Form filled out and ready to go. Hope you don't mind a couple of 'TBAs' petrat.

We'll do ours tomorrow and get it in the post. Really looking forward to it!

Form posted!

Well done. I may be off line for two or three days (Lots of stuff to do and a deadline). I will answer any questions soon.

OK - I'll email/PM you if any of the TBAs get filled in in the meantime.

I have pushed the boat out...

...and bought a new kazoo.

It's very nice. A sort of gold-ish colour.

Next purchase - a garklein.

I am going to be popular with the neighbours

That's just reminded me - need to get one of those . . . . a garklein!!

Memo to self: Have garklein. Must get earplugs...

That Saturday afternoon, people will be able to know which direction Anglesey is in by the sounds they hear

Misterjay tells me that (relatively) cheap tickets to Bangor are now available from Virgin Trains.

Just off to try some of the food for our post- concert grub.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Anglesey was/is known as 'the bread basket of Wales'. That being the case, I shall assume the food is wonderful.

If you are thinking of coming to the Anglesey meet on March 8th and 9th PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get those forms in asap and any the accomps for any solo pieces too. I have had but one accomp. so far. (Thanks KJ) We have a professional accompanist coming to help out on Saturday so get those copies to me if you want him to accompany you. The form is to be found on the Events calendar under the Anglesey Meeting details.

What about accomps. for possible use on the Sunday?
I think I need to give you a clue about what I'm playing too.......

We don't have Arwel for the Sunday performance alas so we will have to do any accomps ourselves, or choose things that are unnaccompanied. Let me have copies of anything that you want to play and I'll see what I can do. There are some friendly pianists here.

Ok.
Will email with my piece for Saturday later too.
It's time I made a decision.

Oh ######, I'm really behind the times here, Will look at train times and see if it's do-able.

When I was in Anglesey last Christmas, I found it very hard to get a mobile signal anywhere on the island. Maybe it's OK just over the Menai Straits, but in the Benllech area, I couldn't get one at all. Just thought I'd mention it cos it makes it a bit more difficult to liaise about meeting up on the Friday....

We've not yet booked our train, hoping to do so tomorrow, I'll let people know as soon as it's done what sort of time we will be arriving.

Petrat would you be prepared to let me have your landline number in case.

Thanks

Wonder if that varies depending on which mobile phone company you use?...

Shall we let each other know where we are all staying then, in case we have to get in touch that way??
Daisy chain and I are staying at the Sea View Guest House in Benllech.
Petra, I don't need an accompanist.
I have purchased a kazoo, and yes, it's red

Beverley.

Yours is better than mine then, mine's a sort of muddy goldy sort of colour!

Time to add the latest news I think. I have been offline for ages for several reasons but am back now.

The Saturday afternoon concert is looking very full and interesting. There are several performers staying over to play at Plas Newydd on Sunday.

I have booked the venue from 9.30 on Saturday. I am going to take my digital piano and keyboard there as the piano is not as good as it should be. The accompanist will be quite happy with that. I hope that the three piano soloists will be too. Stumac should be OK I think as he plays on a clavinova when it isn't being munched by mice. It is a decent instrument and has the great advantage of being tunable if any of the wind instruments don't agree with A 440. I did look into getting the church one tuned but I know that it will get moved again and bashed by the kids club members so decided against it.

The large group items will be: Madrigal Choir, Recorder Group, Raspberry band, Gaggle of Garkleins and the Grand Finale. It looked full enough without a Welsh item from the choir so we will use that in 2009!

I have booked a smallish bus from Benllech to the Glass Studio . on to Harry's Bistro and back to Benllech. This will save anyone getting lost en route. If the people staying in places other than Benllech would like to be collected on saturday morning please let me know. If you want to make your way to Benllech in your own cars and then use the bus that's fine. There is safe parking outside of the church and in the car park opposite. You can leave them there and come on the bus. If you don't want to use the bus please let me know asap as I will try to order a smaller one. I am assured that anything left on the bus will be totally safe.

Arwel is doing the accomp'ing for a really budget price, bless him. The venue is at a low price too. The meal is also on a budget especially for us. The cost will be £12.50 a head for two courses, or £15.50 for three courses.

They are letting us into Plas Newydd for free too. (Anglesey is very good like that!) And Mike from the Glass studio is opening it for us too at no charge, and he is supplying tea and coffee. There are some very interesting and thought provoking pieces of art glass there and when I was there a couple of days ago I had the bright idea that some of them would make really good subjects for musical improvisations. If anyone would fancy having a go at improvising to a piece of art glass or to a glass picture feel free. I may well try with a recorder.

I must let everyone know my telephone contact numbers and then we can arrange anything else. You can PM me here if you need to.


On Friday I shall be teaching until 7.30. I have cancelled the choir practice after that. If anyone needs meeting from the station let me know. I will add some lists later this evening so that you will all know what instruments to bring.

That's all for now.

No it isn't! One more thing. We have a buffet lunch provided in the church so no-one needs bring any grub or drinks. There will be a good choice of all sorts of nice stuff.

Wow! Sounds great! Is there anywhere to change at the church or should we come in our glad rags from the start?

Thanks for all your efforts, Ratty x

*I have a lovely new comb and piece of paper for the Raspberry Band!*

Oooh, brilliant, thanks!

Sounds perfect.
Bev.

Sounds fantastic, Petrat. Thanks for all your hard work

Wow!! You are mega organised. I will PM you tomorrow to let you know what's happening with us.

I don't think that I have ever called in so many favours in my entire life! Still, what goes around comes aropund as they say.

I need a list of people who are planning to come on the bus to tell the man with the busses what size we need.

There is room to change in the church by the way. We can either use the kitchen or the large loo.

I have ordered sunshine too.

Misterjay and I (and therefore by extension the passengers of the Katyjay Taxi Service - Andante and Barry) would like to be on the bus, please Petrat.

Thanks

I'm on the bus too please Petra.
Bev.

I'm fairly certain we will be too please Petra.

And us, please

Me too please!


PS What you've organised sounds brilliant, really looking forward to it

Just what I was going to type!

Am I right in thinking we need to bring stands if we are able?

Yes please. I have five but we will need some more.

One more for the bus, please!

Have you got a programme order for Saturday petrat, or will it be a surprise on the day?

Is the church easy to find?

Also about what time will the meal be?
Need to know how many Alka Selter I have to pack.....

The running order will be a surprise on the day. Arwel is getting to the church on time, at twelve o'clock to run through things that he will accompany. I will be there at 9.15 or a little after and we will run through group items etc first. I have a digital piano to unload too; not heavy but a hand would be useful.

We will be starting the concert at 2.30. The bus is booked for 6.15 to go to the glass studio and the coach is getting us to the Bistro to eat at 8.00p.m.

St Andrews Church is very easy to find. I will add more direstions this evening. It is on the main road through Benllech opposite the small shopping area and car park. It is a modern building with lots of large windows at the front.

I have these names down for the evening meal:

Sbhoa (2) Katyjay, Andante, MrJ, that well known typing error,;Batty Clari, Daisy Chain, The Old Lady, Hillyb (2) Notmusicmum (5) Stumac, Skylark, Petrat, (almost forgot me) PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE LEFT ANYONE OUT AS I NEED TO CONFIRM NUMBERS ASAP.

Cool. I like surprises!

I'll help out with any lifting/carrying as necessary.

Looking forward to it - have packed most of my case now.

Thank you for that offer of help Batty. There will be music, my instruments, stands and the buffet lunch to unpack.

Directions to Benllech:

Anglesey is easy to find! Just follow the signs for Holyhead.
When you cross over the Menai Straits and onto Anglesey itself do not take the first left turn left towards Llanfairpg. Take the second slipway to the left on the road towards Amlwch. Turn right at the top of this slipway and go straight ahead. You will come to a roundabout at a pub called The Four Crosses. take the second turn off this roundabout. This will take you straight to Benllech. You will pass through the village of Pentraeth. Do keep to the 30 limits here. there are fixed cameras and often a man in a van. Continue through Pentraeth and on for a couple of miles or so and you will reach Benllech. There is a small shopping precinct on the left with a parking area infront. St Andrews Church is on your right opposite this. Give it a wave as you pass. If you are staying at Rhianfa Farmhouse you will have passed it a couple of hundred yards back on your right. Oops! If you are staying at Sea View B & B take the right turn past the church by the fish and chippy and opposite the garage. Sea View is at the end of this road and right on the sea front. If you are staying in Moelfre carry on through the village of Benllech and keep going for a couple of miles. At the next roundabout turn down into Moelfre by taking the second turn down the hill. (Don't take the smaller road straight ahead.)



We are not having a string group so KJ need not bring her fiddle. The Raspberry band will need wide bore recorders, soprano, alto and tenor if you have them, and any other odd things such as well tuned kazoos, combs and san izal loo paper reeds, bombarde, pocket clarinet , ocarinas if you can play them well, any bass instruments, (a bassoon would be GREAT!) etc.

Grub will be provided and drinks too. Please bring music stands if you can too.

Hazel has worked out a very classy menu for us with a slightly Welsh touch and at a very reduced price. The Bistro is a lovely place to eat and relax. The Glass Studio sells rather nice earrings and small pieces of stained glass as well as much larger and very expensive pieces. Raid the piggy bank if you want to treat yourselves.

If I forget please will someone remind me to get you all to sign the card for Arwel too.

Pm me if you have any more questions please.

Sounds fab - see you soon petrat!

Hope you're all having a grand time!

My sentiments exactly!

Thanks! I've just got home. It went really well - a thoroughly enjoyable day. I now know what a garklein looks (and sounds!) like!

Well, I for one had a really great time. Some of my "baby" singers sang and I was delighted with them. Especially the lady who had had only three lessons! (She is seventy by the way!)
The Raspberry Band and the Garklein Ensemble had to be heard to be believed. The Forumites can now sing Happy Birthday in Welsh and someone sang a very high note that caused the church roof to leak! Arwel did a very good job with all of the accomps that we flung at him too. A good day.