Concertina Weekend at Kilmory

As I set out on a Friday morning from Glasgow to Ardrossan and the Arran ferry I wondered if I needed my head examined. I was going to shut myself in a hostel at the far corner of the island till Monday morning with fourteen complete strangers to play concertinas. They would all be better musicians than me. We would be playing music that would frequently baffle me. We would be sleeping in bunks – eight to a room – relying on God-knows-what food and drink. And it would rain ceaselessly. Indeed, it was already raining.

But there are so few people who are mad enough to play a concertina. So my attempts to play one either take place in groups who all play other instruments; or they are a lonesome, late-night practice in my Glasgow flat. I was getting into bad musical habits and making little progress. That’s why I had resolved to give the “Arran Concertina Event” a try.

Led by Samantha Payn (you can email her at: samantha@boorertranslations.com ) this week-end project has been going for six years. So there must be something about it that brings musicians back to Kilmory Lodge again and again.

They were assembling as I arrived: four from England; four from Holland – in a small car stuffed with rucksacks and instruments, enduring fourteen hours on the overnight ferry to Newcastle before driving to Ardrossan – and six from Scotland. Samantha did a great job. She has a talent for unobtrusive leadership that gets everyone happily involved in planning the days, choosing and playing the music, preparing food and doing the washing up. Between us we had a flute, two mandolins, a banjo, some uilleann pipes, a melodeon, guitar, two fiddles and a bouzouki, as well as four kinds of concertina.

After working together in groups playing different music and having great evening sessions around the kitchen table, we went on Sunday to play in two well-known bars with Arran musicians who gave us a warm welcome. In the hostel, food was plentiful and good, there was a barrel of excellent beer, bottles of whisky, and plenty of hot water for showers when needed. And – most important – everyone was encouraging and helpful, no-one was humiliated, and I learned new tunes and a good deal about the beautiful little instrument I play.

And yes, it rained ceaselessly, till after our departure on Monday morning. But no-one let this get them down, which shows what a great experience we all had. Next year’s event runs from October 5th to 8th.

Samantha Payn adds,‘The delicious hot meals were provided by Robert Marr of the Old Pier Tea Room, and all I had to do was make them available for the musicians to heat up and dish out.’