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We are delighted to be back in the beautiful surroundings of Wingfield, in heart of Suffolk at Wingfield Barns, for our third “More than Melodeons” event running on Saturday 25th May 2024. Once again we are grateful to Anna and the Wingfield Barns team, and sponsor Acorn Instruments. We are also grateful to the Church community of St Andrew’s Church which we are also using.

We are joined by a wonderful set of tutors for the day workshops which start at 10.15am and run through until 3.45pm and there will be a lunchtime session to take part in. An early Evening Tutor Concert starting at 5pm will then take place in the Great Barn. Tickets for the Tutor Concert can be bought separately but priority will be given to day workshop attenders. Prices for the day workshops/evening concert have remained the same as 2022.

Timetable of the Day

9.15am-10.15am Registration, Coffee/Teas

10.15am-11.30am WORKSHOPS:

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne –Anything But The Melody Multi-Instrumental Workshop
Megan Wisdom – Song Writing Workshop
Barry Watson – Banish the Oompah! Getting creative with left hand patterns Piano Accordion Workshop

11.30am-12.00pm BREAK

12.00pm-1.15pm WORKSHOPS:

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne – Intermediate Anglo Concertina Workshop
East Suffolk Community Folk Orchestra – Playing Together Folk Orchestra style Multi-Instrumental Workshop
Megan Wisdom – Songs of Suffolk and Beyond Workshop
Erin Brown & Barry Watson – Playing Dynamically for Ceilidh Dancing Multi-Instrumental Workshop

1.15pm-2.30pm LUNCH (pre booked), MUSIC SESSION, STALLS

2.30pm-3.45pm WORKSHOPS:

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne – Intermediate Melodeon (D/G) Workshop
Megan Widsom – Singing Together Workshop
Erin Brown & Barry Watson – Come-All-Ye Folk Band with East Anglian Tunes Multi-Instrumental Workshop
Richard Blake – Beginner Dulcimer – Dulcimers provided! Limited spaces

3.45pm-5.00pm Tea & Cake, Free Time

5.00pm-7.30 Tutor Concert in the Great Barn

SEE BELOW FOR FULL WORKSHOP DETAILS & BOOKING FORM

The Tutors

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne is at the forefront of his generation of English folk musicians as both a powerful and commanding singer and a masterful player of the Anglo concertina and melodeon.

Cohen burst onto the folk scene in his teens with the energetic and much-loved trio Granny’s Attic, along with schoolmates George Sansome and Lewis Wood, and in recent years has embarked on a solo career alongside this.

Cohen’s solo repertoire is rooted in the English folk tradition, celebrating the age-old musical heritage of this broad and diverse land, with a particular interest in the music of the West Midlands, where Cohen spent many of his formative years. Traditional ballads, songs and tunes form the basis of Cohen’s material, but with a smattering of baroque, renaissance, ragtime, and music hall thrown in for good measure.

Cohen’s passion for the English folk tradition has also led to work in research, publishing, and teaching. So far Cohen has been involved in publishing two books of English folk songs, has given several talks on the subject, and has worked with hundreds of students across the globe from school children to pensioners.

WORKSHOPS

Workshop 10.15am: Anything But the Melody: Multi-instrumental Workshop

(not suitable for absolute beginners)

This workshop will be focused on playing countermelodies and harmonies to a given tune and looking at some of the theory behind working this out. Music to be sent out approx a fortnight before the event.

Workshop 12.00pm: Intermediate Anglo Concertina Workshop

Music to be sent out approx a fortnight before the event.

Workshop 2.30pm: Intermediate Melodeon Workshop (D/G)

Music to be sent out approx a fortnight before the event.

Megan Wisdom

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Megan Wisdom is a folk musician and singer of traditional songs. Born and bred in Suffolk, Megan has been attending pub sessions for as long as she can remember, which has provided the foundation for a warm, simple style which resonates throughout her performances. She loves to explore the stories which are deeply etched into British folk music, and bring out the voices from the past which are alive within lyrics and melodies. She views folk music not only as a complex and enigmatic genre but as a historical resource, and loves to research the background of each of the songs that she sings and the themes that run through them. Singing both unaccompanied and with a table harmonium, Megan performs regularly at folk clubs and events throughout the country, and frequents pub sessions with her whistles and saxophone. She is also a member of Pretty Grim Border Morris and Black Gate Morris and sings as a duo with Mossy Christian where they perform traditional tunes and songs hailing from Lincolnshire and East Anglia.

WORKSHOPS

Workshop 10.15am: Song Writing Workshop

Exploring tips, tricks and techniques for writing songs in the traditional folk style. Megan guides you through a selection of approaches, using her own work as examples and drawing on some of her favourite songwriting influences. Bring pens and paper!

Workshop 12.00pm: Songs of Suffolk and Beyond

A chance to build up your repertoire of traditional songs. This workshop will focus on traditional songs collected or popularised in East Anglia amongst the area’s traditional and folk singers. Megan will give an overview of a selection of songs, with opportunities to record the workshop, and words available to be taken away.

Workshop 2.30pm: Singing Together

NB: This workshop includes a performance in the evening concert. Learn a traditional song as part of a scratch choir. Megan will teach participants a song from the East Anglian region in harmony, leading to a performance in the evening concert. Teaching will be by ear, with music provided on request.

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Erin Brown & Barry Watson

Erin Brown & Barry Watson offer lively renditions of traditional folk music featuring vocals, fiddle, stomp box and accordion (plus occasional appearances from whistles and bouzouki). Songs and tunes are taken from England, Ireland, Scotland and further afield, but the accompaniment is typically stompy and English, with the odd syncopated Breton rhythm thrown in for good measure. When not playing as a duo, Little Oak, the pair can be found playing private events and main stages of folk festivals across the country with the ever-popular Stumpy Oak ceilidh band as well as running workshops on folk music and dancing.

WORKSHOPS

Workshop 10.15am: Banish the Oom-pah: getting creative with left hand patterns – Piano Accordion Workshop (With Barry Watson)

Participants should be at least intermediate level and have an instrument with 48 basses or more.

This workshop explores accompanying simple tunes with creative, musical alternatives to the standard bass-chord (‘oom-pah’) accompaniment pattern. You will draw upon techniques borrowed from diatonic accordion (melodeon) left-hand practice to form both smooth and percussive sequences and also consider how to get a satisfying balance between hands so that the bass doesn’t dominate. Tunes and bass patterns will be learned by ear, but notated versions of the melody will also be provided.

Workshop 12.00pm: Playing Dynamically for Ceilidh Dancing – Multi Instrumental Workshop (With Erin Brown & Barry Watson)

For all instruments, intermediate upwards.

Barry and Erin will lead you in mastering best practices for ceilidh/barn dances. They will assist you in selecting and combining tune sets to match the dance, crafting variations, creating engaging chord progressions, and exploring different ways to alter the tune’s dynamics to enchant dancers. Tunes taught by ear but notated melodies and chords will also be provided on the day. 

Workshop 2.30pm: Come all Ye Folk Band with East Anglian Tunes – Multi-Instrumental Workshop (with Erin Brown & Barry Watson)

For all instruments, beginner upwards

Learn local tunes in a band setting and explore the realms arrangement using dynamics and variations. We’ll shape the tune and then create bass, chord and rhythm lines underneath. Tunes largely taught by ear but notated melodies, chords and bass parts will also be provided on the day.

Richard Blake

Richard Blake, wood turner, instrument maker and musician.

“East Anglia has been the home of the dulcimer for as far back as anyone can remember and research is pushing the earliest records here further back in time even as I write. I bought my London-made 1885 Ihlee and Sankey instrument in 1986, the year in which the great virtuoso, Billy Bennington, died. Indeed, it was listening to him that led me to look for one in the first place. I have learnt to play in the traditional style, my main influences being Billy Bennington, Billy Cooper and Reg Reeder.
I now find myself among a very small number who still use the traditional tuning, which I consider to be one of the most versatile dulcimer tunings in the world. It allows chordal and harmonic accompaniment in the home key of G and its close relatives. It also facilitates playing in the keys of c,d,f,a and bflat with very little trouble, not to mention the relative minor keys and modes. With 21 bridges it has a range of three octaves. There are not many other small tabletop dulcimers in the world that can boast all this.

WORKSHOP

Workshop 2.30pm: Absolute Beginners Dulcimer

Dulcimer provided – or BYO – Dulcimers available to hire post event. VERY LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE!

Richard will be looking at simple chords/harmonies that are typical of East Anglian playing and feasible on most dulcimers leading to either one of Billy Bennington’s or Reg Reader’s tunes.

East Suffolk Community Folk Orchestra

WORKSHOP

Workshop 12.00pm: Folk Orchestra Workshop

Taste life in the newly formed Suffolk community folk orchestra. We will be playing and experimenting with some of our favourite European folk tunes. Our tune arrangements usually have three or four parts to play with : melody, harmony lines, and a bass line with chords. Open to all experience levels, from beginner to experienced, and to any instrument. We love to be creative and to share musical ideas, skills and leadership.

Sheet music will be available on the day. If you have a music stand, then please bring it. Our workshop will offer an informal and friendly insight into our monthly practices. We will start with a short playing by ear activity, then tune up before exploring the tune arrangements together with everyone.

East Suffolk Community Folk Orchestra was set up in January 2024. We are a ‘new kid on the musical block’ in Suffolk and are learning together, collectively discovering what works best in a large eclectic instrumental group. The folk orchestra has strings, woodwind, box and fretted/rhythm instruments. Our monthly practices attract 30+players. Tunes are led by members of the orchestra. The folk orchestra is now a full member of Making Music, a national organisation that supports voluntary run music groups.   https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/group/east-suffolk-community-folk-orchestra

From tiny acorns…Have a Try! With Acorn Instruments

Acorn Instruments will be offering short Free Have A Go Melodeon sessions during the day for individuals or small numbers of people. No need to book in advance. There will also be opportunities to hire a selection of instruments on the day.

Food, drink, walks & stalls

Liquid refreshments will be available to all throughout the day (including a Bar) and lunch for those who pre book in advance (details on the booking form). Tea and cake will be available at the end of the Workshop sessions prior to the early evening concert which starts in the Great Barn at 5pm.

There will be opportunity to join in a lunchtime session and a chance to visit Acorn Instruments, Mike Acott Concertinas and the EATMT stall at the music market. For those wanting to experience the beautiful quiet Suffolk countryside, there will be a selection of short walking routes available.

Tickets and pricing structure

Booking in advance is essential – there will be a number limit on some of workshops so book early to avoid disappointment.

You are welcome to take part in one, two or all three workshops – £15 per workshop or all three:
£40 for Friends of EATMT/£42 for non friends

An evening concert ticket* is priced at
£12 for Friends of EATMT and £15 for non members.

A special combined price is on offer if you are attending all three day workshops and the evening concert.
£50 (Friends of EATMT)/£55 (non Friends)

Pre ordered lunch (£12) is available.
Please complete the booking form below for the Day of Workshops plus evening concert ticket

Individual *Evening Concert Tickets are available from either EATMT – info@eatmt.org.uk/07495 054669 or directly from Wingfield Barns Telephone: 01379 384505

BOOKING FORM: