I’m not real sure how many C&Fers are into contra dance music, but here goes:
I’m organizing SummerTunes 2004 (our eighth annual incarnation), set for July 24 in Frederick, MD. It’s a daytime music workshop–rehearsal, really–followed by playing for the regular Mid-Maryland Folk Arts Council contra dance that night.
I’m still assembling the tune book, but it will be available to registered participants on-line before the event (for practicing purposes).
You may also e-mail me at (assemble it yourself) mplank at ladyofthecreek dot com.
All instruments are welcome! We were decidedly short on the bass range last year, but had a clarinet (in C) and a couple of hammered dulcimers.
One caveat–while we’re a friendly, encouraging bunch, beginners may be overwhelmed by the thought of playing at dance speed: 125 to 130 beats per minute (2 beats to the bar for jigs and reels). But you’ll also learn how to cope–like playing the chord note or some other, less frenzied backup technique.
There’s no requirement to stay for the dance, but most participants do. I like to get up and dance sometimes instead of play–and if turnout is good, I’m not missed. (Which is one advantage of playing in a large group–you feel less exposed.)
Do you really expect to play at 125-130 bpm? I’m an experienced contra dance musician, and my feeling is that if we get that fast we’re out of control.
I like to stay in the range of 112-120 bpm. I learned to stick with those numbers 20 years ago in a band workshop with the members of the New England band Swallowtail … who, I see, are doing the June 26 dance for the Mid-Maryland Folk Arts Council.
Maybe dancing has gotten faster on the East Coast?
Well, 130 is TOP speed, but Alexander is a blazing fiddler and often plays at that speed himself. I’ve clocked him at closer to 135 bpm, but I agree that just a titch slower is sometimes easier to play and to dance. He may be pushing the pace in rhearsal to make sure they can handle whatever is thrown at them.
The caller has some input, too, and Ann Fallon (our caller) is also a musician so it is her option to sketch out how fast she wants the dance to go.
Isn’t Swallowtail wonderful? David Canteini has a bombard now and goes absolutely purple when he plays it. It’s clearly an “accent” instrument and not used except for special effect.
Alas, indeed. If you should take leave of your senses and want to organize a similar workshop out there, e-mail me and I’ll either try to talk you out of it or tell you how I do it.
A couple of years ago we had a participant from Colorado…but mostly because she was visiting her sister, another participant.
She brought her massage chair and gave seated massages during the supper break, and used it for both her chair and music stand during the workshop and dance.
