Karen Tweed's blank

Welcome to my website. I play a 72 bass Pigini piano accordion supplied by the Music Room, Cleckheaton Yorkshire England and sometimes the melodica. Irish traditional music was my first love, but I've also delved into Scottish, Swedish, Danish and the music of New England through some great collaborations down the years.... and between tours I teach both privately and at workshops and folk degree courses.

" Tweed's sensibilities straddle classical and traditional modes with the agility of Margot Fonteyn and the fluency of someone bi-lingual since birth. This is a music tethered to neither a time nor a location”. Siobhan Long of the Irish Times.

To arrange bookings and tuition please contact Lorraine Carpenter on:
+44 117 904 1870 / +44 7929 135744 or email: lorraine@differentstrings.co.uk

I've been up to my eyes in workshops and teaching these last few weeks. It's been enormous fun and very inspiring, ranging from teaching MA and BA students in Limerick and Newcastle to intermediate workshops in Taunton and the Bristol / Bath area.

I'm currently planning some new one day accordion workshops in Norwich, London, Gloucestershire, West Sussex, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the south west (including Devon and Cornwall). If you are interested in coming along, please email me and I'll keep you posted.
I'll post specific dates and places in due course.

Karen Tweed and Paul Hutchinson are creating a database / forum of accordionists who would like to be kept informed about accordion related workshops and things that they are involved in. If you would like to join this, please email: caroltinkle@yahoo.co.uk with 'Accordion forum' in the header.

I've been over to Limerick teaching some brilliant MA students my slightly wonky ideas about arranging ensembles and also had a wonderful time at Witney last weekend, surrounded by wall to wall accordions (eek)who came on my first teaching foray into tango and arranging some Astor Piazzola. It was great fun and the Saturday night concert was hilarious; some lovely music from David Oliver, Sam Pirt and Dave Townsend - long may those weekends continue.
For details about all their courses, email: info@handsonmusic.org.uk

I've also been putting finishing touches to 2 Absolute Beginners Piano Accordion Tutorials and in between starting to perform solo; this is proving to be quite inspiring and last Friday's concert at Olive's in Norwich was particularly enjoyable as I heard The Dim Goddess for the first time - delightfully magical songs on the harp - really entrancing.

Meanwhile I'm spending this weekend with my dear friend Muff and we have been planning the next Circa Compania material - very exciting indeed. And. . . . not only am I now a WI member but am joining a knitting circle and a book club. I may never venture out of Norfolk again!!!

Seriously, though, it's fantastic to be here by the sea and there's some great plans afoot - a lot of teaching and courses are coming up as you'll see below; new accordion collaborations with Becky Price and Hannah James; also with Paul Hutchinson and a very exciting project with Sarah Allen.
Hope to see you soon either at a concert, at a dance or discussing knitting needle preferences!

Here's some dates for concerts and workshops for the next few weeks. See the Gig List for more. Have a great time!

And for those of you who are more into dancing, there's a regular dance club, the first Wed of the month:
At Kier Hardy Hall, St Gregory’s Alley Norwich 9-11pm

Finally, here's my favourite club in Bristol:
Jazz at Future Inns
Future Inns Bristol, Cabot Circus Hotel
Bond Street South, Bristol, BS1 3EN
www.futureinns.co.uk/bristol-travel.htm
Ian Storror - Jazz Club Manager/Promoter
Phone: 07766 741 417 e-mail:storror.albertjazz@talk21.com

And also, a new collaboration that had to happen after Folkworks Summer School last year. . .
Sun 25th April: Karen Tweed and friends concert featuring Kevin Dempsey at 4.30pm at Belfry Arts Centre, Overstrand
Tickets: Family (2 adults and 2 kids): £10 / £5
Tel: 01263 576437

I'm also delighted to announce that this CD with Timo Alakotila
'MAY MONDAY' from 2001 is now available again. If you'd like a copy, please send your address and £12 (includes p&p) made payable to K.Tweed to:
Karen Tweed
c/o Carol Tinkle
44 High Street
Overstrand
Norfolk
NR27 0AB
UK

It's an exciting spring ahead - with the re-release of 'Shhh' (myself and Ian Carr); 'Bootleg Panini' (myself and Adrian Burns from 1985!) and I'm guesting on the new releases of both Brooks Williams and Gordon Giltrap.

I’m still playing nursing homes in various areas of the country and enjoying this immensely; teaching privately (email me : caroltinkle@yahoo.co.uk in case I’m coming near you) and not doing much concert work before May as I’m putting time into developing sides of my music that I’ve been wanting to explore for some time. I’ll keep you posted!

Very best wishes

xK