This is our third year in the big city at the Copthorne Hotel on Newcastle’s happening quayside. As before there are plenty of chances to socialise and jam as well as venture out into this historic city!
We continue to develop the event and this year are delighted to welcome acclaimed musician and educator Alistair Anderson as our North East guest speaker on Thursday, and Hammered Dulcimer player Amanda Lowe to run a range of workshops as part of the Wednesday programme.
Here is what we have planned:
Monday 8th April: Evening – Bridge Folk Club – for those wanting to take part and add an extra night in Newcastle to their stay, the folk club will again welcome the Spring Fling attendees for floor-spots at their singers night on the Monday preceding the official start of Spring Fling 2024.
Tuesday 9th April: An optional meet-up meal (at your own cost) in a private dining room in the hotel looking over the Tyne, followed by a jam session until 11 pm.
Wednesday 10th April – Daytime: Separate sessions for mountaineers and hammerers including some suitable for any instrument. Lunch and teas/coffees included in the price.
This year the HDs will be tutored by Amanda Lowe who will cover the following topics:
- Accompany many songs with one chord sequence!
- Ceilidh tunes
- Developing “The Peacock followed the Hen” – An exciting transferable technique for Hammered Dulcimer
- Improvising round a pentatonic scale
The Mountain Dulcimer folks will use tutors from within their ranks in a varied programme mixing the familiar with the challenging.
New this year, the workshops will include sessions that any instruments can take part in: multi-instrumentalists and non dulcimer-playing partners take note!
Amanda Lowe has played professionally for over thirty years, in a wide range of styles and techniques, including English and Celtic, Northern European, medieval, folk, old-time, both as a lead melodic instrument and accompanying tunes and songs. She has taught a wide range of workshops at a number of Nonsuch events and has a lively and reassuring teaching style that is accessible to all.
Wednesday 10th April – Evening: meal at your own arrangement / cost followed by a jam session in the hotel.
Thursday 11th April: Morning: We will begin Thursday with our traditional North-East tunes and songs session – a chance to try singing in a Geordie accent perhaps?
Then follows a musically-illustrated talk by one of the big names in folk-music from this area – Alistair Anderson.
Alistair Anderson has been an inspiring performer, composer, educator, leader and collaborator on the UK and international folk scene for over 50 years. Founder of Folkworks and the architect of the Newcastle folk degree to name just two of his achievements, Alistair will talk about his recollections of the music scene in the North East and beyond, and share some music with us. He even has some dulcimer related memories to share!
Thursday 20th April: Refreshments: Lunch at your own arrangement / cost, but teas/coffees are included in the price.
Thursday 20th April: Afternoon: Spring Fling Folk Club.
For those looking for a longer break, the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering takes place on the weekend before our event. Ken and Sandie Hudson have been forging links with Morpeth, including masterminding the video produced for the 2022 virtual Gathering, organising a dulcimer show and tell in 2023. We hope to continue this trend and have a presence there in 2024.
The cost of Spring Fling 2024 is £65. This does not include accommodation. Lunch on Wednesday plus teas/coffees both days is included.
Accommodation: We have reserved some bedrooms at the Copthorne Hotel for attendees at a special rate of £95 a night single or £105 for a double, including breakfast. These are subject to availability and must be booked by 29th January 2024, after which any remaining rooms will be released. To book, contact reservations on 0191 222 0 333 and quote NONS080424 when making a reservation. A credit or debit card will be required to secure the booking, payment is due on arrival.
Note, there are a wide range of hotels to suit various budgets close by.
Parking: There is a car park at the Copthorne. Attendees at our event can get free parking by getting their parking ticket stamped at reception before leaving.
Bookings for Spring Fling close on 18th March 2024.
Start learning Geordie now – gan canny!