Hi all
Here we are, Tuesday night and less rain than yesterday (which isn't difficult!)
As is now obvious, I'm not doing any workshops this year. A few folks have come up to me asking if I had decided to take a year out or thought I was able to be there and one kind soul came up and said she was glad to see me as she'd been worrying that I might have been ill! Bizarre, but rather humbling that folks care enough to come up and say.
The facts of the matter are the Festival has decided to give my Absolute Beginners and Improvers workshops (and me) a rest, ringing the changes etc. Quite rightly they said there are other people who know a thing or two about melodeons and it must be said that Bob, Saul, Paul and Pete have a world of good stuff to share.
I actually knew some months back, but didn't think I'd make a big announcement as folks might think I was having a hissy fit. And I sort of assumed people would know what had happened, but clearly they didn't.
It is a pity that there is no opportunity for absolute beginners to try out a new instrument, especially if they don't have access to one and could borrow one from my bank of boxes. Some folks have said they were looking forward to do that very thing and were disappointed.
The Festival did hint that they might go for this particular series of workshops again, as it is a unique opportunity, but we shall have to wait and see.
So there you are. In the meantime, just in case anyone was looking to buy one of my books this year, The Melodeon Tutor, The D/G Chord Book or the D/G Bass Book, they are available from Jon Loomes stall in the Masonic Hall, just down from the Radway.
Here's to better weather and good squeezing all :-)