News from the Lute Society

1 DON’T FORGET! LUTE PLAYING DAY IN HACKNEY THIS SATURDAY, 26th APRIL

The next Lute Society Playing day, led once again by Stewart McCoy will take place in Hackney, London, on Saturday 26th April. Stewart will tailor the music to suit all abilities. Beginners are particularly welcome and special arrangements will be made for them.

The day will start at 10.30ish and formal playing will continue till 6.30, informal playing and singing will go on as late as people wish. Attendees are invited to bring as many lutes and other early plucked instruments as they can (bass or other unusual-sized lutes especially)—playing lots of different instruments is one of the pleasures of the day—a music stand, food and drink contributions to a buffet lunch, and supper if they wish to stay on in the evening. The cost will not be more than £12.

The venue is Gordon’s Gregory’s house: 18 Meynell Crescent, Hackney, London E9 7AS (tel: 020 8985 7422 e: gordon@gordongregory.co.uk).

If you need directions just ask and he will send or give them. Directions to Gordon’s house can be found at: http://www.gordongregory.co.uk/.

If you want to come, email Gordon at gordon@gordongregory.co.uk

2. OUD EVENT TOMORROW, FRIDAY
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON - SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDYINSTITUTE OF MUSICAL RESEARCH

MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA MUSIC FORUM
Friday April 25th 2008Room ST 274/5, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B (adjacent to Senate House)9.30am – 6.30pm

PROGRAMME
Abstracts of papers available at:http://music.sas.ac.uk/imr-events/imr-conferences-colloquia-performance-events/middle-east-and-central-asia-music-forum/abstracts.html#c1398

• Registration (from 9.30am) and Welcome (9.45am)
  
• Session 1 (10 - 11.45am)Tala Jarjour (University of Cambridge)Syriac Chant:


• Problematizing a New-Old Story. Work in Progress
  Nahro Zagros (University of York)Songs for the Dead: Funeral Gatherings of the Êzdis in Armenia


• 11.45am - tea/coffee
  
• Session 2 (12.15 – 1pm) Hany El Hamzawy (Goldsmiths London)The Oud in the Era of Ethnomusicology
  
• 1pm – Lunch break
  
• Session 3 (2.30 - 4.15pm)Carolyn Landau (City University)Remembering and Reminiscing: Music and Meaning amongst Moroccans in London Parmis Mozafari (University of Leeds)A Historical Overview of the Condition of Women Musicians in Iran
  
• 4.15 - 5.15pm tea/coffee and final discussion session


• 5.30 - 6.30pmEvening RecitalEgyptian Oud player Hany El Hamzawi will present a range of performance styles from across the Middle East and beyond.

The Middle East and Central Asia Music forum is open to researchers, students and anyone interested in the music and culture of the region. In the spirit of fostering dialogue and interdiscplinarity, we hope that the issues discussed at the forum will be of interest to a broad audience, including musicologists, ethnomusicologists and other researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

In addition, we welcome those working on other aspects of Middle Eastern and Central Asian culture broadly speaking (dance, visual arts, media, film, literature, etc.) Advance booking is requested via Valerie James at music@sas.ac.uk; a contribution to costs of £10 is requested on the door. Attendance for students and the unwaged is free.

3 OUD AND VOICE CONCERT 7th MAY

The first one is as part of a coptic easter party this saturday near Turnpike lane at Muna's Restaurant. Start 8/9pmPlease check http://www.munasrestaurant.com/ for directions and details.
The second one is a lunchtime concert on Wednesday the 7th of May at St Olave's Church, London, a small medieval church, so should be lovely.The address is

St Olave Church
8 Hart Street
London EC3R 7NB

4. GUITAR DUO CONCERT 3rd MAY

John Mills and Cobie Smit in Concert
Saturday 3rd May 2008 8pm The Point Eastleigh, Hampshire

TICKETS: £12.50 (usual concessions £10) Box Office 023 8065 2333

John Mills is regarded as one of Britain's finest concert guitarists. He graduated from the Royal College of Music and studied with three of the world's finest players: John Williams, Julian Bream and Andres Segovia. He is particularly associated with 20th century romantic works made famous by Segovia. John performed on many occasions to the great master Segovia who commented that "Mr Mill's playing has a purity of technique and musical sensitivity". It is difficult to imagine a better accolade.

Cobie Smit was born in Rotterdam and studied at the conservatory there, later going on to The Hague where she complete her studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Cobie and John formed a duo in the 1980's and together they have toured both nationally and internationally.

Southampton Classical Guitar Society is extremely proud that John Mills is their Honorary President. The concert, with John in duo with Cobie, promises to be a superb event.

Presented by Southampton Classical Guitar Society
http://www.scgs-guitar.org.uk/
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