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Musicians Weekend
6th - 8th June 2008

The weekend will start with an informal playing on the Friday and then more formal teaching sessions during Saturday and on Sunday morning.

Workshops will include music covering a wide range of capabilities and there will be time for specialist study on the violin with Poppy and accordion with Rod. and will cover music for Barn Dances, Playford-style dances, Ritual dance and just for listening.

Music will be provided but, if you have them, bring your Community Dance Manuals and Portland Collections.

We will hold a dance on the Saturday night followed by more informal playing and finish with tea on Sunday afternoon.

Include your email address with your application, as some of the music may be available via download from the Internet before the weekend.

Booking now open
Prices:
  • £177
  • Non En-suite £163
  • Early bird discount £5 for bookings before 1st January 2008

to download a booking form to fill in and send to us click here
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We accept credit or debit cards for telephone bookings
Tel:  01984 618274  Fax: 01984 618324

The Staff:  

Rod Stradling started playing the accordion and concertina at folk clubs while at college in London in the early 70s. Playing for English Folk dancing followed with appearances at many festivals including several of the Albert Hall Festivals for the EFDSS. Later, Rod moved to Coventry, collaborating with David and Kathryn Wright to produce the two widely used Wright's Humours booklets. In the 80s Rod moved to California and played for the English Country Dance groups in the area. A subsequent move to Massachusetts resulted in much more exposure to the Scottish Country Dance scene and several visits to Pinewoods Camp to play for English and Scottish weeks.

After another few years in California, playing for English, Scottish and International dancing, Rod returned to the UK, eventually settling in Lichfield and forming his current band, Stradivarious. Over the past couple of years, he has been called on to play at a number of major festivals including Eastbourne International Folk Festival, Lichfield Folk Festival, Sidmouth Folkweek and Whitby Folk Week He also played on The Halsway Manor Millennium CD with the Millennium Players. Rod teaches the accordion and concertina and is a member of Green Man Morris and Sword Club.
image of rod stradling and poppy weatherall
Rod and Poppy
Photo: Rod Stradling
Poppy Weatherall  

Poppy has been playing folk music on the fiddle since she was a child. Her father was in the now defunct Lancashire harmony group 'Jolly Jack'. He introduced her to folk music taking her to the local folk club and pub sessions when she was young.

Poppy is currently studying violin at Birmingham Conservatory and hoping to become a professional orchestral musician.

Over the past couple of years, Poppy has played regularly with Stradivarious for English and Scottish dancing events. She has appeared at Lichfield and Whitby Folk Festivals and at Cecil Sharp House. She also plays in the band for the Appalachian dance group 'Leap to your feet.'

 

The Hosts:

  
Alan Corkett is your host and has much experience playing at dances and festivals at home and abroad with Southerners, Autumn Gold, Grumbling Old Men and currently leads Meltdown Contra Band. He is a Director of Halsway Manor Society and editor of the Halsway Post our bi-monthly newsletter.

alan corkett photo

 

photo of christine corkett

 

 Christine Corkett has co-hosted this and many other events, here at the Manor, with Alan. Christine is the organiser for the Halsway shop which raises much needed funds for the Manor. The shop will be open for a few hours during the weekend for you to peruse and hopefully purchase her, and her colleagues, efforts.

Rod Rudd is a popular local caller who will MC the Saturday evening dance using dances to match the music that the musicians have prepared in the course of the weekend to play for dancing.
We shall divide the course members up into bands so that the musicians have a chance to dance and to play for the others to dance.

 photo of ron rudd

 

to download a booking form to fill in and send to us click here

You will need Adobe Reader to open this file.
If you do not have the free plug in go to the Adobe web site by clicking http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

We accept credit or debit cards for telephone bookings
Tel:  01984 618274  Fax: 01984 618324

 

 

 

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