Our May Concert

Our May concert started with Colin Ensor played Please, Sweetheart Of All My Dreams, The Maigret Theme, and Getting Sentimental Over You. Our next player Bernard Bamber played Sweet Forget Me Not, Snowy Breasted Pearl, Believe Me For All Those Endearing Young Charms, Donnegal Shores, Isle Of Innisfree and Rose Of Tralee. Bernard Belshaw was our next player, he gave us How Wonderful To Know, Lets Face The Music And Dance, Malaguena, Just The Way You Look Tonight, Blaze Away and Thank You For The Music. I then took my turn to play, I started with Oslo Waltz and finished with Whispering Hope. It was now time for our guest artist George Syrett to take to the stage he played his first pieces on a Scott Wood accordion. George started with I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen, Hear My Song Violetta, Faraway Places and Lucie e Ombre. George changed accordions to a Ballone Burini (Straight Tuned) and continued the entertainment with I’ll Be there, Lucie E Ombre, If you Love Me, Anchors Aweigh, St Louis Blues and Snow Waltz. His next piece was the accorion classic Sharpshouters March followed by Golden Tango and La Cumparsita. Hi pieces continued with Orange Juice before getting us all singing along to Danny Boy. As we started getting ready for the break he continued with Once In A While and Cuckoo Waltz before playing Amazing Grace in three different styles! To end his first spot, George finished with Auld lang Syne – Scotland The Brave, Moon River and Moonlight Serenade. During the break there was the usual throng of people getting drinks and being sociable. After the raffle we started the second half with Bernard Belshaw playing Blue Tango, Ecstasy, Jealousy, You Make Me Feel So Young, Allo Allo Theme and Radetzki March. After playing acoustic accordion in the first half, George finished the night on the Elkavox electronic accordion. His second half started with Besame Mucho and continued with Spanish Eyes, Under Paris Skies, Pigalle, Moon River, Moulin Rouge, Tico Tico, Hatkfa, Y viva Espana, You Are My Sunshine, Amazing Grace, Return To Sorrento, New York New York, We’ll Meet Again, Now Is The Hour, Has Anybody Seen My Girl and Auf Wiedersehen. It was 11.05 when we finished, George had played for almost 2 hours and had thoroughly entertained us. Many had looked forward to his return to the club and at the end there were many who were asking him to return soon.

David Batty

 

This Wednesday

This Wednesday is one of our local players concerts featuring some great local performers. If you have not played at the club or are nervous about doing so then please still bring your accordion along and maybe give us a tune. We look forward to hearing players of all abilities, the stage is not just for the best players, so nobody expects you to be perfect. The club is not just about a musical instrument, it is a social club based around a musical instrument, so come along on Wednesday for a great concert and some great socialising. If you see a new visitor to the club, please go along and say hello, I am sure they will be pleased to see you. Doors open at 7.30

 

Fleetwood Folk Festival

This is to be held from the 3rd to the 5th of September 2010 Weekend tickets are £58 (to 31st March 2010), £ 62 (From 1st April 2010), £65 (From 1st July onwards & at door). Saturday all day tickets are £35. Session tickets are from £7.50. Children under 11 years old have free admission, Children 11- 16 yrs are half price. Camp/Caravan site – Adults £10 per person for weekend(Weekend ticket holders only), free Showers & Swimming. You can buy Tickets Online Now by visiting the www.marinehall.co.uk website or contacting The Marine Hall at Fleetwood.

 

George Syrett Plays For World Accordion Day

From George: “After a request from the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) I decided to fly the flag for the accordion by touring the local restaurants and hostelries. I played in the local Italian restaurant The Piccolino to delighted diners, and the staff started to dance and sing to the music. From there I proceeded to Ripon, to The Blackamore, situated in a small village called Copt Hewick, and again received a reception of surprise and delight. Finally, I visited my local hotel, The Duke of Wellington, in East Keswick, where the locals started to dance and sing. As I carried my box into the bar some thought I had a sewing machine or was a traveling salesman. This proves the accordion is capable of bringing laughter and song to many who have never heard one played or indeed seen an accordion. All in all over 200 people in the Dales of Yorkshire have seen and heard the accordion at its best and are talking about it. So many photos were taken I am sure they will appear on the Internet at some time.”

 

Accordion Day at Stroud

This is not in our area but I thought you might like to know about it, Accordionists Mike Adcock and Pete Rosser present an ‘Accordion Day’ in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on Sunday June 20th, which includes a workshop and concerts. In the afternoon, 2pm until 5pm, there is an accordion workshop, held at The Space, Lansdown. The workshop will be catered to suit all levels of ability and cover a range of musical styles with the emphasis on ensemble playing. At 8pm, in The Imperial Hotel, Stroud, there is a concert, described as “an evening of accordions, improvisation and surprises”, featuring the Mike Adcock Group, an ensemble performance of accordion workshop participants, musicians from the Cheltenham Improvisers’ Group, plus guests to be confirmed. For further information email: info@mikeadcock.com

 

Irish International Accordion Festival 2011

There has been an advance notice sent out which reads as follows…
ADVANCE NOTICE – Invitation to all accordionists and supporters from all countries to our very special event! To celebrate the 40th year of the All-Ireland Accordion Festival, the Irish Accordion Association are holding an International Accordion Festival and Competition for soloists/ensembles/orchestras of all ages, standards and genres of music over the weekend of 15-17th April 2011. Already we have special guests including The St. Petersburg Youth Accordion Orchestra (artistic director and conductor: Vladimir S. Iljenkov), and the “Arts Across Borders” Ensemble (featuring lots of accordions, harps , flutes, bagpipes and percussion in an exciting dynamic mix) performing newly commissioned works from Irish composers. This will be an exciting event featuring traditional Irish music, dancing and entertainment. You will be sure of a warm Irish welcome and leave with some great memories. We are currently investigating several venues for this event. This will be decided very shortly and a special website will be set up with all the details of the festival and competition. Further details shortly…Yvonne Chilton, Secretary I.A.A. chilton_accordion@hotmail.com

 

Eastbourne Accordion Festival

this is to be held from the 8th to the 11th of October 2011 at The Langham Hotel, Eastbourne. So far Harry Hussey, John Romero, The Accordion Shop, Carillon Studios, Stan Mayhew and Trevani have been booked to attend. The cost is £210 per person. Telephone John Romero on 01323 733700 for further details or to request a booking form.

 

Take The Floor

Take the Floor is on BBC Radio Scotland on Medium Wave on Sunday 20th June 2010 from 13:05 to 15:00. Robbie Shepherds special guest is John Ellis, ahead of his award from the National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.

 

North Staffs Accordion Day

North Staffs AC marked World Accordion Day, May 6th, with interviews on local radio. The chat about accordions made a welcome for listeners’ relief from the otherwise relentless coverage of the General Election. The day began with an interview at 7.30am with Pete Morgan on BBC Radio Stoke, involving NSAC chairman Steve Hughes and accordionist Stefan Andrusyschyn. The chat with host Pete Morgan flowed smoothly, and included a brilliant rendition of a shortened Strauss’s ‘Blue Danube’ by Stefan, which drew applause from the studio staff. Following a photo shoot Steve and Stefan left having, I believe, given good representation for the instrument and the club. The calculated listening audience was about 10,000. On the way out Steve Hughes had a phone call from Ben Lowe, who was directing the news program for the MA course in media studies at Stafford University and, having heard the broadcast on Radio Stoke, invited the NSAC duo take part that afternoon.From Radio Stoke, Steve and Stefan were featured on programs at the nearby Signal Radio, with Doug Wood on Signal Radio 2, followed by Signal Radio 1 with Perry and Louise. In both cases Stefan did a marvelous job, doing all the talking and playing ‘Misty’ and ‘Hot and Cold’. In the afternoon the NSAC duo to Stafford University, where they appeared on screen in a programme introduced as being ‘World Accordion Day’. Stefan was asked about the instrument and how long he had played – following the pattern of the previous interviews. He followed the questions with a brief rendition of ‘Czardas’. Hopefully, these interviews and music will have caught the attention of many listeners in the county.

 

Warwick Folk Festival

These are a few of the artists that will be appearing Stealing Sheep, Suntrap, Kristy Gallacher, Jim Mageean, The Carrivick Sisters, The Harvesters, Borderline Crossing, GU4, Peter and Barbara Snape, Samuel Walter, The Great Bonzo & Doris, Monster Ceilidh Band, Blair Dunlop, The Young’uns, Andrew Parr, Rob Barratt, Sambassadors of Groove, Jan Edgecombe’s Blackboard Van, Panic Circus and many more. The main venue for the event is Warwick School. The main festival location and campsite, contains the main marquee for headline concerts, the purpose-built Bridgehouse Theatre for intimate acoustic concerts, the Guy Nelson Hall for ceilidhs and workshops, a weekend craft fair and on-site catering.
Warwick town will be buzzing with activity throughout the weekend, Warwick town centre is a short walk or free festival shuttle bus ride from the main venue – plays host to dance tours, mumming plays, pub sessions and concerts. For a taste of the special atmosphere at Warwick Folk Festival, check out photographs and reviews of previous years on their website at www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk. The cost of admission is £81 forAdults and £41 for Juniors.