Another successful Sunday afternoon event!
EATMT is grateful to volunteer Jan Robinson for pulling together the third Sunday afternoon of Music, Song and Dance for 2023/24. These events have been made possible thanks to Suffolk County Council’s Locality Budget from local Counsellor Jessica Fleming‘s pot enabling us to put this series on in both Walsham le Willows and Yaxley. A free event, donations collected in from the first two afternoons enabled us to put this third musical afternoon on.
REPORT OF THE AFTERNOON
An audience of over a 100 attended the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust’s Afternoon of Traditional Music, Song and Dance held in Walsham Le Willows Memorial Hall on Sunday March 24th. Meeting everyone at the door with a warm welcome were Director, Alex Batholomew and event organiser Jan Robinson.
Pam and Ron Ross and friends set the tone for the afternoon by playing a lively set of tunes – Winster Gallop, Jamie Allen and Salmon Tails – while everyone got settled with a cup of tea and cake or biscuit. Then Shirley Harry, our MC for the afternoon, invited singers from the floor to perform starting with a song about Dunwich by Peter Everson, followed by Gwyn Thomas, David Cotter, Angela Collins and Martin Crix.
The chairs had been arranged in a circle leaving enough room in the centre for our Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire step-dancers to take it in turns to dance to music played by Maggie & Stan, Pam & Ron and any other musicians who wished to join in. Mike Czarnobaj, David Cotter and, well known to many of us, Doreen West took to the floor. They were joined by newcomer Sue Beecroft who came all the way from March to show what the newly formed group of steppers in Cambridgeshire can do and later on she gave us a song too.
with Sue and David
A ukelele group from Halesworth, The Station House Strummers made their debut and the Shelfanger Singers, a group of friends who originally started singing together about 20 years ago, gave a rendition of Down the Lane in four part harmony. Pam, Janet and Sue from the group also sang a beautiful song about a cuckoo, during which a robin tried to join in outside the open door! Just before the interval, the Stowmarket U3A singing group had us all joining in the chorus to Stormy Old Weather, their first ever public performance.
Throughout the afternoon there were plenty of opportunities for musicians to play and audience members could have a go at joining in with jig dolls, either their own or from a collection belonging to the Trust. Making the dolls dance proved very popular with some younger members of the audience.
After a chance to stretch the legs, get more cake or purchase books and music from the Trust and Mossy’s One Row Records stalls, Eammon Andrews, one of our Trustees, thanked everyone for coming and the organisers and volunteers in making the afternoon such a success. He then started the second half off by introducing George Monger who played a set of tunes on his hammer dulcimer originally owned by the famous Suffolk exponent, Billy Bennington.
We were treated to more songs after the raffle from Sue, Neil and Sandy, Pam and Janet, Mossy and Megan, Steve Atkinson and a very funny recitation from Peter Booth about a long wait for his dinner of French snails.
To end the afternoon, Shirley thanked all concerned again and particularly all those who had come for the first time and invited Judy and Eammon Andrews, Angela Collins and Tracy Wisdom to lead a rousing rendition of ‘Sing, John Ball’ followed by a final step-off led by Doreen West.
We offer a huge thank you to the Committee who run Walsham Le Willows Memorial Hall, it is a bright, clean, large venue with excellent facilities.
Needless to say, without the good will of our local performers – be they singers, musicians, story tellers or dancers – these events would not have been successful. It’s been a great opportunity for many of our performers to dip their toe into the water, overcome nerves and perform to such a warm and welcoming audience. As ever we are grateful to MC Shirley Harry who this time around had a real juggling act on her hands ensuring everyone who wanted to perform was able to. Our wonderful volunteers who arrived early to set up (Charlotte and Bob – Thank you!) and those who helped tidy up at the end and the Kitchen Whizzes – Rita and Lynda – all vital roles in creating such a warm, welcoming event.
For a number of videos taken on the day (thanks to Lorraine Nicholls in charge of the EATMT camera) see our Walsham le Willows Playlist on our YouTube channel.