The Arran Concertina event is a relaxed and informal gathering of concertina players of all abilities, and anyone else who is concertina-tolerant. Other instrumentalists and non-players are welcome. It takes place on the picturesque Isle of Arran, off the southwest coast of Scotland.
The main feature of the programme is that there is no programme! Themes and groups will depend entirely on the wishes and abilities of those taking part. This may or may not include “workshops” on Arran-related tunes, song accompaniment, playing for dance, choice of material, particular styles of music or basic harmony/theory/instrument maintenance. A popular feature in previous years has been the concertina band, for all systems and all abilities.For those interested in this I will send out music files (dots and soundfiles) in advance.
Participants arrive on the Friday afternoon to check into the lodge at 5pm. In the evening there will be a relaxed jam session/singaround at our bunkhouse base, and the programme for the weekend will be finalised. Saturday and Sunday are devoted to informal workshops on themes and subjects suggested and led by the participants. The weekend is rounded off with a trip to a local open folk session on Sunday evening. Check-out time is 10am on the Monday morning.
Due to constraints of space in the dining room the maximum number of participants is 20, so please book early to avoid disappointment
PM me for full details if you're interested.
 

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SSI 2015, the 16th annual Scandinavian Squeeze-In will be held in southern Sweden on the last weekend in April... April 24-26, 2015. All squeezers are invited. For further information, please see our web site at http://www.nonce.dk/SSI/.

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We're delighted that entertaining Jeffries duet maestro Mike Hebbert has agreed to return to Frittenden to feature in the regular free end-of-the-month session on the 26th April - the last of the season.
The session starts at 8pm, and we'll ask Mike to chip in three short sets of three items, as usual. No doubt it will another night to remember, as Mike takes his little box through an astonishing range of musical forms - last time, in addition to his famous performance of the Dambusters March, I remember he also played material ranging from tango to slow Irish airs.
In the usual Frittenden way, there will also be lots of time for songs and tunes (and anything else that's follows our usual agenda of trad, old fashioned and entertaining) from session attenders. Contact gmatkin@gmail for information.
In the meantime, here's what Mike has to say:
'Concertinas are uncommon enough instruments and Jeffries duets are the most uncommon type of concertina - but Gavin Atkin plays one of these oddities, and so does this evening's guest Michael Hebbert.
'Michael was born in Glasgow, grew up in Blackburn Lancs and began his performing career in Wallingford Oxon as a pub musician and dance band leader, contributing to Ashley Hutchings's Kicking Up the Sawdust (Harvest SHSP4073) and releasing his own LP The Rampin' Cat (named after the pub, Free Reed FRR 009).
'On the folk circuit he has a long-standing double act with singer Andrew Frank and his concertina classes and workshops have featured at Kilve, Witney, Swaledale, Bradfield and the English Country Music Weekend.
'With a huge repertoire of tunes from many traditions, Michael shows the tremendous versatility of the instruments made by the Jeffries brothers. A triumph of late Victorian craftsmanship measuring only 6in across, the little squeezebox packs the essence of the music whether it's blazing away like a fairground organ, punching a tango rhythm, or unfurling the long melody of an Irish slow air fit to break your heart.'

Event details