APRIL 2009 MEETING
SEACROFT ACCORDIONS INTERNATIONAL 2008
VISIT OUR ACCORDION LINKS PAGE TO FIND A HOST OF INTERESTING AND EXCITING ACCORDION SITES
This was our AGM and DIY concert. We were also treated to a program by the Kennet Youth Orchestra under the baton of WHAC member Marilyn Mason, who regaled us with an amazing veriety including marches, waltzes, Spanish music, music from the films and ragtime. There were also delightful solos from Julie, and Heather firstly with Lauren and then with her son Joshua. Other music was provided by WHAC members Adrienne Grifiths with Harry Haigh, Carol Hanwell, Suzanne Webber, Gillian James, Marshall Sturgeon, Doug Ellis, Robin Ardra, Ralph Cornish, Aileen Hood, Adrienne again and Sue Coppard.
WHAC Treasurer & Accounts. Due to the sad and sudden death of our treasurer Tony Bullock last October, we were left with a vacancy for this position. Bob Norris agreed to take this on, and managed to produce our 2008 Accounts in time for the AGM. We made a nett loss of just over £100 for the year, ending with a bank ballance of £1,840. If any one requires a copy of these accounts a copy will be furnished on request.
Charity Donation.WHAC made one donation to help the excellent work of the Kennet Youth Orchestra. We received a very appreciative letter of thanks from them. I am told that this orchestra is so popular that the older children don't want to graduate to the Senior Orchestra!
Bob Head our Vice President who sadly can rarely manage to get to meetings these days, would greatly appreciate visits from members travelling near Sturminster Newton. Ring him on 01258 817439 if you are able.
Our guest artists were Stefan Andrusychyn & Denise Leigh. Stefan's playing was exquisite and awe inspiring. He gave us Bach, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Albeniz, some gorgeous French musette, Czardas, Russian folk...And together with his wife Denise, an opera singer we were treated to superb arias from Carmen, La Traviata, Porgy and Bess, and much more. Stefans accompanyment blended wonderfully with Denise's warm, rich and very pure voice.Personally (JB) I could have listened all night as could most of our audience. In addition they answered questions from the floor.
There was also a good variety of enjoyable music, firstly from the PlayAlong (John Baker, Doug Ellis, Ralph Cornish and Marshall Sturgeon), then from Sue Coppard, Julian Hemper (his first public appearence on accordion - congratulations) Richard Brunning, Ralph Cornish, Suzzane Webber, Doug Ellis, Ralph Cornish, Adrienne Grifiths and Valery Antell ( a preview of their duet for the NAO competition the following week), and Brian Young. It struck many of us once again how excellent the accoustics of the hall are, a fact remarked upon by Stefan and denise.
COMPOSITION COMPETITION
Composers please note that the Composition Competition organized biennially by North Staffs Accordion Club has had to be postponed due to lack of a Festival Venue. It is hoped that it can take place during May 2009. (So get composing!)
Our Guest Artiste was the wonderful Alexander Korbakov whose music ranged from Bach's Fugue in G minor and Vivaldi's 'Winter', through to Chopin, Rossini, Strauss, Piazzolla and Kachaturian to Russian folk music and 'Dizzy Fingers'. Excellent entertainment was also provided by Carol Hanwell, Ralph Cornish, Doug Ellis, Sue Coppard, Adrienne Griffiths & Valerie Antell, Jenny Powley, Dennis Harvey, Brian Young, and Robin Ardra. John Baker led a super Playround beforehand.
Our next meeting is on October 5th, when our guest is the accomplished and popular accordionist Julie Best.
This was a hugely successful meeting. Our guests were Julie Best and Jean Corringham who treated us to a wide selection of beautiful music, either as solos or arranged as duets - 30 pieces in total! Julie 'kicked off' with a rousing Sharpshooters March, followed by some wonderful accordion classics, including Snow Train Shuffle, Carte Postale, Jealousy, Cubanola (Frisini), Twelfth Street Rag etc... and also some less well known but equally delightful pieces including the special Twilight Blues by Neil Varley. We listened spellbound to Julie's bellows-shaking Cuckoo Waltz and Jeans very emotional arrangement of the Londonderry Air. So it wasn't surprising that, as our meeting closed, WHAC members were already requesting a return visit from our special Guest Artistes.
Also contributing were, begining with the PlayAlong, John Baker (alas no longer able to do his regular Sunday evening gigs at the Sheppy Inn), Adrienne Griffiths, Marsall Sturgeon, Harry Haigh, Ralph Cornish, Aileen Hood and Catherine Randall; and in the Play Round Ken Owen, Carol Hanwell, Marshall Sturgeon, Aileen Hood solo and in duet with Catherine Randall, Ralph Cornish, Adrienne Grifiths solo and duetting with Harry Haigh, and Brian Young. This was the last meeting that our late trasurer Tony was able to attend, which he much enjoyed.
The Kennet Youth Orchestra run by WHAC member Marilyn Mason, will be entertaining us on Sunday 18 January 2009. The players range from 9-25 years, plus 2 adult students. In addition, there will be a short AGM together with our home grown memners DIY concert.
Seacroft Accordions International 2008 WHAC was well represented with about 13 members enjoying this festival at its super new venue. As always there was something for everyone, with the chance to join in the various workshops, browse through the trade stands, perform party pieces at the 'Free and Easy' sessions, or shoot the adrenalin sky high at the evening concerts - not to mention the fantastic Late-Late-Sessions with Harry Hussey, Pearl Fawcett Adriano, the Lars Ek Hot Trio and others, jamming away into the small hours.
Among the guest artists the incredible Giancarlo Caporilli dazzled us with his amazing mastery and virtuosity. Stefan Andrusychyn (many of us rember him as a teenager playing at accordion festivals) gave a mature and polished solo performance, and also accompanied his talented wife Denise, whose enchanting singing held us spellbound. Together they brought a refreshingly young and moving approach to their performances - just what the accordion world needs. Don't miss Stefan who will be our special guest at WHAC on 19 April.
Finally, the Lars Ek Hot Trio promised to play us HOT jazz / HOT Frosini / HOT ragtime / Hot boogie - and they certainly delivered! Their enthusiastic and exuberant performances brought standing ovations. And as if this wasn't enough Lars gave two very informative Question and Answer sessions, when he shared his quite challenging views on the future for the next generation of accordinists, and his wide knowledge about Frosini Society, and also his passionate views on the 'heart of the accordion' - all very inspirational stuff.
There is a new web site to check out www.metamusic.org.uk which aims to provide better links between the many existing networks of music organisations across the UK, and help other organisations plug into the bigger picture. To visit the site just click on the link above.
Les Pyrenees en Live broadcasts two hours of accordion music Sunday morning 9-11am (French time). This can be found at www.picfm.com Click on this link to find it. And then follow the Real Player or Windows media Player link in the top right hand corner.
News for Tango lovers. If you visit www.malando.com you will be treated to a feast of music, all with accordion lead, and superb arrangements, mostly tango, but also some standards. Well worth a visit.
An Invitation If you have any feedback that you could contribute to the WHAC Newsletter or website, music you heard, a concert you went to, a new instrument, whatever, it would be nice to hesr from you. Please apply pen to paper or digit to keyboad (computer not accordion) and let us know letters to Sue e-mail to me.
And now for some Good News! In future all Under 16's will be admitted to WHAC meetings completely FREE! Now for the Not so good news. Hardly any under 16's come to WHAC meetings. Do you know any you
could bring?
North Staffs Accordion Club now have a web site click on the link below. For UKAO Web site click here
Stockport Accordion Club News Letter
Additional Meetings. You may (or may not) be surprised to learn that no one put their hand up and volunteered to organize the requested additional meetings. So it is suggested that if any members wish to meet up informally between times they can put their details on the notice board, or give their names to Sue Coppard for inclusion in the newsletter. Over to you.....
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A New Magazine: M@H (Music at Home)- a quarterly 01242 01844 for more info.
DID YOU KNOW?
That famous Wessex novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, who played the violin in his father's folk music band at village dances, cut his musical teeth at the age of 4 - on the accordion!
Also.......The accordion was first patented on 23 May 1829 by piano and organ maker Zyrill Demian in Viena. The first accordions had foot operated bellows until somebody realised it would be easier to have small hand bellows to drive the reeds.
And finally.........Whilst researching something recently I was sent the following newspaper article. I thought you might find it interesting. JB.
Pugwash theme tune man dies The man who provided the theme tune for the classic children's television programme Captain Pugwash, has died nearly 50 years after being paid £1.50 (30s) for his work.
The sea shanty, which Tommy Edmondson learned from Sir Jimmy Shand, heralded the start of each episode of Captain Pugwash, the long-running BBC cartoon about a group of cowardly pirates.
Mr. Edmondson, who was 67, recorded his version of the Trumpet Hornpipe in the front room of his home in Harbottle, Northumberland, in 1954 when he offered to play traditional tunes to a BBC sound archivist who recorded them.
He accepted payment, so forfeiting his rights to royalties.
An animator discovered Mr. Edmondson's identity in 1992 and, as a gesture of goodwill, gave him a cheque for £100 and some of the original cut-out characters from Captain Pugwash, which ran for 60 episodes.
In October 2004, WHAC moved to a new home at Westbury Leigh Hall. The building, which is a old church that has been converted to a community centre half of which is still used for Sunday worship, is well suited to WHAC's needs. Apart from the main hall where the meeting takes place, there is a committee room, and a green room for the visiting artistes. There is ample parking close by, and we hope to see many of you there in the future.
Report by Carol Hanwell
For news from Tameside Junior Accordion Band click here.
www.northstaffsaccordionclub.co.uk
By Nicola Woolcock