The Palestine Old Time Music Festival 2017

The Palestine Old Time Music Festival is a wonderful annual gathering of traditional musicians in the Pineywoods of East Texas, as part of which concertina players have held a workshop and social gathering since 2004. This year’s concertina workshops and performances will be led by two very well-known players from across the pond. Ann Kirrane (nee Droney) from Tuam, County Galway, plays concertina in the style of her father, famed north Clare player Chris Droney, and is a lovely singer as well; she will teach tunes from her family’s traditions. Roger Digby, of Fordham, Essex, in southeastern England, is well known on the English folk scene and a former member of the group Flowers and Frolics. He will hold workshops on Anglo concertina left hand technique and bellows control. There are daily and nightly concerts, friendly and welcoming jam sessions, and workshops on a wide variety of instruments by a number of superb traditional singers and musicians. Contact Dan Worrall for more information, or visit the concertina page of the festival website.