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Category: News
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Online English Concertina workshops with Rob Harbron
Online English Concertina workshops with Rob Harbron
Live on zoom with video afterwards for repeated viewing in your own time
Dec 3rd (4pm GMT) – Playing for Morris
Lift, air and drive • use of harmony and bellows • supporting the instrument
Dec 10th (4pm GMT) – Song Accompaniment
Effective chords • rhythmic tools • supporting the singer
World Concertina Day 2023 – save the date!
The second annual World Concertina Day, sponsored by the ICA, will be on February 6, 2023, the anniversary of the birth of Sir Charles Wheatstone. Since that date falls on a Monday, we will also encourage activities on the weekend of February 4 and 5. Details coming later! You can always contact the World Concertina Day team at wcd@concertina.org.
New ICA officers
We have new ICA co-chairs: Tracy Cornish (UK) and Daniel Hersh (USA). The new ICA treasurer is Huw Francis. They all replace Paul McCann, who served for years as both chairman and treasurer and did such good work that it took three people to replace him. Paul stepped down effective at the 2022 ICA Annual General Meeting in April.
In addition, Colin Whyles has recently resigned as ICA webmaster. Daniel and Huw are currently sharing webmaster duties.
The ICA thanks Paul and Colin for their years of dedicated and skilled service to our organization.
Anglo Concertina Workshop Weekends by John Kirkpatrick MBE
John is running two weekend workshops for Anglo Concertina, based in Bishop’s Castle, South Shropshire.
They start each Friday lunchtime and go on till Sunday afternoon, finishing at 4.00 p.m.
The starting point will be Traditional English Dance Tunes and Folk Song Accompaniments.
April 8th – 10th – CHORDS AND KEYS ON THE ANGLO
A foundation session for players eager to explore how to add chords in the left hand to melodies in the right hand.
Probably not suitable for absolute beginners, nor for those who prefer the Irish style on the Anglo.
A chance to fully explore the two home keys, and peep at what’s involved with other keys and relative minors.
October 14th – 16th – MORE CHORDS AND KEYS ON THE ANGLO
A weekend for players who are already investigating the harmonic style and adding left-hand chords to their tunes. Join John in exploring how far you can travel away from the home keys with this approach!
Again, not for those who prefer the Irish style.
Spaces are limited. Full details at: https://www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk/squeezer-weekends.asp
In The Church Barn, Bishop’s Castle, South Shropshire.
Chords and Keys on the Anglo – not really suitable for complete beginners.
You’ll need an Anglo with at least 30 buttons.
Website: www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk
The DUET CONCERTINA WORKSHOP Project
Calling All Duet players!!!
– The DUET CONCERTINA WORKSHOP Project –
You are invited to submit original compositions or arrangements (of copyright-free material) for all systems of Duet concertina, for potential inclusion in a ‘Tutor + Anthology’ publication being compiled and edited by Iris Bishop. All arrangements from ‘nice & easy’ to more adventurous, complex arrangements are welcome for consideration.
Please submit any material (as jpg or pdf files) directly to Iris at: irisbishopdesign@gmail.com
ICA Membership and other registrations
Confusing as it may be, joining the ICA does not immediately give access to the members-only area of this website, concertina.org. The membership database is quite separate from the website, and not all members want or need an account on the website.
To add to the confusion, we also have a Register for logging member’s concertinas, which we hope will be useful in cases of theft or other insurance claims.
Hence there are several uses of the word ‘register’ on this site that may be leading to confusion.
There are ways of joining the ICA from here, ways of registering for an account on the site as well as a means of adding your instruments to the Concertina Register.
These are three separate things. If you wish to access the members-only items, you need to fulfil both membership and register separately on the website.
- If you are already an ICA member, register for a concertina.org account here.
- If you are not a member but wish to join the ICA, go here.
- If you wish to add your instruments to the Concertina Register, go here.
Looking for players
I am an artist and musician based in London,
I am currently composing, recording and performing music with an experimental approach.
I’ve been writing a composition for concertina and would love to have to opportunity to work with two or three concertina players even if just for one evening. I do myself play the concertina but the composition is open and approaches the instrument in terms of its sound-making potential. The composition is also very slow and includes for example the sound of the air button. So it could be seen as very different to the traditional approach to playing the instrument.
If you are interested to participate, please contact Sholto Dobie: sholtodobie@googlemail.com.
Don’t Squeeze Alone
Don’t squeeze alone — join the Association — and get Concertina World magazine with its music supplement!
The International Concertina Association was founded over 50 years ago and works to promote the music and playing of the various forms of concertina.
Read more…