Greg Mirken

I’m wondering what other instruments you fellow concertinists play. Watching the submissions for World Concertina Day video concert I noticed harps, bouzoukis, and more concertinas in the backgrounds. Personally, I played mandolin for a dozen years before I took up English concertina, and I’m sure that experience colors the way I think and arrange on concertina [Also I’m part of an ensemble so I have other instruments to fill out an arrangement]. Did you start with concertina, or did you come from some other musical experience? Thanks for your input! Greg Mirken

I was pleased and honored to participate in this year’s video concert. Viewing all the submissions, I’m also humbled by the high level of musicianship displayed! The breadth of music represented is awesome. Wonderful job, everyone! Greg Mirken Nevada City, California https://www.threetimesthrough.com/

Concertina is perfect for Star Wars... daRTH-Small.mov

Here's a video of my band, Three Times Through, done about 7 or 8 years ago. I'm on EC, my wife Margie on guitar, Jeff Peach on hammer dulcimer, and Gale Peach on fiddle. This is the sort of thing we like to do a lot- mix up traditional tunes with recognizable melodies. I hope you enjoy.

Thanks Wes!

Thanks to the date and # supplied by DerekL on the last page I have a good idea about my Edeophone, serial # 59798. It's only 215 before his (July 1928). I think that puts mine early in that year or perhaps late 1927, do you think? Are there any other known numbers/dates in that era? Thanks. Greg

Disregard the dumb question. I’ve started plowing through the history threads… Greg

Ah, thanks for that. Is there a reference that can date my serial number, 59798? Greg

This seems like the perfect place to ask about one of my instruments. I have recently joined Concertina Net, and I have contributed some music. My main instrument is a 48key Wheatstone Treble EC, which coincidentally was born (Christened?) on February 14, 1929. My other instrument is the one I’d like some information about. It’s a Lachenal Edeophone 48key Treble EC. It has its serial number on the left end on a metal inlay, 59798. It also has a number stamped in gold on both ends of the bellows (one poorly done and blurred). When I bought the instrument I was told this was a Salvation Army serial number. There’s an upper case R, a raised D with a small dot beneath it, then the number 129862. Can anyone on this forum offer any insight? Thanks in advance!

Here's a link to our medley of Josefin's Waltz and When I'm 64. This piece features me on EC, my wife Margie on clawhammer banjo, Jeff Peach on bouzouki, and Gale Peach on fiddle. This is a lot of fun to play, and it's always a fun challenge to convey the essence of something so different on our instruments. I hope you enjoy it! https://youtu.be/itTxe_DItqI

OK, I’ll add to this zombie thread since it has been revived. I played EC on an episode of “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” in 1996 or so. I played on the soundtrack, rather, and coached one of the regular actors. I thought he did a pretty good job of not looking like a complete buffoon. I got the job because I knew a couple of the other old time musicians who were in the band for a barn dance. I did get to play guitar on screen, at least. I was kind of expecting a spinoff about the wacky misadventures of a frontier concertinist but it was not to be. You know how Hollywood is.

Here’s my group, Three Times Through, playing The Blarney Pilgrim. Me on EC, my wife Margie playing 5-string banjo (horrors!), Jeff Peach on guitar and Gale Peach on fiddle. This was recorded about 12 years ago; nowadays we include the tune in a medley with 2 other jigs.

Um, so am I. By a lot. We also cover Hedwig’s Theme from the Harry Potter movies, and that’s only 23 years old!

Is it more pop covers ye want, then? Here’s a set that begins with the Galician tune A Bruxa, into Stairway to Heaven, finally to Emma’s Waltz. As a young guitar shop proprietor I could never dream I might someday perform Stairway, but here it is. It’s really a beautiful, clever melody. We noticed how the harmonic structure fit so well into Emma’s. If others have covered popular melodies on concertina, let’s hear them. https://youtu.be/u5G40sIPqNI

Hi. I play English concertina; no formal concertina lessons but I’ve learned a lot from the playing of Alistair Anderson. (I’ve also listened to Simon Thoumire and I just shake my head.) Before taking up concertina I played mandolin for many years. My group is called Three Times Through (get it?), based here in Northern California, in Nevada County. We started interspersing popular melodies with traditional tunes and noticed that it broadened our audience, and enhanced our tip jar. Sometimes there’s a musical justification, sometimes lyrical, sometimes just too much wine at rehearsal. Here’s a link to a recent live video- The White Petticoat/ Paint it Black/ O’Connel’s Welcome to Dublin (I think that’s its name) I hope you enjoy it. https://youtu.be/cHTPsnjMLuo