Randy Stein

Piggy backing on a recent discussion about playing by ear or playing with dots. One of my intermediate students wants to learn to arrange a tune,primarily using double stops. While she sight reads very well, chord structures are not intuitive to her yet. I recently attended a gypsy jazz session. Most had music or were using an app called iReal Pro that provides chord charts. For me I often need those charts to play and be able to adequately improvise. Many of these tunes use chords in minor, diminished, or modal scales. Chords will often be augmented, have a minor 5th, or add a 6th or 9th. So yes, I often need a chart to follow. But the more I play the easier it becomes to hear the subtle chord changes and automatically play along. Knowing how to employ and play a more complex chord is a skill one needs to develop. A simple double stop is a good way to start. Playing by ear or with music. Why not do both.

On May 15th early registration opens for the Northeast Squeeze-In which takes place in...well...the northeastern US. This year NESI is September 16-18. It is open to all musicians of every genre and instruments but caters to free reeders. NESI is unique and every moment memorable and fun. I have made lifelong friends, learned entire new genres of music, and plenty of inappropriate jokes over time I've attended and participated. Workshops are led by participants, jam sessions are spontaneous and abundant, and one is in constant amazement. Attendence is limited. Website is https://www.squeeze-in.org/ . People from all over the US and Canada have come to enjoy this weekend. Not to be missed.

I will be performing at the USDA Farmers Market in Washington, DC on Friday May 20th from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Come by and say hello and enjoy a great outdoor event.

From my blog: https://concertinaguy.medium.com/dynamics-45f3d9d0ba1c

She found a small pub in town. Thanks

My daughter is in Cork for a couple of days. She is traveling alone which she enjoys. Anyplace she can here some traditional music tonight

Cool. Thanks

I use this tune in lessons and recently a student asked me it's origin. I know it's in the O'Neill Tunebook but not sure beyond that. Any info is greatly appreciated

I offer lessons to all levels who wish to learn and improve playing the English Concertina. Lessons are online via Zoom and I supply all music needed prior to a lesson. If you want info send a message through Cnet. On a different note (pun intended) I recently took a few lessons from a violinist for help on a specific piece of music I wanted to learn. The time spent was invaluable and I learned more than I had expected. I am convinced time spent with someone who can mentor your musical skills is, in my opinion, incredibly important to one's ability to increase not only musical skills but help with increasing one's ability to learn and create a musical repertoire. Or as my bubbe used to say "it couldn't hurt"

So a follow-up: My 11 year old student had his 2nd lesson the other day. After our initial meeting I had suggested that he and his mother watch some YouTube videos of different players and music to see what he enjoys. At our lesson he said he wants to play music like this guy and proceeded to play me a video of Simon Thoumire. I told him he would have to really practice a lot in order to play as well as Simon. He then said " What's my other choice?" Kid's gonna be a star.

The Eastern North America Online Concertina Concert might never have happened had I not been an ICA member.

In addition to performing on the EC I also teach. All classes are via Zoom primarily since, with one exception, my students are located outside of the DC Metro area where I live. Most recently I was contacted by someone interested in EC lessons for their 11 year old son. We met and he is just delightful and excited about playing. But it made me realize that it has been years since I had the chance to play music with or teach a child the concertina. I know that in the UK, Europe, Japan and China the playing of free reed instruments starts early and is often encouraged. Many of the great players I saw on the WCD concerts learned to play from within their own family and communities. In the US...not so much I think. But I hope my experience is just unique and there are places where children learn and play the concertina.

;0)

Composed by James F. Hanley in 1917. Jim Besser - Baritone Anglo Concertina Randy Stein - English Concertina *originally performed in the Eastern North America Online Concertina Concert for World Concertina Day) https://youtu.be/hCSUlaf4DR4

Here in North America there are abundant opportunities to enjoy various types of concertinas performing an eclectic array of styles and genres of music on WCD. Susan Heberling will be interviewed on Friday Feb 4th and promoting the upcoming Eastern North American Online Concertina Concert and a short discussion about the concertina on her local public radio station, North Country Public Radio. The show is called Northern Light from 8:00-9:00 AM EST. Susan's segment, she says, should appear sometime around 8:20 AM EST. Her suggestion is to log on to https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/shows/northern-light around 8:15 and hit the Listen button in the upper left hand corner. It will be available for a continual listening experience. The Eastern North America Online Concertina Concert is a collection of videos of more than two dozen players performing solo or in ensemble everything from classical to trad. Join us for a "live viewing" this Sunday at 12:00 Noon EST at https://bit.ly/enaocc2022. The link will be available afterward for constant viewing pleasure. Montage: Music Performed On The English Concertina. Randy Stein's prerecorded online concert of Jazz, Classical, Traditional, as well as popular Standards and performed with his various ensembles and solo polyphonic arrangements. It will be available on YouTube for continued viewing pleasure starting at 9:00 AM EST on Feb 6th at the following link: https://youtu.be/m2_s6cKUl7g Interview with Otto Smith, English Concertina player about classical concertina with musical excerpts, February 6, 3:00 pm Pacific Time on radio at kptz.org (“listen live” button is in the upper left hand corner of the screen) Performance by the Puget Sound Concertina Band, 7:15 to 7:45 pm Pacific Time, on radio at kptz.org (“listen live” button is in the upper left hand corner of the screen). Archived recording available for two weeks afterward. Janet Dows solo concert on Zoom and YouTube Live, On Saturday February 5 (one day before World Concertina Day):12 noon Pacific Time/3 pm Eastern Time/8 pm GMT. Recording will be available on YouTube after the concert. If I am missing additional events please feel free to add in a follow-up posting.