Contents
Teachers Course................2
Editorial
Welcome to our Summer Newsletter
and Motivation. More than 400
people came together in the concerts,
workshops, social events and contests.
Hearing and taking part in so much
very good music surely meant that
many people went home enthused and
even starting the countdown to the next
rally. I was delighted to see that our
AGM was supported by 54 members –
the highest number recorded since the
Federation’s inception in 1929.
The next Federation events are
our Summer School in June and our
Teachers Course starting in October
(see below).
I hope you will all have a great
(musical) summer with things which
inspire and motivate you.
Noticeboard.....................17
In this issue you will be able to read
reviews and results from our Rally in
Bristol. I felt this was a very successful
event which was organised in a truly
excellent way by the Bristol Mandolin
Ensemble. There were many examples
of the excellent organisation, both big
and small, including the team at the
door always there to answer questions
and show people the way to rooms
and events, the well-selected venue,
the numerous and varied selection
of workshops, and the timetable –
especially the contest timetable which
went very smoothly.
The Rally is the main event in our
Federation calendar since it brings
together the biggest two factors which
keep our Federation going: Inspiration
Diary of Events................18
British BMG Federation Teachers Course 2014
2014 Rally Reviews....... 3-8
Rally Contest Results.........9
Music.........................10, 11
A P Sharpe......................12
Events.............................13
Book Review...................14
Aphrodite and the Banjo..14
Banjo Technique..............15
Vice Presidents................16
• President
Louis de Bernières
• Vice President
Frances Taylor
• Editor
Barbara Pommerenke-Steel
01698 457518
[email protected]
• Assistant Editor and
Membership Secretary
Sandra Woodruff 0117 9672286
[email protected]
• Newsletter Design
Nigel Gatherer
• Website
www.banjomandolinguitar.org
Results of AGM held
during Rally Weekend
All proposals were carried, these being
two changes to the constitution relating
to quorum at ordinary meetings and
finance, and introduction of family
membership from 2015 at £22. The 6
committee nominees were re-elected
to their posts and Frances Taylor’s
appointment as new Vice President was
accepted.
2
T
he British BMG Federation is pleased
to announce the 2014 Mandolin
Teachers Course will begin in October.
It will be held over four residential
weekends, two of which will be FridaySunday (three days) and two
Friday-Monday (four days).
The location of weekends will
alternate between
Abington Hotel, South
Lanarkshire, Scotland and
Villiers Park Centre,
Cambridgeshire, England.
Lead course tutor will be Dr
Stefanie Rauch who
currently teaches in Germany
and who was a key speaker
at the 2013 BMG Symposium
and a tutor on the two previous
Federation Teachers Courses. She will
be assisted by Barbara PommerenkeSteel and Eddie Smith, Chair and
Vice-Chair respectively of the BMG
Federation.
The course contents will involve
participants in developing instrumental
technique, teaching methodology,
mandolin history and repertoire, and
teaching practice through individual
lessons, workshops and observation.
Participants will be asked to complete
tasks between the weekends which will
mostly focus on teaching practice and
allow participants to develop skills
at their own pace. The course will
enable participants to sit either of the
two Mandolin Teaching Diplomas which
are available and thus gain a formal
qualification.
The costs for the course include all
tuition (group and individual), all
lectures and presentations as well as
course materials (excluding sheet
music) and assessments. The total cost,
without accommodation, will be
£700.00. The cost of accommodation at
course venues will be advised later
and will be specific to the particular
Barbara
venue and individual requirements.
For further information about the
course or for a more detailed leaflet,
please contact course co-ordinator
Barbara Pommerenke-Steel by email
at pommerenke_steel@
yahoo.co.uk or Eddie
Smith at all.smiths@
btinternet.com
You can register for the
course by sending a deposit
of £100.00 by 15th
August 2014:
* By cheque payable to
the British BMG Federation,
to Eddie Smith,
56 Tuphall Road, Hamilton
ML3 6TB, Scotland or
*
By bank transfer to British BMG
Federation, Bank of Scotland, Sort
Code 80-08-09, Account number
06002596
Member Discounts
• The Music Room – 10% discount
is offered to members either at www.
themusicroom-online.co.uk or by
telephoning 01274 852020. Quote
bmgfed when placing an order.
• Newstrings – BMG Federation
members can get 10% discount on
orders over £10 at http://newstrings.
co.uk and the discount applies to all
products from the site including special
offers and quantity discounted prices.
The discount code is BMG311 which
you will be asked for when you view
your cart or go to checkout. Delivery is
free on UK orders over £12.
• Victoria College of Music – VCM
offers 10% discount to BMG Federation
Members on Mandolin Music ordered
through the post from their in-house
publisher London Music Press, 52 Bedford
Row, London WC1R 4LR tel. 0207
4056483. The order form asks for your
BMG Fed