(Click on the address above for google map)
We are delighted to be back in the beautiful surroundings of Wingfield, in heart of Suffolk at Wingfield Barns, for our second “More than Melodeons” event running on Saturday 27th May 2023. Once again we are grateful to Anna and the Wingfield Barns team, to Judy Andrews who is co-ordinating this event on behalf of EATMT and to our funders Mid Suffolk District Council and Acorn Instruments. We are also grateful to the Church community of St Andrew’s Church which we are also using.
We are joined by a wonderful set of tutors for the day workshops which start at 10am and run through until 4.30pm and there will be lunchtime sessions to take part in. An Evening Tutor Concert starting at 7pm will then take place in the Great Barn. Tickets for the evening concert can be bought separately but priority will be given to day workshop attenders. Prices for the day workshops/evening concert have remained the same as 2022.
Timetable of the Day
9.00am-10.00am Registration, Coffee/Teas
10.00am-11.30am WORKSHOPS:
* Don’t Forget the Bass Ends – Melodeons – Intermediate with Andy Cutting
* Advanced Fiddle – with James Delarre
* Anglo-Concertina – The Basics – Chords with Melody – with Andrew Collins
* Traditional Dance Music from Lincolnshire – multi instrumental – with Mossy Christian
11.30am-12.00pm BREAK
12.00pm-1.30pm WORKSHOPS:
*Playing Together – Session Style! with Jill Parson
*Melodeons in C – Techniques and Style through Traditional Music – with Mossy Christian
*’Putting on your Parts’ – English Concertina – with Sally Barrett
*Ralph Vaughan Williams in Suffolk – song workshop – with Janet Koralambe
1.30pm-3.00pm LUNCH, MUSIC SESSION, SONG SESSION
3.00pm-4.30pm WORKSHOPS:
*Thinking Outside the Box – Advanced Melodeons – with Andy Cutting
*Playing for Dance – Multi Instrumental – with James Delarre
*Anglo-Concertina – A Bit More – Chords with Melody – with Andrew Collins
*Which Side Are You On?” – song workshop with Janet Koralambe
4.30pm-7.00pm Session, Supper & Free Time
7.00pm-10.00pm Tutor Concert in the Great Barn
SEE BELOW FOR FULL WORKSHOP DETAILS & BOOKING FORM
The Tutors
Andy Cutting
(Credit: Casey Orr)
Andy Cutting is a rarity. A musician’s musician (BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winner Best Musician 2008, 2011 & 2016): a soulful and technically outstanding melodeon practitioner with an ear for a fine tune. Many of his tunes have been purloined along the way: some considered contemporary classics on the folk scene. But then, Andy is also a warm and emotive performer, modestly engaging his audiences with his self-deprecating wit and then flooring them with downright staggering musicianship. There are few melodeon players who put so much feeling into their playing, whether it is a set of dance tunes, or accompaniment to a slow English ballad.
Andy has been consistent musical force since he came swiftly to prominence with the innovative Blowzabella. As well as a thorough grounding in the English tradition, Andy’s influences extend way beyond these isles, particularly to the music of Central France and to the storming Quebecois tradition. These influences will be well-known to all those familiar with Andy’s duo with English fiddle player, guitarist and singer, Chris Wood. Wood & Cutting became one of the most influential, and enduring, duos on the scene; paving the way for the explosion of many of today’s thrusting young newcomers.
Andy’s commitment to, and sense of pride in traditional music, as well as his sensitivity and understanding of the form, has made him one of the folk scene’s most wanted, playing with Kate Rusby, John McCusker and Under One Sky to name but a few. There is also a growing demand for him to play outside this genre (having recorded with Sting, John Illsley (Dire Straits) but most recently being asked to join The Who for an acoustic concert in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
As well as his ongoing work with Blowzabella, Andy currently tours with his trio Leveret (Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney, Rob Harbron) and with Anglo-French acoustic dance band, Topette. He is also working on a new duo with Belgian diatonic accordion player Anne Niepold.
“Hearing Andy Cutting play is like going through the wardrobe and finding Narnia. His music is glorious, joyful, moving, subtle, emotionally charged, a totally spell-binding experience that is never long enough”. June Tabor
“Andy is the consumate accompanist, harmonically, rhythmically and melodically and an exquisite soloist. There is no one I’d rather work with.” Martin Simpson
WORKSHOPS
Workshop 10am: Don’t forget the Bass End (D/G Melodeon – Intermediate players+)
Looking at the simple tune, Hunt the Squirrel and how the bass end can really add to the tune.
Workshop 3pm: Thinking outside the Box (D/G Advanced players)
Looking at how to make tunes more interesting for the listener as well as the player
James Delarre
A veteran and founding member of the critically acclaimed Topette!!, Mawkin, and Mawkin:Causley, James Delarre has established himself as a stalwart of the English traditional music scene. As a fiddle player he is in high demand and has worked with some of the country’s top musicians and groups including, Eliza Carthy, Bombay Bicycle Club, Jim Moray, Jim Causley, Saul Rose, appearances with Bellowhead and Jools Holland as well as work as a musician on TV and film. His filmography includes Peaky Blinders, Far from the Madding Crowd, Tulip Fever and My Cousin Rachel, to name but a few.
An evening of music with James will be immersive and full of genuine passion for the tradition that he represents, drawing you in with a sly smile and a knowing look, the melodies he plays and the stories he sings will entice you to settle down and share in his love for the music.
WORKSHOPS
Workshop 10am: Advanced Fiddle
A course for more advanced fiddle players who wish to expand on their skills and deepen their personal style. The repertoire we will work on will be trickier and the melodies more uncommon than not. We will work in ensemble whilst learning the new repertoire, then focus on developing tone, musicality and techniques for personal expression.
Workshop 3pm: Playing for Dance (Multi-instrumental workshop)
This is open to all instrumental players of all levels. It will focus on common dance tunes in the English repertoire. We will work on injecting lift and groove into a tune and discuss and work on musician-dancer interaction. We will develop an arrangement of a melody to be performed as an ensemble.
Mossy Christian
Award winning professional musician, singer, and dancer, Mossy Christian specialises in the musical traditions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Drawing on a rich and diverse repertoire of traditional dance tunes and folk songs, charting the lives of everyday people, in their work and recreation, from the 1700s to the present day.
Described as ‘One of the true new custodians of the tradition’ by Bright Young Folk, Lincolnshire based musician and singer Mossy Christian released his debut solo album Come Nobles and Heroes in 2020.
He has since been winning the hearts of audiences up and down the country. Christian brings passion and knowledge to his interpretations that is perhaps unrivalled on the folk scene Darren Johnson.
Bursting onto the folk scene in 2020 without fanfare or preamble, Mossy Christian has been making waves in traditional music and has quickly established himself as one of the brightest lights of his generation. Winning the hearts of audiences at festivals and clubs across the country with his passionate and faithful approach to traditional music and song, his shows are a treat not to be missed.
WORKSHOPS
Workshop 10am: Traditional Dance Music from Lincolnshire (Multi- instrumental workshop)
A repertoire workshop for mixed instruments, playing in the keys of D and G. Tunes will be taught by ear, with notation provided to take home.
Workshop 12pm: One Row Melodeon in the English style in C
The workshop will focus on technique and style through traditional tunes. The workshop will be primarily taught in the key of C. Players of other keys (D,C, A, Etc.) please enquire re. suitability. Ideal for one-row, two-bass boxes, such as Hohner HA114, Wesson Clipper, Castagnari Max, Etc.
Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins can be found playing Anglo concertina at sessions in Norfolk and Suffolk. He plays for Old School Rapper, Rumburgh Morris and is a regular at the Norwich French Dance and the SqueezEast concertina ensemble. His particular interest is in playing dance tunes played in the harmonic style.
WORKSHOPS
Workshop 10am: Playing Chords with Melody on the Anglo Concertina – The Basics
We’ll look at playing easy melodies that use the buttons of the right hand side of the standard CG Anglo ; with easy accompaniments using the buttons of the left hand side. Music and audio files will be available.
Workshop 3pm: Playing Chords with Melody on the Anglo Concertina – A Bit More!
We’ll build on the above, by looking at some challenges that can arise with less easy tunes. For example where tune melodies do not fit entirely on the right hand side of the Anglo and/or tunes in more awkward keys where the chords needed are less easy to play. Music and audio files will be available.
Janet Koralambe
Janet Koralambe has enjoyed running singing workshops and Community choirs over the last 10 years or so, including the Village Voices choir which meets in Hoxne on a Monday evening and Halesworth Community Choir which meets on a Sunday morning. During that time she has also been teaching music in local schools. Janet loves to hear a roomful of people learning and experiencing singing in harmony, especially if it’s the first time for some. Depending on the song, Janet teaches both by ear and by using music. We learn differently when learning by ear it can give us a deeper understanding of the song, even if we struggle with remembering the words sometimes!
WORKSHOPS
Workshop 12pm: Vaughan Williams in Suffolk – Song workshop
As part of the EATMT’s Vaughan Williams’ Folk project, Janet will be teaching a Suffolk collected folk song and teaching an arrangement for voices especially arranged for More Than Melodeons 2023. All singers welcome!
* Please note: Part of this workshop will be recorded which will either form part of a podcast for the Trust or part of the final film of performances across the East of England created as part of this project. If you don’t want to be filmed but want to take part in the workshop, please let us know – we can be flexible!
Workshop 3pm: ‘Which Side Are You On?’ Song workshop
All singers welcome!
Janet would love some of her workshop attendees to start the evening concert with her!
Sally Barrett
Sally Barrett bought her first English concertina around 1970 and taught herself to play but remained a not-very-good, at home with nobody listening player until 1981 when I ‘came out’ and joined the established ceilidh band, Shinanikins (We’re still taking bookings!).
Some years later Sally was introduced to concertina group-playing and hasn’t looked back. In the 90s she joined the West Country Concertina players, regularly attending their residential weekends, firstly as a participant at the more advanced weekends and also in more recent years, tutoring at the weekend for beginner to intermediate level players. She has also tutored post-beginners at their workshops that run alongside Sidmouth Folk Week.
get a huge kick from taking part in residential concertina band weekends for more advanced players. Sally is the founder and leader of SqueezEast Concertinas based in Norfolk, and is also band leader for Fiddlesticks Women’s North West Clog.
WORKSHOP
Workshop 12pm: ‘Putting on your parts’ for English Concertina
In this workshop for players of the English concertina we will be playing tunes in two or three parts. We will be looking at ways of using the buttons and bellows to lift the music from the page and play expressively, also enhancing the interplay between each line. Participants will need to know where the most frequently used notes are within a couple of octaves and will need some music-reading ability. I will have some access lines available for any less confident players, but ideally everyone should be able to follow the tune or accompaniment lines.
I prefer to not send out the music beforehand so everyone is introduced to the music at the same time and begins playing in the same style. I don’t aim for fast playing but will take things at a pace that is manageable for the group. Most people will have treble instruments but if anyone has a baritone or bass that would be lovely!
For a typical workshop run by Sally, you can visit SqueezEast Concertinas HERE.
Jill Parson
Jill Parson started playing the D/G melodeon about 30 years ago and has based her style on playing for dancing with a strong emphasis on rhythm and getting toes tapping. As a tutor, she has taught and helped a small group of players every month for two or three years. These now competent players started off as beginners who could play a tune but needed tips, hints and encouragement to get the music to flow. Jill is regularly praised for her patience as a teacher!
In addition to this, Jill mostly plays for dance teams and in pub sessions now, but in the past was in a band working on a musical production of ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’ performed at the Sewell Barn Theatre in Norwich.
She is currently developing her interest in playing with others, accompanying singers, exploring harmonies and expanding her repertoire into French and Irish tunes.
WORKSHOP
Workshop 12pm: Playing Together – Session Style! (Multi-instrumental workshop)
A workshop designed to help and encourage ‘improver’ level players of any instrument who feel ready to play outside the confines of the front room, but maybe lack the confidence to step into a full-blown public music session. Participants will receive copies of some well known session tunes that will be ‘played together’ during the workshop.
In between the tunes tips and advice on how to enjoy and get the best out of a traditional English folk session will be offered by the tutor – Jill Parson – who has many years experience of session playing in Suffolk and Norfolk.
There will be lots of playing going on!
The workshop won’t be run on the terrifying ’round the room’ format,but care will be taken to make sure that everybody gets a go at playing a tune (depending on how much you want to do). Speed will be considered, how and when to join in, general session etiquette and combinations of tunes. Busking along and lots of hints and tips on how you can elevate your session skills by harmonising and adding something a little bit different to the mix.
Join in the lunchtime session afterwards – a great opportunity to put the workshop into practice!
Food, drink, walks & stalls
Liquid refreshments will be available to all throughout the day (including a Bar) and lunch/supper for those who pre book in advance (details on the booking form). There will be 2 lunchtime sessions and a chance to visit Acorn Instruments, Mike Acott, PJ Music and the EATMT stall at the music market. For those wanting to experience the beautiful quiet Suffolk countryside, there will be a selection of short walking routes available.
Tickets and pricing structure
Booking in advance is essential – there will be a number limit on some of workshops so book early to avoid disappointment.
You are welcome to take part in one, two or all three workshops – £15 per workshop or all three:£40 for Friends of EATMT/£42 for non friends
An evening concert ticket is priced at
£12 for Friends of EATMT and £15 for non members.
A special combined price is on offer if you are attending all three day workshops and the evening concert.
£50 (Friends of EATMT)/£55 (non Friends)
Pre ordered lunch (£7) and supper (£10) is available.
Please complete the booking form below