Kettle Bridge Concertinas
Concertina group based in Maidstone, Kent, UK
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A Wickedly Wonderful Weekend
The West Country Concertina Players held their autumn weekend workshop at the beginning of October and Kettle Bridge was well represented. Everyone seemed to have a great time and improved their expertise no end.
Read all about what happened by clicking here.
Normal Service Is Resumed — Almost!
Following the relaxing of the COVID-19 restrictions, we are mainly reverting to meeting up to play. Our regular sessions will now be as follows —
- Alternate Sundays from 10:00am to 12:00 noon at the Farleighs WI Hall.
The sessions are open to all members and will start easy and slow before progressing to some faster, trickier pieces. - Monday beginners’ session.
Geared to beginners and improvers, we play slowly and steadily, with some teaching thrown in. More experienced players are welcome to join in.
These sessions alternate between the Farleighs WI Hall (from 1:30pm to 3:30pm) and via Zoom (3:00pm to 4:00pm). See the panel on the right for when the next beginners’ session will be in the Hall. - Every Thursday from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Farleighs WI Hall.
This will feature more advanced playing for those who like a challenge and will also be the practice session for any events that we will be attending. Sue can advise if she thinks that you are ready to cope with the standard of playing required.
If you are interested in joining in with any of these, just get in touch with our secretary via our Contact Page.
The Concertina Tinker
Dave Elliott is an associate member of Kettle Bridge Concertinas and a thoroughly useful chap to know. He is an experienced repairer and restorer of traditionally constructed concertinas of all types — large bass through to piccolo — as well as miniature instruments, and all fingering systems.
He is very happy to provide individual advice, event clinics, or group workshops and is the author of 'The Concertina Maintenance Manual'.
For more information, visit his website at http://concertina-repair.org.uk/.
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To find out more...
We always welcome people getting in touch with us, whether to find out more about us, learning the concertina or pretty much anything!
Next beginners’ practice date in the Hall is Mon 6th Dec 2021
Diary
We are hopeful that the events below will take place as scheduled but all are subject to whatever COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines are in place at the time.
Thu 9th December 2021
Christmas Busking at Royal Star Arcade
Come and see us at Royal Star Arcade, near the top of the High Street in Maidstone, where we will be playing Christmas music from 11:00am to 2:00pm.
Please bring a strong singing voice so that you can join in and some loose change to drop into the collection tin!
Thu 16th December 2021
Christmas Busking at Royal Star Arcade
We will be returning to Royal Star Arcade, near the top of the High Street in Maidstone, for a second concert of Christmas music. As before, we will be playing from 11:00am to 2:00pm.
Guaranteed to get you into the Christmas mood and we will be collecting donations for a good cause.
Fri 17th to Sun 19th December 2021
Banding Together's Christmas House Party
J25 Concertina Band is hosting a Christmas House Party workshop at Halsway Manor, Halsway Lane, near Crowcombe, Somerset, TA4 4BD. It will be a relaxed weekend of playing and fun, all with a Christmas theme. It is aimed at competent and fluent players of English system concertinas.
For more details, go to the Banding Together Facebook page.
Please note that the new J25 website is currently under construction. In the meantime, please visit their Facebook page for the latest news.
Sat 12th February 2022
Kettle Bridge Concertinas Drop-in Session at Maidstone Museum
World Concertina Day is being celebrated in February 2022 to mark the 220th birthday of Charles Wheatstone and the 70th birthday of the International Concertina Association. We will be marking the occasion by holding a drop-in session at Maidstone Museum, where people can come and learn a bit more about the concertina, listen to it being played and have a go on one of our club instruments.
We will be there from 10:30am to 3:00pm so do come along and see us. All are welcome!
Fri 18th to Sun 20th March 2022
WCCP Spring Workshop
The West Country Concertina Players Spring Workshop is at Halsway Manor, Halsway Lane, near Crowcombe, Somerset, TA4 4BD. This is aimed at competent and more advanced players.
Sun 12th June 2022
SqueezEast
The SqueezEast Concertina Band Day has been provisionally booked for 12th June in the magnificent ballroom at Stamford Arts Centre, Lincolnshire. Visit their website for all the latest information.