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Our November Meeting started with the burglar alarm going off, the person who unlocked the club didn’t manage to cancel the alarm before our group moved in to the big room and set it off. After about ten or fifteen minutes of alarm ringing he managed to cancel it. The night had started with a lot of general chat and socialising. Before long the music, chat
and socialising was well underway. Throughout the night we had a group playing together near the stage, people seated around the room chatting, and solo performances taking place in the corridor (although I was told it wasn’t the warmest place to play in the corridor). There was quite a good buzz to the evening and everyone seemed to be busy all night with plenty of coffee being drunk and lots of music going on non stop through until the end. At the end of the night, at their
request, I stay with the person locking the place up until they leave (so as not to leave them on their own there late at night in case they have any unwanted vistors). Because the alarm had gone off earlier I had to ring the alarm company to cancel the earlier alarm problem so it would allow us to reset it and lock the club up for the night.
David Batty
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This Tuesday we will be meeting on TUESDAY 21stof December. Doors open at 8pm with a hybrid meeting (we did plan to do this last month but the plan changed). We will start with any players on the stage who want to play or practice playing to an audience, then we will move on to having the rest of the evening as
a Practice Night. This way we can cater for most peoples preferences in one night, if you prefer to play on stage please arrive sooner rather than later and we will get all stage performances done first.
Because we don’t have a bar at the club any more, please feel free to bring your own Alcoholic Drink or Soft Drink. As usual there will be Tea and Coffee on sale at 20p a Cup.
Please bring yourselves and your accordion if you have one. As its our December Christmas meeting feel free to let your hair down and bring any other instruments to the club. We won’t be doing our usual Jacobs Join because of Covid, but everyone is welcome to bring their own snacks/food if they like.
Remember they only open the club for us at 8pm now, previously the club was open from 6.30pm or 7pm when they had a bar, and we could let ourselves in the room any time we liked. Now someone comes down with a key at 8pm to open the building, leaving us as the only ones there until they return at 11pm. Please check they have had time
to turn the alarm off if you are first through the door heading for the main room.
See you at 8pm on Tuesday 21 st.
David.
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Our dates till the end of the year are: 3rd Tuesdays of the month 8pm – 11pm
Our other nights up to the end of the year(subject to any government restrictions)…
18th January 2022
15th February 2022
15th March 2022
19th April 2022
17th May 2022
21st June 2022
19th July 2022
16th August 2022
20th September 2022
18th October 2022
15th November 2022
20th December 2022
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Midland Accordion Festival Review by Julie Best
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Carlisle Accordionist Julie Best has reviewed the 2021 November Midland Accordion Festival that took place recently…
I just can’t put into words how good the festival was. The hotel was super, just off the M5 and with great staff , good food and spa facilities. Barry greeted us at the door, the trade stands were up and running and the weekend began.
The guest artists all brought something different to the weekend. Helen Rich and her accordion classics eg by Frosini, Deiro , fugazza etc. Popular Duets by Nigel Pasby and Helen Newton. Reels and jigs with an Irish and Scottish flavour by Sean O’Neil and Anne Marie Devine. Pop Classics and sung like a real crooner from Jovan Rynjak. Angie and Andrew Lukins played a super entertaining accordion classics set.
Rosemary Wright has an amazing repertoire and her next piece is always a surprise. Sue Bennett entertained with a comedy spot requiring audience participation. Versatility and technique from seasoned Scottish entertainer David Vernon. The amazing Harry Hussey was on form with his jazz and kept the party going in the bar until 3am .
Barry Smiths Black Country band together with Anne and Stewart Towe played two entertaining sets. Every show was supported with lighting and sound organised by Ed Young .
During the day Jean Hangar, Nigel and Angie organised band sessions to join in with, their choice of music was superb. Musescore workshop was demonstrated by Steve Hughes and Tony Britton. A Remembrance Day service was organised and so poignant with a piper, accordionist and retired serviceme (David Vernon, Carlo Pesticio, Stan
Shakespeare and Harry Hussey) I returned home with renewed musical enthusiasm , my swimsuit and gym gear had not even made it to the hotel spa facilities ! Next years event is eagerly anticipated, and a lot of people are booked for the Eastbourne festival in February..
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Most of you will know Bob Seed the club drummer, and several will know his wife Shirley Seed who played the accordion before her illness. I had a phone call this week from their daughter to let me know that Shirley died recently.
Bob moved in with Shirley in her retirement home which is why he has not been able to come to the club for a while. We found this good photo of the pair playing at the Priory Club which should bring back a few memories for those who remember Bob and Shirley.
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Accordionist Wins Gold Medal
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The Royal Over-Seas League has announced accordionist Ryan Corbett as this year’s winner of the Gold Medal and the ROSL Annual Music Competition. He becomes the first accordionist since 1993 to win the top award, which includes prize money of £20,000.
Corbett competed against cellist Matthias Balzat, soprano Milly Forrest and flautist Marie Sato at Over-Seas House, with a programme including works by Scarlatti, Franck Angelis and Semyonov. He won the keyboard final earlier this year to proceed to the final.
Currently studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Corbett is only the second accordionist to win in the competition’s 69 history, following David Preston’s victory in 1993.
‘Ryan connected with audience and jury alike with his innate ability to communicate through his accordion,’ says Geoff Parkin, artistic director of the Royal Over-Seas League. ‘His soundworld, phrasing and musicality mark him out as a very special musician and we look forward to supporting his future career.’
Article from BBC Music Magazine
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Online Chat/Playing this Wednesday
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We will be having an online meeting on the first Wednesday in January to supplement the loss of the first Wednesday face to face meeting. The next online meeting will be 5th January starting at 8pm, we have an online catch up with local members and others from far and wide. This is held on Zoom.
The night starts at 8pm and will be a chance to chat about accordions, find out what others have been up to, or even play a tune for us. Please share the link below with any accordion folk who might be interested in joining us. The service we are paying for allows for up to 100 people to join in so we don’t have a limit on how
many can join in. If you want to chat about accordion stuff, listen to others play the accordion, or give us a tune then please join us.
Simply click this link to Join our Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82237487230?pwd=LzlLdC9RMCtkb1RMMmVoSXZVR0lMQT09
Meeting ID: 822 3748 7230
Passcode: accordion
Passcode: accordion
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