Nesi 2008

[Priscilla]

Hello everyone!

First timer here, enjoyed it so much at NESI. Wonderful group of very talented people, made me feel right at home. Loved sitting on the couch by the fire listening to all the beautiful music evolving around me. Lovely surroundings, both inside and out. Cabin accomodations were a little chilly at night, but quiet and peaceful and although I didn't sleep long, I slept well, plenty of fresh air...not the usual hum and buzz of city traffic and airplanes flying overhead. Always greeted by smiles, and such an incredible variety of music. Since I'm new to concertinas that is what surprised and enchanted me the most, that you can play jazz, classical, bluegrass, rock and roll, practically everything on them, and it sounds wonderful. I loved especially the tune which was taught in the Quebequois gazebo, "La Maison de Glace" or the Ice house....very beautiful. In the beginning no one knew it except the very good teacher (sorry, I'm terrible at names), but you could hear it all coming together, and by the end everyone was playing it beautifully... violins, concertinas, all in unison, and all within the space of about 20 minutes. Also enjoyed the rousing chorus to the melody "Strike, strike the bell!" played on the banjo, when everyone joined in by the fireside and sang together. I'll never forget the Pheasant Plucker's Wife tale, very funny. The final evening's performance was spectacular, funny and incredibly beautiful...especially the Bulgarian piece selected and performed by Rachel Hall, I wish I had a recording of it.

Now I'm back working at the medical library in South Jersey, and all I have is wonderful warm memories of NESI 2008, I can still hear the distant sound of concertinas and accordions played so expertly. I want to come every year! Now I'm truly inspired to progress and learn classical guitar so I can join in and have something to offer too, next year.

Thank you all!

Priscilla

[Ken_Coles]

I can fill in some names, since I was following Priscilla around all weekend and heard all the same music.

 

Doug Creighton taught the Quebecois tunes. Of course we got Ken Sweeney to sing us "Strike, strike the bell!" Lynn Hughes has the market cornered on risque songs. Concertinas are great, we remember the great accordions as well.

 

Good luck explaining what the "buttonbox" is on your new tote bag!

 

Ken

[Perry Werner]

Howdy Priscilla and Ken:

Very nice to have met you Priscilla.

Glad I was able to help offer some education to someone though it had little to do with squeezable instruments.

Glad you now are aware that excellent and books, and of course excellent booksellers can be found on ZVAB!!!!!!!!!!

Nice you seeing you again (Ken).

A fixture that I've come to expect at NESI!!!

Always a pleasure!!!!!

 

See you again soon, I hope.

Have fun,

Perry Werner

[David Barnert]

Hello, Priscilla.

 

As much fun as the Squeeze-In is, it's more fun when you can watch someone experience it for the first time. Thank you for providing that, in spades.

 

David (the anesthesiologist from Albany).

[Perry Werner]

Howdy:

For those who missed the announcement on the main C.net page, Rachel Hall, has linked us up to the premier (?) (and possibly final?) public performance of

 

"The Squeeze-ellujah Chorus" for concertina band and voices

 

performed at NESI at the Saturday night concert.

 

Not sure how much concertina band activity is going on anywhere, but I thank Rachel for keeping this format (which is pretty much from the ancient days of the English Concertina and from what I can gather, pretty much non-existent) alive with lots of enthusiasm, fine arrangements and fun!!!!!

 

Anyway to repeat what has already been posted

 

The recording is online at

 

http://www.sju.edu/~rhall/concertina/Hallelujah/

 

Have fun. I did!!

Perry Werner

Edited September 26, 2008 by Perry Werner