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Melodeon makers workshop 2010
Photos from the 2007 and 2008 workshops are on the main Melodeon Makers page.
This April, we welcomed Emmanuel Pariselle to run
our third Melodeon Makers course. Ten people each built a melodeon under the
direction of Emmanuel and Marc Serafini, both inspirational makers and musicians
from France. The participants had to cope with long hours, too much sanding,
monstrous jokes from Emmanuel and an unpredictable mix of pressure and queuing!
It was clearly worthwhile as the students described the experience as
“life-changing” and “wonderful”. There are now nearly thirty “Stowmarket”
melodeons, and the same number of people more knowledgeable and skilled at
repairing and adjusting instruments. As a direct result of attending the first
course, Rees Wesson now works on a small-scale commercial basis.
Day One - Saturday 10th April 2010
Tutor Emmanuel Pariselle tells everyone: "Today you are going to make two cigar cases, a coffin and a comb."
Day Two - Sunday 11th April 2010
Today's aim is to finish the exterior woodwork and get two coats of varnish on.
Day Three - Monday 12th April 2010
Group members are set to work on individual tasks such as gluing the leather facing to the pallets, while others work as a team, sanding and sanding and sanding! Emmanuel and assistant Marc Serafini keep us entertained with French songs and jokes.
Day Four - Tuesday 13th April 2010
Work on lots of different components ... the fingerboards and tables, making springs ... hard work lightened by a visit from a press photographer and a welcome breath of fresh air.
Day Five - Wednesday 14th April 2010
A long, hard day of precise work, fixing the reeds into the reed blocks and hearing the first sounds before finally packing up at 10pm.
Day Six - Thursday 15th April 2010
Several boxes are finished ... then the tuning starts - we find that the bathroom provides a good acoustic space too!
Day Seven - Friday 16th April 2010
By 3.30pm everybody's box is finished .. thanks to stirling work from Rees Wesson and Theo Gibb.
Above, left and right: the 2010 team.
Further photos of the 2010 workshop taken by course participants track the actual processes even more closely:
Click here for Lester Bailey's photos on picasaweb.
Click here for Jon Eastmond's photos on picasaweb.
Click here for Bill Farmer's photos on flickr.com
You may also like to look on melodeon.net at the discussion on the forum section of the website (under news & events) where Lester posted daily bulletins, and there is some discussion of post-course technical adjustments as well.
What are the musical traditions of East Anglia?
Traditional Music Day Melodeons & More Workshops, classes & schools Community Projects
Profiles of traditional musicians Research Jig Dolls Dulcimers Stepdancing