Do come and join us. It is definitely more fun playing together in person than over zoom… but zoom will also operate too (password – if required = slow), so you can join either way. The bandstand gives good rain cover and plenty of fresh air. Do put your contact details on the Covid precautions page if you can come. We look forward to seeing you in person or on screen.
Author: Oxford Slow Session
I'm a beginner viola player who enjoys listening to Martin Hayes, Jane Griffiths and many other good fiddlers.
Oxford Folk Weekend and sessions
This weekend we have the Folk Weekend on in Oxford. Unsurprisingly the concerts are all online but in a variety of forms: lots for free and some paid for.
The sessions are mostly online too… except the Oxford Slow Session which is hybrid: so you can choose. You can come and join us at 2pm in the Bandstand in Florence Park or you can join the zoom session instead (password slowly), whichever suits you better.
The amazing Jane Griffiths is playing with Owl Light Trio as the opener for the Saturday afternoon concert (fortunately just after our session) and there are many other gigs to choose from. The Zoom concerts require payment although you can largely choose how much to pay. There will also be free concerts on the Folk Weekend’s Youtube channel which you can access later, and live concerts on the Folk Weekend’s Facebook page (also free).
Hope you see you this Saturday 17th April at 2pm in one form or another!
Added two new tunes
It’s been a long lockdown in the winter of 2021, so I’ve found learning new tunes to be very therapeutic.
The Soor Milk Cairt was such a joyous tune that it was very uplifting and
Bronwyn Jenkins is another great tune from Jane Griffiths. I hope you enjoy them too.
New theme for website
WordPress has updated and “retired” the theme which was the basis for the Slow Session website design… Unfortunately the old maxim “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” no longer applies and I had to find a new theme.
After much searching I am hoping that this one is bearable and that you find you can navigate the pages and find the tunes you are looking for… but if any links are not working or any pages looking particularly ropey, please could you tell me: oxfordslowsession2014@gmail.com and I will endeavour to fix it (although my skills are limited) and I will appreciate your help in spotting problems. Fingers crossed it works ok…
Ray’s new video
Ray has made a video out of a recording of McCrea’s Delight that he’s put together of me (suke), Tess and himself that we all recorded separately in lockdown! If you would like to record yourself playing along and be added to the recording on the website, please get in touch. Meanwhile, enjoy this one!
Hope to see you either on Zoom or in the bandstand in Florence Park on Easter Sunday!
Added McCrae’s Delight (in G)
A new tune for the new year: I’ve managed to learn McCrae’s Delight… but in G rather than in D.
It’s a beautiful tune written by Iain MacCrimmon and played by Anna Massie and Mairearad Green (the second of these two Retreat Marches). I hope you like it as much as I do.
In lockdown, I recorded myself playing it and sent it to Ray who has worked out the chords and also recorded an accompaniment (on three different accordions) and so I’ve added the ensemble recording to the page. If you fancy recording yourself playing along, please email me and we can add your recording to the ensemble!
Return to 3.30pm (UK time)
The doodle poll and emails were pretty much all in favour of returning to our old time of 3.30pm. So that’s what we’ll do. I fear it is unlikely that February 2021 will be in-person, but whatever happens, there will be a zoom session as well. Hope to “see” you there!
What time for February’s slow session?
Dear Slow Sessionistas,
We had to move the Slow Session to earlier because Florence Park closes early in the winter… but next month, it doesn’t close until 5.30pm (see photo below) and so we could move back to 3.30pm.
I fear that Covid cases are still rising and so the strong likelihood is that February will be on Zoom again 😦
However, should we meet at 3.30pm or 2pm? Which suits you better?
Please click on this doodle poll to vote (or vote for both if you don’t mind)
(You just type in your name or nickname and then vote for which times you prefer).
Or alternatively, ring me or email me what time works best for you.
Many thanks!
Best wishes,
Suke
Keep well everyone.
Best wishes,
suke
Celtic Connections goes online for 2021
And early bird tickets (to ALL the concerts are available for only £30) for a limited time. Online is not as good as live… but for those of us who’ve never managed to get to Glasgow in mid-January, online is better than nothing. And an opportunity to hear Rant, Imar, Talisk, and Mairearad Green and many others.
Added The Musical Priest and Nantwich Fair
I’ve been struggling to make the Tune of the Month page a little easier to read (especially on a mobile)… It is not yet solved, but I hope you find it is a little (emphasis on little) improved.
But better news is that I’ve added The Musical Priest (with lots of links of places to listen to it) and Nantwich Fair (fewer places but a good recording instead). Because it’s taken me a while to add these, I thought we could practice Seven Stars as the next tune of the month, so that we remind ourselves how play it for future pairing with Nantwich Fair.
