We are excited to offer a combined workshop and concert day with one of our favourite USA tutors – Karen Ashbrook.
The day offers a chance to take a workshop online with one of the tutors who is coming in person this October to our annual weekend. If you can’t attend in October or just want a sneak preview of Karen’s workshops and approach, this event gives you the perfect opportunity. And this workshop is designed to complement (not duplicate) our October weekend workshops, covering topics helpful to a range of skill levels centred on intermediate level students, see below for more information. The cost is £30 for the workshop.
In addition there is a concert with KA/PO – Karen and her performing partner and husband Paul Oorts – open to all, whether or not you attend the workshops. Entry is free but we hope you will send our performers a tip!
We hope to see you there!
Schedule of the day – 16th Sept 2023
14:00 – 17:00 BST (09:00 – 12:00 EST) Hammered Dulcimer Workshop with Karen Ashbrook (intermediate level – see below for more information), Cost £30.
17:00 – 19:00 BST (12:00 – 19:00 EST) Break.
19:00 – 20:00 / BST (14.00 – 15.00 EST) Evening Concert with Karen Ashbrook and Paul Oorts. Suggested Donation £12/$15.
Karen Ashbrook Hammered Dulcimer Workshop
Time: 14:00 – 17:00 BST (09:00 – 12:00 EST)
This 3 hour Workshop will cover two different tunes, and includes wrap-up videos.
Valse à Bonnejoie
A traditional happy French waltz with a jaunty sound. We will learn the tune first, and then add an arrangement with some lovely musette harmonies to bring it to life, and simple accompaniment ideas. You’ll feel as if you are sitting in the sun outside a Parisian café!
Take A Dance
This is a simple but graceful and mysterious English Country Dance jig in B minor. We’ll cover clever 6/8 horizontal accompaniment patterns using all 3 bridges (bass plus right and left treble) with the classic progression Bm/A/G – useful for all kinds of tunes!
Watch the dance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRX8qSdoTs8
Watch Karen play it at a house concert here (starts at 2:15):
https://youtu.be/cqy8JCZrGvY?t=134
Additional Information about the Workshop
This workshop is aimed at intermediate players, but will have something for all players from advanced beginner through intermediate to advanced. If you are unsure about your playing level, please refer to the Nonsuch Playing Guidelines, or contact us. There will also be wrap-up videos supplied after the event, so you have something to practice with later.
We will take breaks during the 3-hour workshop where appropriate for everyone’s comfort.
Evening Concert
19:00 – 20:00 / BST (14.00 – 15.00 EST)
Join KA/PO – Karen Ashbrook & Paul Oorts for an engaging one-hour online concert. Their dynamic arrangements move from sweet airs to driving dance tunes to whimsical songs drawn from Celtic and Continental traditional roots. Paul is a multi-instrumentalist from Belgium, playing harp guitar, musette accordion and cittern and Karen shines on hammered dulcimer, adding in Irish flute and pennywhistle.
The Flemish folk journal Goe Vollek! mused that “Denizens of the old country, should be very grateful to Ashbrook and Oorts for the way in which they introduce our traditional music to the Americans…we cherish this brilliant CD.”
Read more about them and watch performance videos here on their webpage: https://karenashbrook.com/ka-po-karen-ashbrook-paul-oorts
Suggested Donation: £12/$15 via Karen’s Tip Jar paypal.me/MusicForTheSpirit
If you would just like to attend the concert, please note we will be sending out the concert link to ALL Nonsuch members, in case they would like to attend. If you are not a member (and not booking for the workshop) you are still very welcome, so please email us for a link.
Practicalities & Booking
All those who register will be sent information about the Zoom links by email before the workshop, with Meeting ID, Password, and helpful tips about how to participate if you have not used Zoom before.
Please note that registration fee for this workshop is non-refundable. If you have made a error in the workshop booking and wish to correct it, please contact the event organisers as soon as possible.