Some Photos From The Seanma Concert

[bellowbelle]

Click HERE for my (brief) photo gallery -- where you MUST use the case-sensitive password seanma1017 .

 

And, for now, I'll include one of the photos in this post:

 

 

What a great concert! I really enjoyed it -- a great performance.

 

OOPs...edited to correct the URL for the gallery...sorry about that.

Edited October 17, 2005 by bellowbelle

[David Barnert]

It's hard to tell from behind what Mark's doing in that shot, but it almost looks like he might be playing a concertina, doesn't it?

[Cream-T]

I'm most intrigued. How do Seanma deal with the difference in volume between the two instruments? When I play my Crane Duet together with my wife's celtic harp, I feel I can't play quietly enough without drowning her out. Or is this just because my ears are so close to the box?

 

What repertoire do Seanma play? Are there any recordings to be heard?

 

And when's the UK tour?

[Mark Evans]

I'm most intrigued. How do Seanma deal with the difference in volume between the two instruments?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ah ah! I'm glad you asked that question!

 

Melanie has a pickup in that beautiful harp that she ran to a amp (I think you can just see it in one of Wendy's photos). If I am not mistaken, it was a first time out experiment. I have a very nice single microphone system that I use for string bands and I put it between Allison and Melanie. It picked up the Low notes very nicely from the harp and both women's voices for singing and speaking.

 

Allison's Jefferies needs no amplification but for balance it was picked up and it must be said that her ear and musicianship kept that beautiful beast from washing us all out to sea . The balance was very good. Allison also played tenor recorder on one selection and even it's lowest tones filled the hall in balance with the harp.

 

Our chapel has a wonderful accoustic and I know the space well, so I can't say the combination of electronics would work elsewhere.

 

Over the years I have come to hate being trapped behind a forest of microphones. This is visually more pleasant and I believe liberating to the performers.

 

David, I had never been that close to a Jefferies before. Beautiful they are, and Allison's very special instrument is something to behold and hear. Standing there slack-jawed like a country bumpkin is what I was doing .

Edited October 18, 2005 by Mark Evans

[Animaterra]

We play what we call "Ancient Irish music and beyond" meaning from the collections of Edward Bunting, George Petrie, P W Joyce, some Carolan, and anything that sounds old and lovely, such as pieces by Michael Rooney. And we do play some English Country dance music, but not at a concert billed as Irish!

 

Thanks for the kudos and the photos, Wendy- they're great! And Mark, the fine balance in sound is due largely to your careful wizardry and to that marvelous hall.

 

It was a fun day!

 

Allison

[Animaterra]

As for a cd, well, we're working on it. We do have a demo cd that's about 15 minutes long! Maybe this weekend I can submit a coulple of files to the Tune-o-tron, now that I'm beginning to figure out the technology! But for now, I gotta get to my job!

[Mark Evans]

But for now, I gotta get to my job!

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Fortunate students Allison, fortunate indeed !

[Animaterra]

Garsh, thanks, Mark!