Brian Arsenault

My Carroll is #32 with redwood burl ends and tree pattern (looks like #19). I've had it for a year now. It's really clear, fast and fun to play. (Thank you, Wally!!) At the last Midwest Noel Hill School we compared it to some of the other 30-somethings. It sounded a little "rounder" and the others sounded sharper/brighter. And since we've kind of gone off-topic anyway, I also recommend the work of Greg Jowaisas if you're shopping for a concertina case. --Brian [just edited for spelling mistake]

Thanks for bumping, but it is sold. I had just edited the original post instead of adding another reply. Brian Oh, yeah. That would have have been the 2005 Noel Hill Midwest school, right? Thank you for passing that along. Brian ps I didn't pay him to write that

Oh, yeah. That would have have been the 2005 Noel Hill Midwest school, right? Thank you for passing that along. Brian ps I didn't pay him to write that

This instrument has been sold. Thank you all who contacted me. I'll be making a donation to concertina.net Brian

hmmm, I guess that I would wish for "Santa Carroll" and his elves to deliver #32 under the tree, which would also undoubtedly please the twenty-one folks in line ahead of me when they also received their concertinas. Nothing like spreading some holiday cheer. ooops, sorry, Greg. I guess that means you'll be working Christmas Eve building cases.

I agree with David regarding the dialogue that takes place during the playing of classical music. When things are going well, there are ideas bouncing around all over the place, and when you're playing with people that are both receptive to what's going on and also contribute to the mix, then it's the same feeling as when you're at a session and everyone is in that groove. Then there are other times when you are not really "playing together" as much as you are just "playing near each other." But it's also different if you're playing in a small chamber group or in a large orchestra. You still have to listen and participate in an orchestra but you also have to play well with others , if you will. Since New England Conservatory has appeared a couple of times in this thread, I thought I'd add a story. When I was at NEC we would sometimes get together on Friday nights for "Drinking Quartets." Two would go get beer and the other two would go get armfuls of music from the library. We would read and drink and ... well ... drink more. Did wonders for our sight-reading. It sounds funny but we found the best way to get better at sight-reading was to practice it. The quartets exapanded to sextets, octets, and then we invited other friends that played wind and brass instruments. It was a blast. Admittedly we had a rather high concentration of musicians per sqare inch there on Huntington Ave, but it looks like that link to ACMP would help you get a group together. And please, no viola jokes.

Great job, Roy. I particularly like the way you described the "rapture drill". Thank you and everyone else that attended the Midwest school for making my first concertina experience soooooo much fun!! take care, Brian