Folk Session
Last Wednesday, I took my violin and went along to a folk music session at the back of the Red Lion Pub in Haddenham. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Haddenham recently distributing leaflets for our forthcoming string quartet concert on the 16th of July which will take place in St Mary’s Church (just opposite the pub). When I arrived, it was nice to be greeted once again by the sound of church bells as it seemed to be their practice night.
As a classical player, the folk session was a very gentle introduction for someone like me who is more used to playing from sheet music - books of tunes were available to read from so I could at least contribute rather than try to improvise and having it all go horribly wrong. My previous experience of attending a folk session was frantically trying to keep up in a Derry pub a couple of years ago, rather like trying to jump onto a fast moving train with much music improvised and played by ‘feel’ or memory rather than with structured music.
Even though it was probably obvious to all that I was classical violinist and not a regular folk fiddler, everyone there was very patient with me. I was made to feel very welcome and was impressed at the variety of different instruments people were playing - everything from a harp to a sousaphone, with a common desire to make music together (which is what it’s all about really!). It’d be nice to return again soon and eventually develop the confidence to play comfortably without music!
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