Traditional Music Day 2009
Saturday 5th September 2009,
Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Suffolk
To see photographs from the 2009 event, you can click on the link below which will take you to a Facebook page run by John Halliday, who takes photographs for us at most of our events.
Photographs of Traditional Music Day 2009
For guests, events and timetable for 2009, read on!
Back to Traditional Music Day 2010
Latest News 1st September 2009
Late additions to the 2009 Traditional Music Day programme include a handful of superb young musicians: duo Matt Quinn and Tom Moore on fiddles, melodeon and Quebecois-style footwork, and Dogan Mehmet from the Deerhunters accompanying Sam Lee: Sam and Dogan are both in the new band The Gillie Boys. Expect some interesting combinations during the day!
The fabulous, innovative and quirky Museum of British Folklore touring exhibition is making its only visit to Suffolk on Saturday 5th September, to add to the attractions at Traditional Music Day. The exhibition is housed in a caravan, and is the brainchild of Simon Costin, who is using it as a way of raising awareness of the need for a permanent national museum of folklore. For an idea of what to expect, and a fascinating look at the customs and traditions of the UK, visit the website at www.museumofbritishfolklore.com/collect.html
Also confirmed is the Romany Roots exhibition of archive and contemporary photographs of Gypsy life and culture in Suffolk.
A good variety of beers will be available, thanks to support from Suffolk CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), including beer from major regional breweries and some smaller ones too.
A full timetable of events is now available: click here.
A map showing the vehicle entrance for advance ticket holders is available here. If you have a ticket and are travelling by car with a sat nav, the postcode you need is IP14 1BQ, not the museum code, which will take you up a cul-de-sac in the wrong place entirely!
Michael Wright
Michael is a passionate and exciting player
of the Jew’s Harp - a very ancient instrument -
and he has an unparalleled knowledge of the
instrument’s history.
A fascinating experience - prepare to be
amazed!
Find out more on Michael's website.
JigJaw
Kerry Fletcher, Rosie Davis, Janet Russell
& Frances Watt combine percussive
dancing with vocal harmonies. Their
distinctive performances draw on mouth
music, nonsense rhymes and dances
from Britain and beyond.
Find out more about JigJaw.
Sam Lee
“The most accomplished and authentic interpreter
of traditional English song to emerge in years”
as one national review put it recently.
Sam is a young singer with a compelling style
and unusual repertoire.
Sam is London Links officer for the English
Folk Dance and Song Society, and also one
of the organisers of the Magpie's Nest
club in London, a club with the mantra new folk,
old folk, no folk.
The Boat Band
Kate Barfield (fiddle), Tony Weatherall
(melodeon) and Greg Stephens (banjo
and guitar) bring the little-known music
of the north-west, and in particular,
Lakeland, to life with skill and pzazz.
They’re inveterate sessioneers too,
so don’t miss a chance to sit and play
alongside them.
Find out more about The Boat Band.
Jim Ward & Will Duke
These two performers both hail from Sussex and
are greatly influenced by their local traditions.
Will returns with more gems from his store of
wonderful tunes and songs. With him this year is
Jim Ward, a London-born singer specialising in
Music Hall songs and monologues.
Wall Star Village Band
This trio hail from the far north-east of England -
just south of Hadrian’s Wall - and play the rants and reels of their local
area on Northumbrian smallpipes and concertina (Rob Say), fiddle (Ali Say) and
piano (Will Chamberlain). They’ll be
providing lively music for the afternoon ceilidh.
Old Hat Concert Party
This informal group of East Anglian
musicians, stepdancers, singers and
story-tellers has been going for nearly
30 years and still comes together
for a celebration every Traditional
Music Day!
Photo credits: OHCP and TMD session: Chris Gill, all others supplied.
We also welcome a number of people on the Mouth Music theme, including
mouthorgan players Martin Brinsford (Old Swan Band & Brass Monkey), Baz Parkes
(All Blacked Up) Simon Booth (Ran Tan Band) and George Wade (as featured in the
book Many a Good Horseman).
Daytime Events (11.00 -5.30)
'Mouth Music'
This year’s focus is on music you can make with your mouth - with or without
instruments - and includes mouth-organs, jew’s harps, penny
whistles (invented in Suffolk) and diddling and maybe even whistling!
Stepdancing
The biggest gathering of steppers from Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and beyond.
Showcased in the Stepdance Special and at informal events throughout the day ...
you may even end up having a go yourself!
Big Music Session
An English Country Music jam session hosted by various guests throughout the
day. Great music for participants and listeners alike.
Song sessions
A chance to sing or listen: all singers welcome.
The History of the Jew’s Harp
A rare chance to find out more about this fascinating and ancient instrument
from a world expert, Michael Wright.
Ceilidh
An afternoon barn-dance with The Wall Star Village Band, with caller Dave
Hunt. Bring your friends and family and join the fun!
Fiddle Forum
A chance for fiddle players to swap tunes and discuss the finer points of
playing with experts in the English tradition.
Have a go at …
... playing an instrument for the first time - we supply the instruments &
tuition, you just come along and try your hand!
... working a dancing doll from our Big Jig collection: with live music
... making an instrument you can play with your mouth - family workshop led by
Doctor Sunshine
... stepdancing and diddling: JigJaw and friends host an open stepping event
Click here for a
full timetable of events.
An evening with Old Hat and Friends
(Separate ticket required)
A good-time evening: music, songs and stepdancing with spots from all our
guests, and many others. This event always sells out, so book early!
Sold out (24.08.09)
This year, Friends of EATMT have a new benefit to their membership! Booking for the 2009 Traditional Music Day opens on Wednesday 13th May for Friends of EATMT, and on 1st June for everyone else. Why not join the Friends of EATMT now and take advantage, not only of the priority booking period, but also of the discounted ticket prices for this an other events? Click here for membership details. During this priority period, a Friend can book tickets for one guest (at full price).
Most indoor events are open only to day season ticket holders. If you want to see the guests, attend the talks, fiddle forum etc, you will need to buy a day season ticket from us in advance. This ticket entitles you to access to the museum site 10am-6pm. It also includes free on-site parking, admission to all daytime events (space allowing) and free programme (sent in advance on request).
Day season tickets are not available to buy on the day, and
tickets are not available for individual events.
If you just turn up on the day and pay the normal museum entrance fee, this does not entitle you to enter the indoor events or to any on-site parking.
By buying before 1st August, you get a discounted earlybird price.
Click here for a printable booking form.
Tickets are available (space permitting) until 27th August. If you wish to book tickets after Saturday 22nd August, please call us on 01449 771090 to ensure your tickets are waiting for you on the gate. Tickets arranged in this way must be picked up between 2pm and 8.30pm on Friday 4th September or between 10am and midday on Saturday 5th September, and must be picked up from the Traditional Music Day vehicle entrance, NOT the Museum main entrance.
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