken down and the engineer was calling the following day to mend it, they did not charge for the room for this inconvenience. Our first soloist of the night was John Higham who was making his debut in front of an accordion club, John played Elmers Tune and another I did not get the title of, well done John. The first time is the worse, playing in front of everyone gets easier even if it does not get easy. Tom Bennett then made his usual appearance playing various Christmas carols and tunes, Apart from myself, Tom is the only person who has played at every single club night since we started and I would like to thank Tom for this feat. I wonder which one of us is going to crack first and miss playing a night? Rebecca Postlewhite, back from university, played Roll Out The Barrel, Toupre, and a French piece called Flambée Montalbanaise. I am sure that some of you are choosing tunes to play simply because you are convinced I will not be able to spell them. You will have another chance to enjoy Rebecca's playing this week at our next meeting before she returns to University. I was booked along with Rebecca to play at two Christmas parties recently and, even though I say so myself, we both played well, playing in front of non-accordionists gets rid of all my nerves and I play almost as well as I do when nobody is listening to me. We were booked to play for an hour at both events, the first of which was attended by the Mayor of South Ribble and his wife. Ian Carter and Robert Hood were up next with two tunes which were written by Ian called Davina Waltz and Keith Waltz, this was followed by Cock of the North and Jacqueline Waltz. Leo and Les Thurston then played together on their electronic accordions. I did not catch the titles of any of the tunes they were playing but they played quite a few. George Hicks played Mary's Boy Child, Feelings and Cuckoo Waltz before he was joined by Jean Southern to play Tyrolean Accordion and Bourrasque. Frank Scholes followed with a polka and O'Haras March before we entered the second break. After this break, we opened with Agnes and Glencoe, llunan Bay, Loch Leven, Orange and Blue and Barren Rocks of Aden. I followed Agnes and played Edelweiss and Side By Side. We were now running short of time so I just played the two pieces to ensure that everyone got the chance to play. Florence Branelli was another new player at the club, Flo gave us Talisman, Pasadena, Avalon and Roses from Piccardy. This just left enough time for Lynda Grant to play one piece before Malcolm Milner and Basil Berry finished the night with Basil Playing White Christmas. Join us again this Wednesday when we have Jan Zukowski as guest artist with his brand of music including Hungarian, Spanish, Classical and his own interpretation of music from Riverdance. I first noticed Jan when I heard him play Air on a G String on his five voice free bass piano accordion. I look forward to seeing you all this Wednesday 13th January when we have two members making their debut performances at the club and you can see our new carpet, the new dance floor in it's altered location and therefore our new seating position. I wonder if the acoustics will have changed ? |
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David Batty |
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Our Internet WebsiteOur Internet website has had 7924 visitors as at 11th January 1999, that's 1006 visitors since last month. This is our highest number of visitors ever, the reason is almost certainly our Internet broadcast which has brought us lots of praise. I have received many email messages from accordionists in many countries saying how much they enjoyed listening in to our broadcast of the November meeting featuring guest artist Steve Roxton from Jersey. The concert is still on the website for anyone to listen to and will stay there until I need the room for something else. Although I do put a lot on the site, I am very aware of memory optimisation techniques and I implement them, this means we do not need to worry about running out of memory yet. |
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Accordionist ParentsMy friend Sid was telling me of the days when he used to go to the Opera House at Blackpool in the 1950's. He told me of an accordion due called Bob and Barbara Andrews who were regular players there, they played many duets and were very good players. Halfway through the first house they brought their daughter out on stage with them to sing a few tunes such as Cirribirribin and Lollipop, their daughter was a little freckle faced redhead of about 10 years of age. This little girl turned out in later years to be the well known actress and singer Julie Andrews. This step into the limelight wasn't mentioned on the programme about her which was shown on TV at Christmas. |
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Celtic Musical Instruments ExhibitionThe Model House Craft and Design Centre in Llantrisant, South Wales will host a Celtic Music Instruments exhibition from September 1st to October 3rd, 1999. Instrument makers from all over the Celtic world will be invited to attend the event. A series of concerts will run alongside the exhibition and demonstrations. Traditional Celtic instruments will be displayed along with more modern instruments such as the concertina and accordion. Accordion makers and repairers are encouraged to take part in either the whole event or one of the five, weekend exhibitions. |
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The MillenniumBefore anyone says that I have made a mistake over the start of the new Millennium I will clarify a common misconception. The news and media sources will have you believe that the year 2000 is the start of the new Millennium but they know that this is incorrect. They just like the fact that the first two digits of the year have gone from 19 to 20 and therefore a change of century and millennium must have occurred. The National Institute of Standards and Technology will confirm that the new Millennium starts on 1st January 2001. They explain that, when counting, we would count from 1 to 100 the second hundred starts at 101 to 200, and so on. The same is true with the centuries, the 20th Century started on 1st January 1901 and ends on 31st December 2000. We are not in the 21st Century and the new Millennium until 1st January 2001. This is not simply my viewpoint, it is a fact which is defined as a standard. It's the media that have been getting this wrong, but unfortunately most people get their information from the media. The sad thing is that those who told you we were in the new Millennium in the year 2000 will, in the latter half of the year 2000, tell you that we are still in the 20th Century and that on 1st January 2001 we will have another reason to celebrate when the real start of the new Millennium happens and we also enter the 21st Century. If someone tells you different to the above then ask why are we still in the 20th Century until the end of 2000, they will be stuck for an answer. The trouble is most people believe what they hear on TV and don't like facts getting in the way so you may not be believed. Say to them that if you borrowed £200 from them and to repay them you counted out pound coins from 1 to 99, using their logic the 100th coin can be celebrated as being the start of paying the second £100 you owe them, or would they change their mind then to the 101st coin! Putting this argument forward should keep you busy for an hour or so at parties. |
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Club Member on TV over ChristmasDid anyone hear Walter Perrie on TV over Christmas? If you watched the Terry Pratchett programme Discworld you may have heard Walter playing his accordion. Walter did the recording almost a year ago at a studio in Cheshire. |
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Jersey Accordion Band get publicityJersey Accordion Band were pleased to receive a request for them to take part in the 1st European Festival of Accordion Orchestras which is to be held in Prague between 22nd -25th June 2000. They contacted me to let me know that they received this request after they were spotted on our website in the accordion magazine pages. |
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Membership Renewal DueMemberships are due for renewal this month and, if you have not renewed your membership or you do not attend the club, you may find you newsletter missing next month. I send out newsletters to all club members throughout their membership period, and to visitors for a period of two or three months after they have been to the club, this gives them the chance to either join or visit again to continue to receive the newsletter. UK Membership is just £3, European membership 7 Euro's just to show that we are up to date |
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Robot Wars ClubI have just applied in the name of Leyland Accordion Club to join the Robot Wars Club. For anyone who does not watch this programme, which is currently on Fridays at 6.30 on BBC 2 and repeated on Sundays at 12.45 on BBC 2 after the Simpsons, it is a programme where people build robots that have to fight other robots. If, after seeing the rules and regulations, I decide to go ahead and build a robot I will ensure that the club is promoted with it. I would like to get through the local heats to qualify to appear on the programme. I am currently evaluating various designs, wheels, power supplies, motors and weapon configurations. The next series after this one is on in the Autumn |
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Guest Artists on at Local ClubOn 26th January Stockport Accordion Club feature George Syrett on his Elkavox and they are hoping to have a demonstration of Beltuna accordions by Walter Perrie. While on 30th March Dermot O'Brien will be guest artist. Further details can be obtained by ringing Rob 0161 480 8858 |
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Year 2000 Assessment completedI have now completed a year 2000 assessment and can confirm that 'Leyland Accordion Club' is year 2000 compliant. The only external services I do not have knowledge of at the moment are our venue, the bank and the water board, but I will be writing to each of them shortly to ask them to issue us with statements of compliance. We do not want to be told the heating has failed or the tills do not work so our place is closed down until the problem is fixed, or that the water boards equipment cannot supply enough water to keep health and safety happy. At the moment OFWAT have stated that a number of water suppliers are not expected to be compliant but they did not announce which ones. The banks will not issue statements about their compliance at the moment, this is slightly worrying. I have checked all internal systems and procedures, telephone company, internet supplier etc and found them to be compliant. I don't want to worry you, but it may be wise to keep some cash on hand near the end of 1999. Banks cannot guarantee access to your account details or that cash machines will not fail on 1st January 2000 and they are expecting a large number of panic withdrawals of cash before the 1st January, experts have calculated that if everyone who has a bank account withdraws an extra £100 at the end of the year, the country could not afford to let them have the money. There is then a possibility of civil unrest, London has been divided into 5 emergency planning regions to handle casualties and they are hoping to conduct a trial of the system this year. The government wanted 25,000 people trained in 'Assess and Manage' for the year 2000 problem to help our businesses and, worryingly, at the last count, I was one of only 300 trained according to official figures. If someone says they are not affected, ask if they have a bank account, they may have a rethink. |
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Accordion Recital - LeedsOn Wednesday 17 February 1999 there is an accordion recital at Leeds College of Music - featuring Nigel Waterhouse (accordion ) & Stephen Shulman (violin). The concert will feature a medly of music including Eastern European folk, contemporary Music and classical styles, including works by Piazzolla, Messiaen and Saraste. Tickets £6 or £4 concessions For tickets and further information contact: Leeds College of Music, 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7PD, Tel: 0113 222 3400, Fax: 0113 222 3455 |
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