Author: Oxford Slow Session

Glasgow School of Folk (5th & 6th Dec) want to know interest…

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The Winter Glasgow School of Folk will be going ahead on the 5th and 6th of December.

To register please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-glasgow-school-of-folk-tickets-123890320283
It is free to register at eventbrite (just using it to keep track of numbers), but they will be releasing a paypal donate link closer to the event with a suggested donation of £5 per class.

Please don’t worry if you change your mind about which classes you will attend, we will make sure we leave room for some changes.
All classes and sessions will be held over zoom.

Two days of instrumental workshops, sessions and craic for adults hosted over zoom organised and taught by folk musicians

About this Event

Join Calum MacCrimmon (whistle), John Somerville (accordion), Laura-Beth Salter (mandolin) and Adam Sutherland (fiddle) for their second online Glasgow School of Folk.

Over the two days there will be ten 1hr workshops, plus evening sessions hosted over zoom where you can join your tutors for a tune and a dram. Most of the workshops are aimed at specific instruments, but you are welcome to join any of them you like. It is a good opportunity to drop in on a class or tutor you wouldn’t usually get to work with.

We are happy to welcome back Fiona Hunter for another guest scots song workshop, plus a new ‘big tune’ workshop for all participants and tutors.

Please use eventbrite to select the classes you think you might attend (it is no problem if you change your mind, it is just so we can keep track of numbers). The course runs on a suggested donation of £5 per workshop attended, and a paypal link will be made available for this closer to the time.

Added new tune: Seamus Cooley’s Jig

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We have a new tune: Seamus Cooley’s Jig which is lovely, and also some new pages…

One about learning to play and more importantly, one about our Covid precautions if you are able to come along to the outside sessions.

Also don’t forget that Friday 2nd October is another Bandcamp Friday where you can buy music with no commission (and there are lots of suggestions of who to look up on this previous post) and support your favourite musicians.

It’s bandcamp Friday again!

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Bandcamp Friday is an opportunity to support your favourite musicians by buying their music with no agents’ fees:

https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/update-on-bandcamp-fridays

Can I particularly recommend Jane Griffiths (of the Owl Light Trio) (https://owllighttrio.bandcamp.com/releases)
who has made this website possible with her help in transcribing tunes and advice
and also Jon Fletcher (https://jonfletcher.bandcamp.com/) who has provided the chords for the tunes.

See also other artists who have either written or arranged a tune that has appeared here:

Mike Vass (composer of Cavers of Kirkcudbright) https://mikevass.bandcamp.com/
Alasdair Fraser (unfortunately haven’t found his albums recorded with Natlalie Haas here) https://alasdairfraser.bandcamp.com/ but you can see more on their website https://alasdairandnatalie.com/home
Martin Hayes (only with Brooklyn Rider on Bandcamp but fine recordings of Hole in the Hedge and Butterfly) https://brooklynrider.bandcamp.com/album/the-butterfly-icr012 (but see play-along videos on his website: http://www.martinhayes.com/)
Michael McGoldrick (Farewell to Whalley Range) https://michaelmcgoldrick.bandcamp.com/
Nancy Kerr & James Fagan (see Pearl Wedding) https://kerrfagan.bandcamp.com/
Sam Sweeney (and his old band Kerfuffle which are not on Bandcamp but his new recordings are here) https://samsweeney.bandcamp.com/
Spiro (see You’ve been a Long Time Away Willie Gray) https://spiromusic.bandcamp.com/

And others who have inspired us (who I can find on Bandcamp):
Crooked Still https://crookedstill.bandcamp.com/
Three Kane Whale https://threecanewhale1.bandcamp.com/
Kevin Burke https://northwestfolkliferecordings.bandcamp.com/track/pigeon-on-the-gate-laffertys-reel-the-morning-dew
Anna Massie https://footstompinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/anna-massie-glad-company
Mairearad Green https://mairearadgreen.bandcamp.com/
and together: https://mairearadandanna.bandcamp.com/
Sarah Jane Summers https://sarah-janesummers.bandcamp.com/

The Bandcamp sale ends at midnight Pacific time, which I think is 8am on Saturday.

 

Added The Orphan Jig and hoping for no rain on Sunday…

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I’ve added the Orphan Jig which is a lovely jig played by the Martin Hayes Quartet. I hope you like it too.

And I’m crossing my fingers that the rain stops soon and Oxford dries out a bit for our July session to take place in Grandpont Nature Park (see How to Find us page) and also on Zoom (see link on Tune of the Month page) for those who can’t make it in person.

So keep well and keep practicing! Hope to see you soon in person or via a screen.

Online concerts: Molsky (Friday) and Vasen (Saturday)

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Special online gigs:

8.30pm Friday 29th May

Bruce Molsky is an amazing banjo and fiddle player and I’ve only seem him once but I was blown away. He’s been doing a few online gigs but mostly for American time zones, but this one appears to be at a time that we can listen… :
https://www.facebook.com/events/865863787259720
Free with donations to his Paypal account.

Also on Friday (starting 7.30pm) 
Another Kitchen Ceilidh thanks to Oxfolk and Oxford Folk Weekend:
https://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/component/eventbooking/zoom-events/kitchen-ceilidh-doug-eunson-and-sarah-matthews-with-caller-martyn-harvey.html

 

7pm (til 8.15pm) Saturday 30th May

Väsen (who composed Johsefin’s waltz) are playing on Zoom thanks to Oxford Folk Arts. Price according to what you can afford (suggested £14). (You do need to register in advance)
Details: https://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/component/eventbooking/zoom-events/vasen-live-from-sweden.html

 

May day Oxford 2020

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Horns a Plenty are encouraging everyone to join with them at 8am on Mayday to play Somewhere over the Rainbow: lyrics and music available from their website: https://www.hornsofplenty.co.uk/event/may-morning-4/

And Folk Weekend are creating a Virtual May Day choir where you can add your voice to theirs and they will make a video for tomorrow evening (see http://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/virtual-may-day-choir.html)

And in the evening, there will be another Kitchen Ceilidh with 3 Sticks (who were excellent last time) from 7.30pm on Zoom. Tickets here https://fao.yapsody.com/

And if you fancy it, there will be another slow session on Zoom on Sunday, usual time of 3.30pm (BST), details on the Tune of the Month page.

Best wishes to all

PASSWORD for Zoom link

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Dear Slow Sessionistas

The link for our Slow Session as part of the Oxford Folk Weekend on Sunday 19th April at 2.30pm
is 
 
And the PASSWORD IS: FWO2020
(NB Stands for Folk Weekend Oxford 2020, so the first O is a letter, and the other two are zeros)
 
When you are logged in to the virtual session room you’ll need to go to the audio settings (you’ll find these near the mute button) and in the “Advanced” section you should check the box to enable original sound, and disable both the options for background noise suppressing. This will give you a better sound when playing over Zoom.
 
You can access the session room in advance of our session to check it all works.
But if you are having problems, please email or ring me (0770 935 2834) BEFORE the session starts at 2.30pm
In the Zoom “Chat” you can write down which tunes you would like to play and please say if you want to volunteer to lead them if you fancy.
 
 
Just to remind you, you need to be muted (unless you are leading the tune), otherwise the sound cuts in and out for everyone. You can play along with us playing or you can volunteer to lead a tune yourself and we will all play with you. We won’t hear each other, only the person(s) leading the tune.

Link to Zoom session for Sunday 19th April 2.30pm

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Dear Slow Sessionistas

The link for our Slow Session as part of the Oxford Folk Weekend on Sunday 19th April at 2.30pm
is 
 
When you are logged in to the virtual session room you’ll need to go to the audio settings of Zoom (you’ll find these near the mute button) and in the “Advanced” section you should check the box to enable original sound, and disable both the options for background noise suppressing. This will give you a better sound when playing over Zoom.
 
You can access the session room in advance of our session to check it all works.
But if you are having problems, please email or ring me (0770 935 2834) BEFORE the session starts at 2.30pm
In the Zoom “Chat” you can write down which tunes you would like to play and volunteer to lead them if you fancy.
 
 
Just to remind you, you need to be muted (unless you are leading the tune), otherwise the sound cuts in and out for everyone. You can play along with us playing or you can volunteer to lead a tune yourself and we will all play with you. We won’t hear each other, only the person(s) leading the tune.
 
If you are joining us on a violin or an instrument that plays loudly in your ear, I recommend using headphones so that you can hear the person playing. Computer sound alone is not really sufficient.
 
I’m really sorry that a Zoom session is not nearly as much fun as a real one. If you’re feeling very shy, you might enjoy it, but really it is more fun at a real session and there we also can’t hear individuals if you make a wrong note as there are so many of us making music together that only the tune can be heard. But the thrill of playing together is the essence of music and I’m sorry that Zoom does not capture that joy.
 
But it will be lovely to see you.
 
And there are lots of other good shows on at the Oxford Folk Weekend: http://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/what-s-on.html
especially Jon Fletcher at 1pm on Sunday 19th (free concert)
 
I hope you are all staying well and finding some time to practice in these difficult times.
 
Best wishes,
suke

Updated Inisheer

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There are many versions of Inisheer in circulation, but I think David’s version is more well known than Jane’s. You can play whichever you like as they work together. I’ve also added some places to hear the tune on Youtube. I think we will have fun playing it and introducing perhaps some new and interesting variations and harmonies ourselves. Hope to see you soon.