First of all, to all of you, a hug and thoughts of fellowship and resolve and love.
Late November and December, I’ll be doing concerts, workshops, and shows on both the west and east coasts. Here’s the scoop:
WEST COAST
THANKSGIVING WEEK-END TUNE WORKSHOPS in PORTLAND AND OLYMPIA: I’ll be offering workshops in Portland (Friday, Nov. 25 2-4pm) and Olympia (Sunday, Nov. 27, 2-4pm) on Thanksgiving week-end. On the program: 3 great tunes from eastern Quebec and New Brunswick, including a lovely new waltz from accordionist Keven Desrosiers and two great tunes from Acadian fiddler Robin LeBlanc. Tunes will be taught by ear. Sheet music will be furnished at the workshop.
Don’t play fiddle? If you’d just like to learn some tunes, play a melody instrument (mandolin, flute, tenor banjo, melodic claw-hammer banjo, concertina, accordion, etc.), can pick up tunes easily by ear or with sheet music (not tablature), and don’t mind sitting through some discussion of bowing, welcome aboard! Tunes are in A modal, D, and G-C.
Level: (intermediate to advanced). If you are comfortable with your instrument, can play a dozen or so tunes close to or at dance speed without your hair catching on fire, and have facility picking up tunes either from sheet music or by ear, these workshops are for you!
WHAT DOES IT COST? I am suggesting a $25-35 sliding scale. If that is simply out of your range, please come anyways and contribute what is affordable for you. I will be donating 25% of the proceeds to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit organization with a long history of upholding civil rights and peacefully, effectively combatting hate crimes throughout the nation.
HOW TO REGISTER: E-mail me via this site. I’ll send you details.
EAST COAST (DEC. 4-23)
Come December, I’ll be heading to Cambridge, MA where I’ll be playing fiddle in the Boston Revels, which is celebrating Acadian and Cajun cultures. It’s my first Revels experience, and I’m not exactly a dress-up-in-costumes type, but I had a heckuva good time recording the cast album in May, and the repertory is really on the mark. What’s more, the children and adult choirs sing with polish and heart, the staff are kind and incredibly good at what they do, and the back-up musicians include dear-friends-and-stellar-musicians Josée Vachon, Keith Murphy, and David Greely. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
In addition to doing the Revels (I’ll be doing performances Dec. 9-23), I’ll also be doing a fiddle workshop in Arlington, MA on December 4 . The workshop will be held at a private residence in Arlington, near Route 2 and accessible by public transportation (within a half-mile of the 77, 62, and 76 buses). For details and to register, e-mail Adrienne at adriennehoward88@yahoo.com.
and a day of teaching at Berklee College of Music December 5th. If you are a Berklee fiddle student, check this out!
AND, David Greely and I will be doing a house concert in Arlington, MA on Thursday, December 15.The concert will be held at a private residence in Arlington, near Route 2 and accessible by public transportation (within a half-mile of the 77, 62, and 76 buses).
AND THEN BACK TO THE WEST COAST! (Dec. 24 – January)
Come January 2017, I plan to stay close to my new home in Olympia and organize a teaching schedule to provide regular lesson and workshop opportunities in Olympia, Portland, and Seattle. I also teach by Skype. Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in any of these options.
So here is wishing you all the very best. Stay safe, take care, get involved. There is plenty for all of us to do!