Aminor Fiddle Orchestra encourages Dorset young musicians to play folk tunes and perform in public

Last week, whilst at the pub sessions in Weymouth and Dorchester, I had the opportunity of meeting the multi-talented Kate Carpenter who told me she is encouraging some young musicians to play simple folk music tunes and they are going to be playing at the Wessex Folk Festival in Hope Square, Weymouth.

Often I look around at my fellow musicians at the pub joining in sessions I attend and see that they are mostly middle-aged at best (as I am).

I think it is wonderful that Kate is encouraging young people to play simple folk music tunes in public. I'll be there to support them and I hope you are too.

Here are the details Kate has provided me about the Aminor Fiddle Orchestra (logo top right).

We will be playing between the bands from 2.45 - 3pm, 3.45 - 4pm and from 4.45 - 5pm [Sunday].

The orchestra was formed in order for the young people to play lively tunes, with lots of performances with very few practices. They all know the music well, and as soon as they have learnt a tune they can play it - we don't have 1st and 2nd violins. We do have easier parts for the harder tunes and interesting variations for the more experienced players to make it as interesting to play and to listen to as possible.

The recorders were added as I realised that my recorder group in the First School gave them more opportunities than the groups in the middle schools that they had moved on to, and I didn't want them to lose the skills they had already learnt.

I have ideas for new sets next year. Most of the tunes they have learnt so far they could easily play at a session if they want to join in. They are aged between 7 and 16. (The youngest is 6 or 7 - Year 2)

We have had 2 practices and 4 performances altogether so far, - a practice + 2 performances last Dec, and the same again so far this May.

We will also be playing at Wimborne Folk festival - 2 x 20min slots on Sunday afternoon in the Cornmarket, and at Bournemouth Music Festival, and at Swanage Folk Festival in September.

Here is the full programme for Hope Square free music entertainment 6 - 8 June 2008 at Weymouth.

Enjoy! I know I will :-)

Bye for now

Rob
(Rob Hopcott - author and musician and avid supporter of young people playing folk music)