| December 8, 2008:
The North America list of concertina schools (most are in the summer) has been updated for 2009, with a few dates to be added as we hear of them in coming weeks. We continue to have many opportunities and a variety of styles and systems represented. Once again, squeeze away, and see you there!
—Ken
November 8, 2008:
Rhomylly Forbes sent in a reprint of her article entitled Yo, Ho, Ho and – What’s That Squeezy Thing?
from Pirates Magazine.
Oct. 22, 2008:
Thanks to English International for signing on as advertisers: Their support is appreciated, and I hope everyone orders a copy of this important work!
Oct. 2, 2008:
A note from Tony Kell:
"...thought some of your readers may be interested to know that a new CD from Alistair Anderson is now available. It's on his own White Meadow Records label ( same as 'On Cheviot Hills') and is titled "Islands". It's not widely publicised or distributed, but is available online from codamusic in Edinburgh and roots2music. Both have websites, the codamusic site having the advantage of being able to listen to music clips for all tracks. Most of the tracks are Alistair's own compositions, including his recently composed Farne Islands suite, premiered at The Sage Gatshead last year. The second track is a most beautiful tune - Waltz Montmagny."
Sept. 25, 2008:
An update from Rachel Hall:
The Squeeze-ellujah chorus was a smash hit! We had about 25 instrumentalists and 10 singers. A recording is online at http://www.sju.edu/~rhall/concertina/Hallelujah/
Sept. 8, 2008:
Rachel Hall wrote in with the following Squeeze-In news:
We're planning to perform the Squeeze-elujah Chorus (the Hallelujah Chorus with concertinas!) at the Squeeze In this year. If you'd like an advance look at them I put them on the web:
http://www.sju.edu/~rhall/concertina/Hallelujah/
I've also got concertina parts for the Stars and Stripes Forever on my web site -- I'll offer that on Sunday morning for all instruments. Whether you're going to the Squeeze In or not, you're welcome to download the parts. Have fun! (BTW, does anyone have a piccolo concertina? I'd love to have one for Stars & Stripes).
July16, 2008:
News from Pauline de Snoo (ICA newsletter editor):
"Concertina World 440" , publication from the International Concertina Association has just been released and contains a.o. interview with Patrick Vandorpe, Alyn Roberts and Dave Ball, reports on Swaledale and Kilve, interesting websites on internet, the chat column, part 3 of "How to learn to play by ear", cd, book and concertina reviews etc. And again lots of music in the music supplement. For subscriptions mail: treasurer@concertina.org. Now also Paypal payments possible. Go to http://www.concertina.org."
May 21, 2008:
News from Allan Atlas.
May 8, 2008:
News from
Frank Dalton about a Micheal O Raghallaigh & Ivan Goff concert in the Philly area, June 7. Click here for more information.
April 7, 2008:
News from Dan Worrall:
"A new article on the history of our favorite instrument on ships in the days of sail (Concertinas at Sea: A History of a Nautical Icon) is available for free download at http://www.angloconcertina.org. The article presents scores of first hand accounts of concertinas in use by sailors on various types of vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century, as well as numerous photographs of those musical sailors and the ships on which they sailed. Also now available (for free), is the bulk of the 2005 book, The Anglo Concertina Music of William Kimber."
April 2, 2008:
News from Pauline (newsletter editor) from the ICA:
"Newsletter 439 from the International Concertina Association has just been released and contains a.o. interview with Martyn Allen, the Youtube teacher and Dave Elliott, author of the maintenance manual, a Technical Ramble, interesting websites on internet, the chat column, advice how to learn to play by ear, cd and book reviews etc. And again lots of music in the music supplement. For subscriptions mail: treasurer@concertina.org. Now also Paypal payments possible. Go to http://www.concertina.org."
February 16, 2008:
Mike Mullins wrote in with some news: "Please help me get the word out that Micheal O Raghallaigh will be in St.Louis performing and doing a workshop during the weekend of the St.Louis TIONOL [April 4-5-6]. All the details are at www.tionol.org. Any questions, people are welcome to contact me directly."
February 2, 2008:
The North America list of concertina schools (most are in the summer) has been updated for 2008. As in recent years there is a great choice out there, and the variety of styles and systems continues to grow. Squeeze away, and see you there!
—Ken
January 5, 2008:
A note from builder Andrew Norman: "Just to let you know, that I am no longer in Nutley, I am now in Shropshire. For the momment the best way to contact me is via e-mail, as I am temporarily renting, until I can start on a new workshop. I have a house and workshop to rebuild, but as there has never been electricity, drains, nor even water to the house, it will take a few months to get organised on site! I am still making concertinas, including (during 2007) a 20 key miniature English, A 20 key double reeded anglo, a 40 key anglo (sent to Nashville) various 30,31,32,and 36 key anglos, and next on the list a 45 key Baritone English. I am also still restoring concertinas. I would be most grateful if you could make a brief mention of this on concertina.net., and please thank all my previous customers. Wishing you a Happy New Year. Andrew Norman. (west of Shrewsbury, Shropshire)"
December 20, 2007: News from Pauline from the ICA:
"Newsletter 438 from the International Concertina Association has just been released and contains a.o. interview with Mark Evans, Ramble 4, interesting websites on internet, the chat column, Witney report, cd and book reviews etc. And lots of music in the music supplement. For subscriptions mail: treasurer@concertina.org. Next time a..o. an interview with Martyn Allen, the "Youtube" teacher. "
November 20, 2007: Frank Edgley has a new instructional DVD for the anglo concertina that looks like it should be real winner!
November 20, 2007: More news from Bob Gaskins:
The Concertina
Library has added two new articles, one on the early history of
the Anglo concertina in Ireland, the other on performance issues of
Victorian music on English concertinas.
One article, Notes on the Beginnings of Concertina Playing
in Ireland, 1834-1930, by Dan Worrall, is published for the
first time. Worrall writes: “Although the Irish are known for
their long folk
memory, the story of how of concertina playing began there has been
largely lost;
it is often tagged to a threadbare tale of mariners bringing them up
the Shannon
estuary to Clare. This paper reconstructs its history by using period
accounts from
newspapers, books and family histories to document the social
gatherings where it
was played, and the vendors who sold it. The Anglo-German concertina was
enormously popular all across Ireland during its heyday, amongst people of all
social and economic groups. Its later concentration in Clare was not
a result of
how it arrived, but of local cultural and economic factors that aided
its barest
survival there while it was completely dropped—and all but
forgotten—elsewhere in the country.”
The other article, The Victorian Concertina:
Some Issues Relating to Performance, by
Allan W. Atlas, was originally published in Nineteenth-Century Music
Review vol. 3/2 (2006). Atlas writes: “Present-day players of
the English concertina must make a number of important decisions …
Briefly, there are three basic decisions to be made. The first two concern the
choice of instrument: (1) modern instrument or period (Victorian) instrument;
and (2) if the latter, what kind of instrument in terms of reeds (type
of metal),
tuning, structure of the bellows and number of buttons. The third decision,
on the other hand, has to do with a fundamental question of playing
technique: should we use three or four fingers of each hand?”
Sept. 18, 2007:
A big thank-you to Jeff Thomas of Thomas Concertinas for becoming the latest sponsor/advertiser here on Concertina.net! There's always room for another high quality concertina in this world of ours, and so I'm very happy to see that Jeff appears to be dedicated to making very fine instruments in the vintage tradition and yet with an eye towards innovation. Welcome Jeff!
July 13, 2007:
News from Pauline de Snoo: "Newsletter 437 from the International Concertina Association has just been released and contains a.o. an interview with interviews of Jenny Cox, Steve Ellis, reports on Elsecar 2007 and Swaledael 2007, Ramble 3, interesting websites on internet, cd review etc. And lots of music in the Willy Taylor music supplement. For subscriptions mail: treasurer@concertina.org. More interviews, reviews etc in next issue. Amongst others interviews Alistair Anderson and Mark Evans.
May 21:
News from Allan Atlas: Please note that volume 3 of PICA (2006) is now available online. For those who did not see the hardcopy version (and it can be yours each year with a membership in the ICA), the contents include articles on the concertina in Clare (Gearóid O'hAllmhuráin), Giulio Regondi at Oxford (Susan Wollenberg), and Salvation Army bands (Les Branchett). In addition, there is a review of Anglo International by Roger Digby and another of Dan Worral's book by Jody Kruskal. And on top of all that: the customary "Historical Document" and "Picture Gallery," the whole done up with all the TLC in the world. Note that the hardcopy version of volume 4 should be ready in October (with articles on Dutch Daly, the feature articles being: Randy Merris, "Dutch Daly: Comedy and Concertinas on the Variety Stage"; Dan Worral, "David Edward Hughes: Concertinist and Inventor"; and Stephen Chambers, "Joseph Astley, Oldham concertina Band, and the MHJ Shield."
May 5, 2007:
News from Pauline de Snoo: "Newsletter 436 from the International Concertina Association has just been released and contains a.o. an interview with Allan Atlas, suggestions for playing anglo concertina, coming events around the world and review of Hawkwood Band weekend, lots of other info on cd's, playing and players. And 23 pages of music. More interviews with Jenny Cox, Steve Ellis, internet info, playing tips and events in next issue. For subscriptions mail: treasurer@concertina.org "
April 15, 2007:
A note from Bob Gaskins:
Dan Worrall has written
a new survey article, A Brief History of the
Anglo Concertina in the United States,
which is published on the web at the
Concertina Library.
In the United States the Anglo-German concertina was
very popular during the middle and late 19th century,
but by the early twentieth century it had all but
vanished from American popular culture. After the
revival dating from the 1960s the Anglo has once
again had some popularity but without connection to
any tradition of its earlier widespread use in America.
This paper uses 19th-century tutors, newspaper mentions,
family histories, and many archival photographs (some
previously unpublished) to reconstruct missing history.
Topics include the early use of German concertinas in
the Eastern U.S., the use of Anglo concertinas by Mormon
and other western pioneers, use during the War Between
the States, use by African-Americans, use in nautical
contexts, use by immigrant and other ethnic groups, and
use by the Salvation Army. The Concertina Library has
also added complete scans of four Anglo tutors which Worrall
identifies as key: Instructions for the Salvation Army
Concertina by Herbert H. Booth (1888), Howe's
Eclectic School for the Concertina by Elias Howe,
Jr.(1879), Howe's Western German Concertina School
by Elias Howe, Jr.(1879), and Sedgwick's Improved and
Complete Instructions for the German Concertina by
Alfred B. Sedgwick (1893).
April 13, 2007:
News from Nancy Wells:
"I've got some more information about Brian Peters's workshop and concerts in Michigan at the end of April. Brian is doing a Friday night concert in East Lansing at the Ten Pound Fiddle on the 27th. The next day, still in Lansing, he's doing a five-hour intermediate workshop on playing Anglo concertina in English style (lots of chording in the left hand, in contrast to Irish and some other styles) as one of Elderly Instruments' Special Events Series , 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. That evening (still Saturday, April 28th) he will be going to Grand Rapids to play a concert for the Grand River Folk Arts Society. [...] I just think that especially the workshop is going to be a really rare oppotunity for people within a couple of hundred miles even of Lansing. "
April 9, 2007:
See the notice from Rachel Hall about a concertina workshop she's leading next month, she also reports that "I'm going to be performing at Old Songs this year. Last time I was there we had a concertina workshop -- there were about ten concertina players among the performers. This year's concertina players include me, Rika Rubesaat, Danny Spooner, Michael Cooney, and Ian Robb. More info at http://www.oldsongs.org/festival/index.html. I don't know yet if they're planning a concertina workshop but will post the info if so. "
April 4, 2007:
News from Doug Barr:
"Irish Traditional Music Concerts at Glucksman Ireland House at New York University; 1 Washington Mews – entrance on Fifth Avenue just north of Washington Square For more information, call Ireland House at at (212) 998-3950 www.nyu.edu/pages/irelandhouse ALL SHOWS 9:00 P.M. - $15 ADMISSION free to Ireland House members and NYU students with ID. Friday, April 20th: Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and Tim Collins. The concertina is closely associated with the musical tradition of County Clare, where Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin, a professor of music and Irish studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, was born and raised. Tim Collins, a native of West Limerick who crossed the Shannon years ago to play with Clare’s famed Kilfenora Ceili Band is at NYU this semester as a Fulbright Culture Ireland visiting scholar. This is a rare chance to hear two acclaimed masters of the concertina in a duet performance."
March 23, 2007:
A note from Bob Gaskins:
The
Concertina
Library has added a major new article by noted music
scholar and
historian Allan Atlas dealing with all of the women who
can be identified
in the Wheatstone factory sales ledgers.
The article, Ladies in the Wheatstone Ledgers:
the Gendered Concertina in Victorian England,
1835–1870, was
originally published in the Royal Musical Association Research
Chronicle, vol. 39 (2006), where it occupied all 239
pages of the
entire volume. Atlas writes: “… the English
concertina played
a unique role in Victorian England’s upper- and middle-class
amateur music circles … the concertina was the one
‘domestic’ instrument on which husband and wife, father
and daughter, and brother and sister could meet on musical common
ground … with women and men on perfectly equal footing
….” In a companion note Pat Shipman provides
a thumbnail
history of Ms Mary ‘Min’ Baker (pictured), one of the
women discussed in the article, and apparently the only
one for whom
we have a photograph showing her playing a concertina.
She turns out
to come from a family with a colorful role in the
exploration of central
Africa. This note was originally published in PICA
[Papers of the
International Concertina Association], Vol. 3 (2006).
January 29, 2007:
John Nixon wrote in to share news of his next gig on Baritone and MIDI-treble concertina:
As I had some folk in Concertina.net interested in my Jazz Gig last December, can you please give the info for my return gig as follows: Jazz at The Horseshoe in the very small village of Lawton Heath End on Thursday March 1st. This is about 6-miles South-West of Congleton in Cheshire, U.K. Admission is Free and the show starts at 9pm and finishes between 11 and 11.30. Anyone wishing a detailed map of the area can send me their "E" and I will post it.
You can write John through the forum system.
Sept. 23, 2006
More news from Noel Hill, this time of a concert in Philadelphia, on November 30th.
Frank Dalton also notes "a rare upcoming concert by concertina player Claire Keville (also in PA, as is Noel's concert, but at a different venue). The details are here. "
May 15, 2006
Alex Jones kindly sent in this article about packing a concertina for shipping.
April 4, 2006:
Connie Dugan wrote in with news of John Williams' latest CD release:
"There are some fine concertina tunes. Much of the album is new compositions. Some are very new, to my ear, and proove that Irish music is still alive and developing. Some others, while new, sound like they emerged from the rocks. Especially John's reels written for his babies (first track, I think.) I can't imagine them played on anything but the concertina." More info on the John Willams site, and an interview.
April 3, 2006
Dana Johnson has just written us that he now has a web site for his Kensington Concertinas which gives details of construction, ordering, and how Dana arrived at the design he uses. Lots of nice pictures, too.
March 31, 2006
A note from Shay Fogarty: "Lisa Shields has once again kindly used her website to include my report and pics of the Mrs Crotty weekend 2005."
February 3, 2006:
The Fifth Annual edition of the North America Summer Schools list is now posted. Most schools do not have class schedules or teacher names listed yet; we'll add information as we hear it. If you have details on these or other schools/events, drop me an email through the forums system. —Ken
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