A taster session for those interested in a new intercultural folk ensemble (musicians of all/any levels).
A collaboration with the Macclesfield Music Centre (MMC) and Modalways CIC - the intercultural musicking collective led jointly by Daniel Mawson and Richard Fay.
This session focuses on 2 musical traditions as a taster for next term: Klezmer and Welsh.
The musical culture now usually termed klezmer has its roots in Eastern European Jewish communities [think of the context for Fiddler on the Roof], roots which have been extended through migration to new contexts (e.g. the USA) and through encounters with other music cultures (e.g. swing). Welsh traditional music is the musical folk tradition emergent in Wales.
What to expect:
The taster session will
seek to situate the participants’ encounters with folk music traditions in ways which are historically and culturally informed as well as being attentive to the new context (i.e. Macclesfield in 2024). It will also seek to develop participants’ musical understandings of the traditions concerned and the functions for which the music was performed (e.g for weddings, for dancing).
involve an enjoyable opportunity to learn to play different folk traditions music with other musicians, and do so with a focus not just on the playing of notes on the page but rather doing so as based on a historically-, culturally-, functionally-, and musicologically-informed foundation.
provide participants with some sense of how the prospective folk ensemble would work in terms of ways of learning music from different traditions. Once the ensemble is established, each term would involve a focus on two such traditions (for example, Klezmer and Welsh Trad), typically based on a pattern of ‘odd’ weeks (e.g. Weeks 1 and 3) focusing on tradition A, and ‘even’ weeks (e.g. Weeks 2 and 4) focusing on tradition B. Ideally, the ensemble would build up a repertoire suited for a performance of some kind at the end of each term.
Bring any instruments you like, and let us know on the booking form what you intend to bring (or if you aren't bringing an instrument/require access to a non-transportable instrument)
Some of the learning will be done aurally, i.e. by ear. This practice, which is in keeping with the practice in many folk traditions, may be familiar for some participants but may represent a significant challenge for others for whom we will provide support and encouragement in this unfamiliar way of learning. At other times, we will base the learning on notated music, i.e. ‘from dots’. Again, this may be familiar for some, but also be a significant challenge for others - again, we will provide support for this challenge. The central objective is to enable all participants, regardless of their musical learning preferences and experiences, to feel included and able to engage with the new musical material in a way that is appropriate to them.
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MMC Member
This is a free ticket for those with Macclesfield Music Centre membership. If you are not a member, please select the other ticket option.
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Standard (Non-MMC Member) |
£10.00 |
Macclesfield Music Centre
The Fallibroome Academy Priory Lane
Macclesfield
SK10 4AF