Stop Press: latest Newsletter

STOP PRESS: AGAIN!

Dear Supporters,

If you have recovered from the last Newsletter, here is a bit more news. FolkWorkshops is intended as a community based group, which, as our twitter account clearly states, is a place where ‘We get together to sing folk songs & play instruments in a tolerant & relaxed atmosphere of mutual encouragement and support’. We are based in the hills above the Golden Valley in Herefordshire in the Welsh Marches.

With so much going on it is not surprising that we have several dilemmas as to what support can be given to the many events going on. Susie’s Song School has regular support, and the sing around at the Black Swan is also a big draw, especially as they ask us to have a go. So that’s Wednesdays and Thursdays covered, and some of us also have church choir on Thursdays.Thursday evening also clashes with the Night Jar Folk Club at the Courtyard. (Even nationally, Thursday night is Folk Night!) We also want to continue to support Newton Church Room. By way of contrast we have already had offers to sing in 2 local pubs should we want to. We want to keep it as local as possible.

So, you can imagine our delight and increased ‘dilemmaring’ when Alan McCardle reported that the new landlord of the Bridge Inn, at Michaelchurch, had offered the dining room as a location for a practice sing along! We therefore had a dilemma to solve at pretty short notice as for various reasons the first opportunity would be Wednesday 23^rd Feb. Rather than lose the momentum Alan, John Biggs, and Jane and I thought we ought to go ahead. As the session at the Griggs is already set up this coming Monday 21^st we thought we would do that as well just to add a bit more choice for those who might not have enough dilemmas to solve.

The reason for this hasty decision lies in the fact that many people in the community would like to help the Bridge thrive as a successful local pub, which, like so many country pubs in these difficult times, needs local support. Nationally we have been losing village pubs at an alarming weekly rate ( 9 at one point) so this would be our small opportunity to do something. If you can get to the Bridge Inn on Wednesday you will be supporting the new landlord who is also the proprietor of the Golden Valley Brewery based in Peterchurch. What day of the week and how often future sessions might be held remains to be agreed. In the meantime we think we have a win, win , win situation so tell your friends and support your local pub and its new landlord. This is in no way intended as a performance so please invite anyone who might like to join in or just listen while having a real ale or a lemonade! Please forward this e-mail to others or pass the word on to those you know who are not on e-mail. Your local pub needs you!

Hoping you can get to both sessions.

PS Don’t forget the Gig for Norma concert in May: http://www.villagequire.org.uk/

Why not follow us on twitter. We now have 24 followers, most of whom are not on our mailing list, so keep up to date with events in between these Newsletters. ( of which there are too many)

@FolkWorkshops

FolkWorkshops Newsletter February 2011

LATEST: FOLK WORKSHOP on MONDAY 21st February at 7.30.

It’s time we started getting our repertoire together, whether for the various singing occasions which seem to be coming our way, or just for the fun of it. With the Hall being booked for our preferred night on the 26th and various other happenings John and Bridget have invited us to their home. New listeners, musicians and singers just as welcome here as at our usual venue. Please pass the word as this has not been put in the parish Newsletter. It really is true what we claim about our ethos, 'mutual support and encouragement' and a lot of good company.

Any queries please e-mail or telephone as usual leave a comment here. Or for twitter followers by DM on either @FolkWorkshops or @DacierOutten.

As you will have seen from the ‘stop press’ e-mails, quite a lot has been happening. We have had several additions to the e-mailing list, the articles on the blog, and a website is under discussion. You can follow on twitter @FolkWorkshops.

Please forward this Newsletter to people who you think would be interested. By clicking on the folkworkships link below it will take you to Newsletters and various folkworkshops blogs.

You will see that there are several family events taking place in summer camps this summer so who knows there might be a family out there who would like a change from the usual trip to Tenby!

The Wassail at Preston on Wye was a very enjoyable evening with enough of us turning out to give another public performance and make new friends. The article on this blog has had a record number of readers.

Some of us made our first visit to the Black Swan in Much Dew Church the other week to see what the sing around there is like. It has been going for 14 years with a group of singers and musicians who go under the name of Compost Heap. A great variety of songs and instrumental accompaniments made it a brilliant evening and none of us knew that it had been there all these years. On top of all this a very useful contact was made with someone who is organising some of the events in the list below.

Susie’s Song School. Susie is the female tenor from the Village Quire who has a wide collection of folk songs we can try out. The meetings are being held weekly at Cymbach Chapel starting at 7.30 and cost £4 a session. Depending on who is going each week a car share may be available so ask among the group. The first session covered 10 songs, some very old, with some familiar regulars from the folk clubs.

Events

Saturday 26th March: Our very own Ceilidh at Escleyside Hall complete with snacks and a licensed bar. Children go free, so why not make it a family night out.

If we can make a modest profit on this event we will be able to invite more groups and singers to local events as well as paying for the occasional master class or singing workshop from well established names on the folk scene. In the meantime we are building up a list of experienced people who might be able to give their services free of charge. If the Ceilidh goes well....who knows?

1st May: Arthurs Stone: See the sun rise with Fox Whelp Morris (To be confirmed)

Friday 6th May: at the Lion Ballroom in Leominster. Pete Coe supported by Hop Pickers Feast and a few 'old boys'. (In aid of a Cambodian charity)

Saturday 18th June: at the Court Yard Theatre, we have a Ceilidh with vintage 'Porridge' with young 13 year old Cohen Kilcoyne'Boy Wizard' on all instruments!!! (In aid of a Cambodian charity)

News from the Village Quire: www.villagequire.org.uk/ There are lots of events planned for 2011, not only workshops & concerts with the Village Quire, but also a vocal workshop & concert with folk musician John Kirkpatrick (from the BBC series Victorian Farm) later in the year. For details of this and all our concerts an eye on the website above.
28th September and 1st October: The Village Quire at St John’s Church Newton for Workshop and at St.Margaret's Church for concert.

'High Days and Holidays in the Welsh Border Marches'. More details soon but put these dates in your diary
28th Sept Workshop at Newton Church, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm
30th Sept Rehearsal at St. Margarets Church 7.30 pm - 8.00 pm
1st Oct Concert at St. Margaret’s Church 7.30 pm, (joined by workshop)

Cas’s gig list updated February 2nd 2010: for those of you who don’t mind a bit of a journey across the border into Wales to see an artist you really like you may find this guide useful. It is supplied by the lady who runs the Pontardawe Folk Club. Also, check out @folkorbit on twitter who follows @FolkWorkshops

News from Susie Stockton

Polly Bolton is starting a monthly Friday Night folk choir starting on April 15th, then May 20th and 17th June. At the Women's Centre in Ludlow , from 7pm till 8.30. She'll be teaching her own harmony arrangements of traditional British songs.

The Oak Barn singing camp will be running for the 12th year from July 29th to 31st and they will be having the same facilitators as last year; Polly Bolton, Sue Harris, Gitka Partington and Mark Thomas. The cost this year will be £120 for the whole weekend if you are staying at the centre or £40 for a whole day if you are dropping in. Details will be on her website soon or contact her. info@oak-barn.co.uk OAK BARN CENTRE, CLEE ST MARGARET,CRAVEN ARMS,SHROPSHIRE,SY7 9DT,01584 823609

Also from Roxane Smith: are on www.harmonyjunky.co.uk/ will be running a new camp, with some good friends, on the weekend of June 10th-12th, near Leominster, www.herefordharmony.org.uk/

And finally, forget Glastonbury, and all the others. Why not support your local Folk Festival at Garway. Find full details on: www.learningobjectivity.com/garwayfolkweekend
This is probably enough to be going on with.