The University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute will next month (November 14 -16) host Button Boxes and Moothies, a unique celebration of small free-reed instruments, including mouth organs, concertinas, melodeons, and diatonic button accordions.
Dr Ian Russell, Director of The Elphinstone Institute said: "The Free Reed Convention will be just the place to enjoy the appealing music of these delightful instruments by some of the very best talents around, both local to Scotland and from further afield. It will be a great opportunity to find out more about the instruments and their music."
The weekend event will allow visitors a taster session, join an elementary workshop, or if suitably experienced learn about style and repertoire at a players workshop. There will also be several opportunities for informal sessions in local music-friendly pubs.
Full programme details are available at www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/buttonboxes or telephone 01224 272996
Notes for Editors
Guests at The Free Reed Convention:
Jackie Daly (button accordion) comes from North Cork and plays in the style of Sliabh Luachra, the area bordering Kerry and North Cork, famous for its slides and polkas. Formerly a member of the Irish group De Dannan, he currently plays in Patrick Street.
Fred Davidson of Banchory is a well-known melodeon player in the North East. He has played at all the local festivals and won many competitions.
Will Duke is an anglo concertina player from Sussex, whose style has been influenced by the legendary Scan Tester. He has played at many festivals in England and has been featured on several CDs.
Stuart Eydmann (co-organiser) plays English concertina and has been a member of the Whistlebinkies since 1979. A highly respected researcher of free reed instruments (the subject of his PhD), he teaches at RSAMD.
Vic Gammon lectures in music at the University of Leeds; a melodeon and anglo concertina player, he will be giving one of the seminars on English traditional music styles.
Bryce Johnstone of Leslie in Fife is widely acknowledged as a gifted mouth organ player. He has performed at festivals and concerts all over Scotland, and also plays with other instrumentalists.
Andrew MacNamara, a native of Co. Clare, is a brilliant button accordionist. He is featured on four CDs and is an experienced workshop leader.
Mary MacNamara is the leading exponent of the anglo concertina in County Clare in Ireland. Her playing is greatly admired. She has recorded two CDs, her debut being voted Traditional Music Highlight of 1994 by The Irish Times. She has also taught many people to play, both young and old.
Doddie Murray of Stuartfield has been playing mouth organ since he was a boy in the 1930s. He regularly plays on his own and with other instrumentalists, and is a great favourite at ceilidhs and festivals in the North East.
Dan Quinn is an outstanding one-row and two-row melodeon player from Sussex, who has featured in bands such as Gas Mark 5, Flowers and Frolics, and the Posh Band, as well as the Dan Quinn Trio/Quartet.
Simon Thoumire from Edinburgh is a concertina virtuoso, composer, and educator. In 1989 he won the BBC Young Tradition Award and has featured on several CDs. He also promotes many young traditional musicians through a trust he set up.
John and Pip Murphy are brothers from Co. Wexford who learnt to play the mouth organ from their father. They are widely acknowledged as among the foremost players of the instrument in Ireland.
Issued by the Communications Office, External Affairs, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen.
Tel: (01224) 272013 Fax: (01224) 272086. Contact: Emma Darling
Issued by
The Communications Team
Issued on
10 October 2003
