Piano Accordion Workshop Weekend (Levels 1-3)
Our accordion workshop weekend is a chance for Level 1 to Level 3 accordionists to grab a whole bag of pick’n’mix techniques and tips from three brilliant players and tutors.
Course leader Paul Hutchinson will be joined once again by Tamsin Elliot, multi-instrumentalist, composer and film-maker, as well as leading UK folk accordionist and composer Amy Thatcher.
The weekend offers workshops honing technique, repertoire and interpretation of folk tunes and accompaniment, as well as a chance to look at creating your own tunes and playing together. There will also be time for informal evening sessions and tune sharings.
Who is it for?
This course is for Beginner to Intermediate players. We recommend having a look at our accordion course levels to find out if this course would be suitable for you.
You’ll need to be able to read music, and in the higher levels, know your way around your instrument with some degree of confidence. If you consider yourself to be Level 1, a willingness to learn is key! You’ll also need to have your own instrument.
The Team
Paul Hutchinson studied piano and church organ before being persuaded at the age of 17 to take up the accordion and form a ceilidh band. Since then he’s become one of the best-known and in-demand players on the folk scene. In the UK and beyond, he was one half of duo Belshazzar’s Feast, trio Hoover the Dog, Pagoda Project (with Karen Wimhurst), and PLF. Paul is a regular tutor and musician at Halsway Manor, and has been the accordion tutor for EFDSS at Cecil Sharp House.
Tamsin Elliott is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and film-maker with roots in the traditional dance tunes of the British Isles. Her solo debut album ‘FREY’ (Penny Fiddle Records, 2022) established her as a rising star on the folk scene, with The Guardian praising her “beautiful, filmic compositions for accordion, harp, whistle and voice”. Tamsin’s cross-cultural collaboration with oud player Tarek Elazhary, which explores Egyptian and English folk traditions whilst celebrating connection and friendship, was nominated for a Songlines Music Award. Delving into themes of personal struggle and grief, her music offers a poignant reflection on the human experience.
Amy Thatcher a North East England-based accordionist, is one of the UK’s leading folk musicians, known for collaborations with Kathryn Tickell, Sting, The Shee, and Monster Ceilidh Band. A Newcastle University Folk Music graduate, her career includes international performances, solo albums, and cross-genre projects, earning acclaim for her innovation in global folk music.