Newsletter from Hope Hoffman & Free Grange, July 18, 2008
www.hopehoffman.org ~ www.freegrange.org
To be on our mailing list (sent out just 4 times per year), you can sign up here for our quarterly e-mail newsletter.
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It’s looking to be a full summer! Lots of concerts, new projects and weddings – you can check www.hopehoffman.org for details about upcoming events, and link here to download-able flyers and posters.
The CD “Infinite Winter Squash:
New Maine Fiddle Music” was reviewed by Jeff Trippe for www.Mainefolkmusic.com.
You can visit the site for the full review plus a great array of concert listings
and other info. Here is an excerpt: "Hope's
waltzes ... convey an original sensibility, with particular passages which
more hip reviewers might be inclined to call 'edgy,' and yet she has captured
the sweetness of the waltz, that faraway quality which speaks to our instincts
for things which exist simply for the sake of their own beauty." Master
fiddler and sweet soul Greg Boardman (www.bowandstring.com) also penned a review, excerpted here: “Pure New
England fiddle music, proud of its rural past, relishing the present ... The
performances are inviting, warm, energized and straight ahead, with a bit
of mischief thrown in."
CDs are available at concerts, online at CDbaby.com, at many Maine retailers including the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, and at natural food stores in Augusta, Damariscotta, Freeport, Rockland and Rockport. A portion of sales of the CD goes to the Organization For Transformative Farming (www.OTFinc.org) when purchased at: Cafe Bon-Bon, Harvest Time Natural Foods, Royal River Natural Foods, Good Tern Co-op, Fresh off the Farm, and Rising Tide Community Market.
Original tunes from the CD are available as sheet music at www.hopehoffman.org/kittlishtunebook.htm.
I’m still teaching private violin/fiddle lessons in Topsham, Farmington, Rockland and Richmond, as well as Group Music Lessons: Introduction to Fiddle Music in downtown Richmond. [download printable poster here]
I’m also available for public performances, dance music and house concerts featuring my new fiddle tunes, along with traditional tunes, plus a few a capella ballads. And, a program called the Kids' Dance Party, a 45-minute session of informal creative movement games and folk dances, all with live fiddle/guitar music.
A full calendar and details about upcoming events is at www.hopehoffman.org/calendar.htm.
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The biggest news is a new project combining local food and music. Come enjoy fiddle music, food and community dances organized by Free Grange (www.freegrange.org), a project designed to support the success and popularity of fresh, neighborly food sources.
Free Grange™ Productions offers partnerships to organizations seeking to raise funds and increase public awareness of their own food-related projects. Partnerships can involve community events such as barn dances and public suppers, retail of Free Grange™ products such as CDs and artwork, and live music to enhance the enjoyment of meals at restaurants, house parties and family events.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Series of folk dance classes and fiddle concerts including samples of and information about local farm foods, on the first Sunday of each month September-November in Topsham. Advance registration/payment required by August 20 for group dance classes. Details are at www.hopehoffman.org/calendar.htm.
Link here to download Harvest Music & Dance ~ Concerts & Classes in Topsham (poster)
Link here to download Harvest Music & Dance ~ Concerts & Classes in Topsham (brochure)
Sundays September 7, October 5 and November 2, Harvest Series concerts of original and traditional New England fiddle tunes and songs, presented by Hope Hoffman and her various bands, from 3:00-4:15 p.m.. Free farm-fresh snacks will be served before and after the concert and at intermission. At HeartSpeak Studio, 56 Elm St. (Route 24), Topsham, Maine. Admission fees: Free for ages 12 and younger; for ages 12 and over, $10 per concert per person at the door. Advance tickets for the series of 3 concerts are $20 at Red Dragon Toys or by mail (payable to Hope Hoffman, PO Box 171, Bowdoinham, ME 04008). Details and audio samples at www.freegrange.org and (207) 332-3459.
Thursday, July 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will be our sixth session of the "Kid's Dance Party" at the Children's Museum of Maine in Portland. Children ages 5-10, accompanied by parents, are invited to drop in and join the fun at this informal session of games, creative movement and simple traditional dances with live fiddle and guitar music. 142 Free Street, (207) 828-1234. Free with museum admission.
Friday, August 1 at 7 p.m. concert of original and traditional tunes and ballads with Hope Hoffman & Kittlish trio (www.kittlish.com) at Rock City Books & Coffee (formerly Second Read, near the Strand theater), 328 Main St,, Rockland, Maine. (207) 594-4123. Open session at 9 p.m.; you can bring an instrument if you'd like to join in. Seating is limited; you can arrive early to enjoy casual dining, beer and wine.
Series of folk dance classes and fiddle concerts including samples of local farm foods and information about the farms, on the first Sunday of each month September-November in Topsham. Advance registration/payment required by August 20 for group dance classes. This Harvest Music & Dance Series is a production of www.freegrange.org. [download poster to print]
Sunday, August 24 from 1-3 p.m. at North Star Music Cafe Hope Hoffman and Jeff Trippe will perform original and traditional fiddle tunes and songs. At 225 Congress St. (near Munjoy Hill), Portland, Maine (207) 699-299. As part of www.freegrange.org, a portion of CD sales at the concert goes to the Organization For Transformative Farming.
Friday, August 29 from 8-10 p.m. at Sweet Leaves Teahouse in Brunswick, Maine. Hope Hoffman and Jeff Trippe will play Scots-Irish and Americana fiddle tunes and ballads. At 22 Pleasant Street, (207) 725-1376.
On occasional Saturdays this summer we'll provide festive acoustic music at the Bath Farmer's Market, via www.freegrange.org. The market is open Thursdays and Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-noon through October, at the Waterfront Park on Commercial Street, Bath, Maine (click here for map).
Friday, September 12 listen for music by Hope Hoffman & Kittlish trio (www.kittlish.com) and talking about Free Grange (www.freegrange.org), 7:30-9 p.m. on WMPG's "Local Motives" program.
Saturday, September 13 Hope Hoffman will lead creative movment with live fiddle music at the St. Lawrence Arts & Community Center 11 a.m.-noon. 76 Congress St (on Munjoy Hill), Portland, ME 04101. 775-5568 [link here to directions]
Saturday, Sept. 27 Hope Hoffman & Kittlish trio (www.kittlish.com) will be performing at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. at the Punkinfiddle festival (www.punkinfiddle.org), a National Estuaries Day Celebration at the historic Laudholm Farm in Wells, Maine. This annual fall festival features environmental education, wholesome food, farm animals, and children's activities. Hope will also be leading a creative movement session around 10 a.m. Rain or shine at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, (207) 646-1555. Admission is $10 a carload.
Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Barn Dance in partnership with the Organization For Transformative Farming (www.OTFinc.org), a production of www.freegrange.org. Fiddle music by Hope Hoffman and dance instruction by Bill Olson, at Saco Grange #53, 168 North St. (Route 112 ), Saco, ME 04072. Contact Bob Murray at (207) 838-0964 or e-mail bobmur[at]gwi[dot]net.
Sundays September 28 and October 19, returning for more concerts at Café Bon-Bon in Lewiston, Maine from 12:30-2:30 p.m.. Traditional and original fiddle tunes and songs by Hope Hoffman, with Jim Berrier on guitar and harmonica. The café's soup and sandwich menu features native produce. 205 Main St/Route 202 (about a mile from Lisbon St./Route 196), (207) 783-8200. As part of www.freegrange.org, a portion of CD sales at the café goes to the Organization For Transformative Farming. You can listen to audio of Hope and Jim's dance music here. [download poster to print]
Friday, October 17 Barn Dance and Harvest Supper with fiddle music by Hope Hoffman and dance instruction by Bill Olson, at the Saco River Grange Hall, 29 Salmon Falls Rd, Bar Mills, ME 04004. In partnership with the Organization For Transformative Farming (www.OTFinc.org), as part of www.freegrange.org. Contact Pat Packard (207) 929-6472.
A complete calendar of upcoming events is at www.hopehoffman.org/calendar.htm.
Enjoy! Warm wishes,
Hope
Contributions of a brief quote/reference about my work, or photos/video of an event you’ve attended, are gratefully welcomed!
If you know someone who’d like to be added to the mailing list, sent out only 4 times each year, they can sign up here on www.hopehoffman.org.
(207) 332-3459 ~ E-mail ~ PO Box 171, Bowdoinham, ME 04008 ~ www.hopehoffman.org
Audio samples from the CD: Neofa Farewell (tune and recording © Hope Hoffman 2007) 8th of February (tune and recording © Hope Hoffman 2007)
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Bowdoinham String Band Traditional
acoustic music for Styles range from lyrical
waltzes to toe-tapping tunes, and include Irish and Scottish, French
Canadian, American roots from the South and West, English and Welsh, and Scandinavian. Solo violin/fiddle |
Kittlish Presenting
Hope Hoffman's original fiddle and viola tunes We're called upon mainly for concerts, dances and parties. Hope Hoffman, fiddle, viola, voice Hugh McGinness, cittern, crosstuned guitar and, if we're lucky, jaw harp Larry Burkett, guitar |
Hope Hoffman & Jim Berrier With vigor, nuance and good humor, high-energy tunes for contra dances and barn dances. Jim Berrier got his rhythm chops on guitar and harmonica accompanying longtime dance harmonica player Fred Legere at the Norlands Living History Center's barn dances. Fred's repertoire is based on Don Messer's. Later on, Hope played
the Norlands dances Then, one evening, Jim and Hope showed up to play for the same dance. Jim had forgotten his guitar so he played the spoons. The next time, he brought his guitar. So, a new duo was born! |
About Hope Hoffman ~ Links ~ Contact & Mailing List
Building Community through Music, Theater and Dance.
www.hopehoffman.org