The next Music Saturday is on August 17, a week later than usual. Everyone is welcome, whether regular or occasional users – or people who have never been before. There's no ukulele group this time – that restarts in September and is open to guitars, banjos, mandolins as well as ukuleles. If you're just getting going or enjoy having a strum with others, this could be the group for you. Click on the event on the calendar to find out what we did last time and what's planned for this.
Thinking of ukuleles, if you would like to borrow an instrument to have a go, make contact. And Alan Birkmyre has a descant recorder for sale, made by Moeck, with German fingering – very slightly different from what many people use but very learnable.
Drop In Singing is not at its usual location on Tuesday August 13th, instead it is at Felton Village Hall.
The Learning section on the website is slowly growing. There's another set of downloadable materials for anyone to use. They are dedicated to the Bridge Singers and are based on Monteverdi's Gloria – a wonderful piece that has kept the choir busy at rehearsals for quite a time. Go to the new Learning Section of the website for more details www.feltonmusic.co.uk/learning
The enthusiasm with which people in and around Felton are engaging with music has encouraged a brand new idea. The wheels are in motion to create a wind band to perform a concert in December. It's reckoned there are enough players in the area, or prepared to travel in as many do already, to make the venture work. The people setting it up hope to attract players of all the woodwind and brass instruments that normally make up the standard concert band – that's just about everything except recorders. Percussion players are needed too. It's envisaged that rehearsals will take place locally on Wednesday evenings, starting in September. As there will not be many rehearsals before the proposed concert, players need to be of intermediate level (e.g. grade 4 and above) and to be able to read music proficiently. If you are interested please contact Derek at sanddbelshaw@gmail.com or 0789 124 5201.
More and more people who would like to get their recorder playing going again are making contact. Check out the Better Recorder Playing Course and get in touch if you are interested in joining this or other playing opportunities.
Do you play the flute – did you – or do you know anyone who has one tucked away? Thoughts are knocking around for a one off workshop for people to see if they'd like to get going again or do a bit more. Email is you could be interested.
No Edinburgh Fringe trip this year – just not enough people to make it viable. Maybe next year!
A snapshot of the day…more photos coming soon (click to enlarge).
All images by www.chrischevphotographer.com
It's Feltonbury on Saturday June 22. (You can't have missed that!). See the the final line up here.
Three Felton Music groups who mainly play for fun are taking to the stage – MadriGals and Fingers Adrift kick off the day at the church with a short concert of early 16th century music, and All Blown Out share lovely tunes from the 1940s at the end of the afternoon. You can sing along with those if you've still got a voice after joining in with The Sound of Music at 3.45. Lots of people involved with Felton Music are singing and playing together with friends from the village and beyond, ensuring there is something for everyone. Looking forward to seeing you around!
The next Music Saturday is coming up on July 6. Click here to find out what we did last time and what's planned for this. Ukuleles are taking a two month break, but everything else is going on as usual – and the final session will re-enact the music at a Swedish Wedding!
You may have noticed a whole new page on the website. Visit the Learning Section. Over time this will contain lots of information and materials for those seeking to improve their skills and understanding in music. At present, there's just one set of downloadable materials, designed to help people get started. Take a look see what you think. What would you like to see there? https://www.feltonmusic.co.uk/felton-music-downloadable-resources
Last chance to log your interest in a coach trip to Edinburgh during festival time. Make contact quickly so we can find a compatible date. For more information about the festivals: https://www.eif.co.uk/
https://www.edfringe.com/experience/programme-order
So the final line up has been confirmed. Click on the images below and you can download a PDF to your computer.
There's lots of music going on in the area this summer and it would be a pity if people miss out on something they'd have enjoyed. If there's an event you think should go on the calendar, do email the details through.
Do you know anyone who would like to have a domestic sized church organ? It could suit someone who wants to practise at home or a church that needs an instrument. Electric. Two keyboards and foot pedals. 44” wide x 36” high x 24” deep. Elka, Model E39. Free to a good home, but you need to be able to move it in one piece. Please email quickly to avoid it ending up at the tip, which would be very sad.
The next Music Saturday is coming up on June 8. Click here to find out what we did last time and here for what's planned for this. July's Music Saturday will be a week earlier than usual – on July 6. This because Felton Fair is on July 13. If you haven't been to one yet, or recently, we'd love to see you.
There are opportunities for recorder players whatever their level. Fingers Adrift continue to meet on a variety of Friday evenings. Some new, structured sessions for those who want to play for improvement and enjoyment are about to start. And, if you'd like to have a go at playing the recorder, we can run a course. Find out more on the Ensembles page.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival programme launches on June 5 and the International Festival programme is already available. Loads of wonderful performances to suit everyone's taste and pocket. For the last two years some of us have gone up by coach for a day. If you think you'd like to join in this year, email now! For more information about the festivals: https://www.eif.co.uk/ https://www.edfringe.com/experience/programme-order
There's a very exciting learning opportunity available if you've the motivation and time to progress your practical skills. Trinity Laban (formerly Trinity College) a major performing arts institution, is working with the Open University to offer a one year course: The Practice of Music Making. It's an OU level 3 certificate course. Online with one residential week it's doable wherever you live. And it's open to everyone regardless of their age, prior musical experience, skills in music or genre. Visit https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/study/music/certificate-the-practice-of-music-making to find out about it. Closing date August 28. Felton Music will do all it can to support anyone taking the course with appropriate music making opportunities. It would be great if someone gave this a go!
Each year people ask, “What is Feltonbury about”? And where do the donations go?
They go to ‘The Plot’, the ‘Community Allotment and Shed in Felton and Thirston’ located on Recreation Lane, which was established 5 years ago to create a local space where residents – young and old, regardless of health, impairments or disability – could contribute to community cohesion through inter-generational gardening activity. Essential costs such as liability insurance and site purchases are required – so we created ‘Feltonbury’ as a fund-raising initiative.
Examples of what ‘The Plot’ is doing include using last year’s donations to add easy-access footpaths, provide secure tool storage and a composting toilet – essential in encouraging Felton and Thirston’s youngest (and not so!) residents to join in the delights of planting their own seeds and watching them grow.
This year’s event, in addition to the known artists and musicians, we are introducing new features to keep the annual Music and Arts ‘Festival-In-A-Day’ up to date.
Established acts and performers, such as KEVI's Youth Jazz Band, rock group ‘Parker’s Band’ and ‘Swap the Dog’, who play a range of folk tunes and Americana, all return alongside other ‘Feltonbury’ regulars of ‘Sing-A-Long-A-Sound-Of-Music’, Mad Hattie and the Eclectic Guitarist, a jazz duo opening the ‘Great American Song Book’, Andy Craig, ‘All Blown Out’, Tom O'Donnell, a valued folk singer/composer/guitarist and Lydia (together with Alastair), …..and others more make their welcome return to Feltonbury.
Newcomers, including ‘Cows Lying Down’, a Newcastle-based five piece band playing original pop-rocky-folky tunes, ‘Here2Day’ and ‘Traced’, Blyth-based groups playing contemporary acoustic-style ‘standards’,all of whom have heard and want to perform, mean that the event is growing and maturing.
The hugely successful ‘Arts Trail’ directly complements the music with local artists opening their homes for viewings throughout the village, in St Michael’s Church and in Gallery 45 (which will host both musicians and artists). The ‘Art Trail’ venues run 'side-by-side' with the music and the dedicated 'trail map' provides excellent directions to the various arts and music venues.