HarmonicaUK Newsletter - August 2023

Hello everyone, 

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the (slightly damp) summer. 

Festivals and Chromatic Weekend

As Suzy has noted above, we've all been busy preparing for our upcoming festival at the end of October. Just in case you're in a position of not being sure whether to book a place or not, I feel it important to release the news now that the Committee have decided to take some time off of organising the Chromatic Weekend, so there will be no Chromatic Weekend in 2024. We simply don't have enough volunteers with time to organise two events every year - we have been working on this year's October Festival since the week following the 2022 festival, it takes a lot of time and energy to organise a weekend event. 

So, we will only be running one live event in 2024, which will be at the end of October as usual. So if you want a live harmonica event fix, get your booking in for this year's festival now. At the time of writing, we have a fair few weekend tickets available, but only have one room left of the on-site accommodation. Please email [email protected] if you would like to book the one remaining on-site room. Once that goes, there are quite a few hotels very close to the venue. All details at:
https://www.harmonica.uk/events/harmonicauk-annual-festival-2023

Competition!

We are taking video entries for our 2023 Harmonica Competition. It's open to all, and we have a good number of categories including Chromatic, Diatonic, and Junior. Entries all get really helpful feedback from our experienced adjudicator, David Beer, and category winners will be announced at the festival. Please check out all the details on our competition page:
https://www.harmonica.uk/pages/harmonicauk-festival-2023-competition

Saturday Session Workshop with Rachelle Plas -12th August

Join us on Saturday 12th August at 5pm UK time for this hour long Zoom session with HarmonicaUK ambassador Rachelle Plas. In this one hour members only workshop, learn melodies, riffs and effects to play the Blues with a chance to ask questions at the end. This is definitely one not to be missed! 

Here is the members only zoom code:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85473243720?pwd=WjBXc2Q5b2FTeEdJY05rWFl6VWk1Zz09 Meeting ID: 854 7324 3720
Passcode: 297401 

Finally, HarmonicaUK relies on volunteers to function, to produce the magazine, newsletters and put on events. HarmonicaUK relies particularly on our Membership Secretary to function, given we are a membership organisation; our current memsec, after 20 years on the committee in various roles, is retiring at the AGM this October. If you are good at administration and have an hour a week to spare to help us keep our membership database in order, please get in touch.  

We are also keen to keep up a regular presence online, and need some help on the communications team, specifically in working with our social media. If you have experience in social media and have an hour a week to spare, please get in touch. Please contact [email protected] if you have time to spare helping us with either membership or social media. All the team at HarmonicaUK are volunteers, we're all friendly, and volunteer because we enjoy it. Plus you get to know lots of great players, and pick up some really useful harmonica tips along the way!

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.

Happy Harpin'

Barry

Barry Elms
Chair