Members of Moonrakers return to Halsway Manor bringing their exciting and dynamic Folk Orchestra event for musicians and singers, now over a weekend!
Whether you play bowed, fretted or reed instruments, whistles or flutes, or simply like to sing, you are very welcome on this course.
You’ll work on your own improvised arrangements of folk tunes and songs, guided by the tutors, in big and small groups. You’ll be able to download resources (sheet music and sound files) for the week in advance of the course via a link sent out to participants. The idea is not to just learn tunes but to look in detail at how they can be arranged for a mixed ensemble of instruments. The sound files will provide the skeleton of the tune itself and the beginnings of an arrangement. What you may come up with together as the group works with the tune could be very different!
In the evenings, there will opportunities to showcase some of your own material.
Sunday night B&B is available if you’d like to add an extra night on to your stay.
If you’re looking for a longer Folk Orchestra course, Moonrakers will also be with us in March.
Who is it for?
This Folk Orchestra Weekend is aimed at instrumentalists and singers with some experience under their belts. You’ll need a good understanding of your instrument and to be open to working in small and larger groups and trying new ways of working. Diatonic instruments are welcome.
You’ll need to be able to read music but there’ll be no requirement to learn by ear.
Don’t worry if you’ve been on the course before, there will be plenty of new material to choose from!
You should be happy to look at at least some of the material in advance. Please print out the music and bring a music stand and a notebook/pencil.
The Team
The tutors are two of Moonrakers’ members – Jon Bennett (guitar, bouzouki, ukulele, whistles, vocals) and Jacqui Johnson (cello, fiddle, whistle, vocals). Both tutors have many years’ experience of running enjoyable workshops and folk orchestras across the country.