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Concertinatreffen Bielefeld 2008


nils

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I don't know much about the Bielefeld weekend, but we have a good friend who lives in Bielefeld and we intend to come over one of these years. Do you think you could put just an outline of the weekend here in English for the benefit of people like me, whose command of other languages is not as good as it ought to be.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

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I don't know much about the Bielefeld weekend, but we have a good friend who lives in Bielefeld and we intend to come over one of these years. Do you think you could put just an outline of the weekend here in English for the benefit of people like me, whose command of other languages is not as good as it ought to be.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

I would second that and would love to know more about the weekend. I've performed twice in Bielefeld over the years. Once with the Chicago Children's Choir in the late 60's and again around 1985 where I played concertina as well as toy piano, clarinet, zither and a bunch of odds and ends with a show at an International Puppetry Festival.

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Some more informations:

 

This weekend is running for the 17th time organised by Mario Kliemann. There is always a first class irish anglo teacher, this year it is Ernestine Healy. She runs two courses, beginners and advanced. Usually there are about 15 anglo players.

 

English concertina is taught by Rainer Süßmilch. Rainer is an actor and one of the few professional players. He uses the concertina on the stages of main theaters in Zürich, Wien, Hamburg and now Frankfurt to perform live for plays. Much of the music is composed by himself. He sings and plays trumpet as well. Most years there are 10 to 12 english concertina players.

 

Jürgen Leo has been touring with the well known group "Liederjan" . He plays two row concertina and bandonion. His approach to the two row is surprising, because he has technics to play almost anything on it. (And I think thats what he will be teaching.)

This class is allways small, about five players.

 

I try to give the english beginners what they need (which might differ a lot from player to player). I use slower tunes (not irish) from England and France and will introduce to use harmonies and bass-line to support the rythm (for advanced beginners).

 

All in all there are about 35 players from all over Germany. We are glad if international guests find there way to the weekend

a few managed to come over the years.

 

The location is a farm (yes, you can milk a cow if you like), plain but nice.

 

Nils

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This is the flyer for the Bielefeld Concertinatreffen. It is in german, if you want it translated or need further informations contact me, please.

There is a reduced fee if you enroll before the end of february.

 

 

Nils

 

Nils,

 

Looks like a great weekend...if I were living on the same continent, I'd be going!

 

Just an aside, but if you meet anyone at that workshop who is keen on the history of the German and Anglo-German concertina, I would be very pleased to be put in contact with them. I've been gathering information about the German development of the instrument (mainly, so far, from people in the States with interest in Chemnitzer history), and would appreciate any contacts from your side of the world on that, for the purpose of information sharing.

 

Cheers,

Dan Worrall

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

For me the weekend in Bielefeld was a great event. Nils' description below seemed to be very accurate. All I can add is that Juliette Daum was present as well.

 

The performances of the "teachers" on Saturday night was impressive. Jürgen, Juliette, Ernestine Healy and Rainer Süßmilch showed their high level of playing and performing. As an Anglo player I was charmed by Ernestine's very subtile version of "Boys of Bluehill". On top of that Rainer's as well as Nils' group of pupils performed a tune that they learned during the day!

 

About teaching, I can only speak about Ernestine. She really sees (and hears) everything and lets you work hard, and (which is more important) I learned a lot and have to work out much more. I also learned a lot from colleague-pupils, could play some really nice Suttner concertinas and had a talk with Jürgen Suttner himself about concertinas in general and more specific my Wakker A1.

 

Finally the atmosphere (people, surrounding, wheather) was perfect. If I can, I will be back next year!

 

Some more informations:

 

This weekend is running for the 17th time organised by Mario Kliemann. There is always a first class irish anglo teacher, this year it is Ernestine Healy. She runs two courses, beginners and advanced. Usually there are about 15 anglo players.

 

English concertina is taught by Rainer Süßmilch. Rainer is an actor and one of the few professional players. He uses the concertina on the stages of main theaters in Zürich, Wien, Hamburg and now Frankfurt to perform live for plays. Much of the music is composed by himself. He sings and plays trumpet as well. Most years there are 10 to 12 english concertina players.

 

Jürgen Leo has been touring with the well known group "Liederjan" . He plays two row concertina and bandonion. His approach to the two row is surprising, because he has technics to play almost anything on it. (And I think thats what he will be teaching.)

This class is allways small, about five players.

 

I try to give the english beginners what they need (which might differ a lot from player to player). I use slower tunes (not irish) from England and France and will introduce to use harmonies and bass-line to support the rythm (for advanced beginners).

 

All in all there are about 35 players from all over Germany. We are glad if international guests find there way to the weekend

a few managed to come over the years.

 

The location is a farm (yes, you can milk a cow if you like), plain but nice.

 

Nils

Edited by Henk van Aalten
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One good reason to keep this item on top of the listing is the announcement of a collection of photos that can be seen at this location (URL).

Hi Henk,

 

A nice collection of photos. Looks like you have captured the spirit, of a relaxed event, very well. What a lovely looking location. So; everyone had a good time, then?

 

As usual, the players look so serious whilst playing; that's musicians for you!

 

Regards,

Peter.

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Well we might even make it next year. Anne (my partner) has just found out she's been offered a place to read music at university, which is great but means that we have to revise our plans for trips in 2009 fairly radically. Bielefeld is one of the few concertina weekends that fit in with term times (the Scandinavian Squeeze-In, sadly, doesn't. Double drat).

 

Chris

 

PS For those that are interested, at her audition she sang a song from the classical repertoire accompanied by a pianist, then one of her own songs acoompanying herself on her baritone English concertina. Finally she played a tune, one of hers again, on her Aeola. So the uni is at least partially aware of what they've let themselves in for.

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Well we might even make it next year. Anne (my partner) has just found out she's been offered a place to read music at university, which is great but means that we have to revise our plans for trips in 2009 fairly radically. Bielefeld is one of the few concertina weekends that fit in with term times (the Scandinavian Squeeze-In, sadly, doesn't. Double drat).

 

Chris

 

PS For those that are interested, at her audition she sang a song from the classical repertoire accompanied by a pianist, then one of her own songs acoompanying herself on her baritone English concertina. Finally she played a tune, one of hers again, on her Aeola. So the uni is at least partially aware of what they've let themselves in for.

Hi Chris,

 

Please pass on my congratulations to Anne. Exciting times ahead, by the sound of it.

 

Regards,

Peter.

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One good reason to keep this item on top of the listing is the announcement of a collection of photos that can be seen at this location (URL).

 

See you in Bielefeld next year? :unsure: ?

Fine photos, Henk -

 

The photo of Ernestine with the Duett takes the prize (at least mine) -

/Henrik

 

Edit: price?! Eh?

Edited by Henrik Müller
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Henk,

 

Thanks for the great photos...looks like a wonderful weekend...I would love to have been there!

 

So...what sorts of tunes were they playing on the German concertinas?

 

Cheers,

Dan

Dan

 

As I was not in the workshop for the "German" concertina, I have only a faint idea about what they were doing. What I heard was some traditional German tunes and song. For more details try to contact Jurgen Leo. He was using this concertina mainly to accompany his singing. He can really make a show of it! C.Netter Nils Meyn might give more details about him.

What was called in Bielefeld a "German Concertina" is known to me as a simple 20 button Anglo (made in Germany or to be more specific in Klingental).

 

Henk

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