Courseday 7th of October 2023
Registration has started
Always wanted to learn how to play the hurdy-gurdy or bagpipe? Or are you an advanced player who wants to improve his or her playing?
This will be possible during the Courseday of Draailier and Doedelzak. During this day there will be hurdy-gurdy, bagpipe and other music courses for the
beginner and the advanced player. Lack of an instrument is not an excuse, because we have instruments for rent for the beginner groups.
The courses are:
All instruments
• Ensemble I "Creating Balfolk" - Patricia Swart (NL)
• Ensemble II "Playing with Swedish Polska's" - Hester de Boer (NL)
• Diatonic accordeon for Beginners - Wouter Kuyper (NL)
Bagpipes
• for beginners - Menno Wester (NL)
• for begunners (to half advanced) - Lenny de Rooy (NL)
• for (half) advanced - Thorsten Tetz (De)
• for (more) advanced - Rick Krüger (De)
Hurdygurdy
• for beginners - Lies Sommer & Gertjan Jorissen (NL)
• for begunners (to half advanced) - Adriana Borger (NL)
• for (half) advanced - Fabienne Krischke (De)
• for (more) advanced - Thomas Hoster (Be)
The courses will start on saturday the 7th of october at 10.00 until 17.00. This day will take place in primary school "De Griffel" in Zeist (near Utrecht). There is a map on the page about the location
Time schedule
9.45 Doors open and welcome with coffee/tea
10.00 Introduction of the teachers and starting with the workshops
12.30 lunch
13.15 workshop
16.30 Ending and some presentations
17.00 possibility for social talks
Some impressions of earlier editions:
• Pictures Course Day 2022
• Pictures Course Day 2021 (only beginners groups)
• Pictures Course Day 2019 (all groups)
• Video's Course Day 2019
• Video's Course Day 2018
Registration & Costs
Do you already know the course you like to join? And did you read the required level? Then you might go to
Registration form directly.
There you also find an overview of the costs.
The Courses
Courses for all type of instruments
Ensemble: "Creating Balfolk" - Patricia Swart (NL)
"As a participant in music courses, you always take a little musical piece of yourself with you, this time literally: That can a small part of a melody you came up with
or a bass loop that you always liked. Or if these terms don't mean anything to you yet: just the most beautiful 5 notes on your instrument.
I'm bringing a danceable basic rhythm/cadence from a balfolk dance we're going to do. Suggestions for a certain type of balfolk dance are welcome in your registration form.
We will work on the basis of the musical pieces/notes that everyone contributes: In this workshop we will improvise with the parts everyone brings along and eventually put it together.
Together with the rhythmic dance framework, we will have made our own balfolk melody from all our musical input at the end of the day.
Expect a lot of creativity and at the end of the day: a piece of music of your own. Hesitation about the level of playing? Don't worry! Because you're bringing some notes from yourself,
you know for sure that you can play along. There is something for everyone's playing level."
About Patricia Swart
Patricia Swart started her musical career at the age of 7 on the recorder with the village musician Aris van Braam in Schellinkhout. Through the fanfare world and through
classical conservatory education, she has grown into a versatile musician, teacher and interdisciplinary artist in many different places. For several years she has
withdrawn from the classic working method, but retains the beautiful sides of that world. She has further developed into light music, folk and even the sound/electronic side.
Patricia likes to bring musically worlds together to let people meet again in a musical way.
Listen to her music with Patricia:
• Androneda - W's mazurka (balfolk)
• Androneda tijdens BalfolkTV S01E02 (balfolk)
• Androneda - Oscar (balfolk)
• Androneda - Bourree la Forficule (balfolk)
• Swartematerie - live dec 2019 (balfolk)
• Beat Me by Barry Cockroft - Patricia Swart (poetry on music)
• Rossini variaties (classical music)
• The Approachers (ska)
entry requirements: Players are sufficiently familiar with their instruments and are able to pick up tunes by hearing.
Ensemble: Playing with Swedish Polska's - Hester de Boer (NL)
In this ensemble course, we will dive into various Polskas from different regions of Sweden. We will explore 3 different polska types that are far apart in character. We are going to see and experience the differences in music and dance. Together with Hester, participants will investigate what makes them so different from each other. What characterizes the polska from one region compared to the polska from the other region? Where do you place the accents? And despite these differences, what is the connection between the different polskas and dances? In this workshop, Hester wants to give the participants some tips on how to bring out the cadence and feeling of a polska. How do you actually play a polska like a polska?
About Hester de Boer
Hester de Boer has been playing the violin for many years and is completely addicted to Swedish music.
This passion for polskas led her to study Swedish folk violin at the Eric Sahlström Institute in Sweden (this is a kind of college for Swedish traditions) in 2013.
Hester plays in 'Vijf Bier Voor De Houtzagerij', is guest musician with Gwendolyn Snowdon and provides the violin parts on the new album by Meidi Goh.
She played with the Swedish dance group Lillan. With her balfolk band 'Violet' she played concerts and at festivals in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Listen to music of Hester:
• På vännen min
• Hester & Marieke - Livestream tuinpodium @ Studio d'Or
• Vijf Bier voor de Houtzagerij - Valhermeil
• met Peter Koene & Ariëtte Zuidhoff - Galgeveld (viool en gamba)
• Hester on "The Robber Girl"
• met Meidi Goh - Konungen und trollkvinnan
• met Meidi Goh - Waltz for a little mermaid
• met Meidi Goh - Foxskin
entry requirements: Players are sufficiently familiar with their instruments and are able to pick up tunes by hearing.
diatonic accordeon for beginners - Wouter Kuyper (NL)
Always wanted to play the diatonic accordeon? This workshop is especially for people who never played this instrument before.
The workshop is the oppurtunity to discover the basics of the instrument while learning easy but beautiful melodies.
No instruments? No worries, we have some instruments for beginners available
Listen to Wouter:
• Lirio - Mazurka voor een mus
• Lirio - wals en een beetje
• Wouter en de Draak - He'pter
• Wouter en de Draak - Werkelijk waar
• Wouter en de Draak - New Horizons, New adventures
• Wouter en de Draak - Gavotte de l'Aven
• Wouter en de Draak - Zon op de Glijbaan
requirements: none, this is a beginners course
Bagpipe Courses
These bagpipe courses are about the French, Flemish or Low Lands pipes (tuned in g).
(More) Advanced bagpipes - Rick Krüger (De)
Going beyond the melody!
In this course we will discover what you can do when you mastered a melody, how can you keep it interesting for more than a few repetitions.
We will start off with easy melodies and work out possibilities of variations, improvisation and harmonic textures with them. I will bring sheet music,
but you don’t need to be able to sight-read.
Rooted in tradition, at home in modern times
At the age of 16 I started tinwhistle and Irish folk music, but soon I became interested in other musical traditions from Europe and around the world. This was
accompanied by the expansion of my instruments and that is how I found the Hümmelchen and the medieval bagpipes, which have shaped me to this day.
After moving to Stuttgart in 2009 to study computer science, I first expanded my musical activities in different sessions and then with the bands "Folk Abroad"
and "Undschuldig". From 2011 I started playing the French bagpipes, which has now become my main instrument. On this instrument I was taught by Mattis Branschke,
Christoph Pelgen, Vincent Boniface and Callum Armstrong. In addition, I learned Swedish Säckpipa from Olle Gällmo and Alban Faust.
listen to music of Rick:
• Fior - Nordluft
• Fior - Tanz & Folk Festival Berlin
• Fior - Polskalarm (Live Session)
• Airu - B. Disoriented Rex (@StudioTrad)
• Airu - Telegraphenmast
• Airu - Last Friday's Waltz (@Sommerbordunale 2017)
• Mumpitz - Kazoos sind klasse
(half) advanced bagpipes - Thorsten Tetz (De)
In the course we will work on different embellishments and our main focus will be on the beautiful tone. We practice variations of the vibrato and pay special attention to timing. Together we will apply what we have learned to melodies and practice playing together
About Thorsten
Thorsten Tetz, Erkelenz (Germany), is a musician for over 20 years now. He started making bagpipe in 2010. He has played bagpipes in various musical projects of different styles. The bands he played in are medieval bands, or balfolk, but also played as guest musician in popbands. His current project is the duo “Hörrens", which is (bal)folk orrientated.
Listen to Thorsten:
• Hörrens: Lomjansguten‘s waltz
• Hörrens: Footstapjes
• Bisvärm - Hins Polska
• Thorsten Tetz - Schäferpfeife A/D (14p.)
• Thorsten Tetz - Baudimic / Les Chamignoux
• Thorsten Tetz - Bullaremarschen
• Thorsten Tetz - figaro
• Thorsten Tetz - Woodturning in time lapse
Bagpipe for begunners - Lenny de Rooy (NL)
This workshop is especially for people who just started with the bagpipes. For players from beginners to almost half advanced. You have had some lessons and you play a bit. The workshop will go further into playing the pipes. We will work on techniques, playing styles and learn off course some new tunes.
About Lenny de Rooy
Lenny has been singing for as long as she can remember and started playing the violin when she was 7 years old. Classical music was never quite her thing and she tried Irish folk for a while,
but when her violin teacher moved in 2008, she decided to give the bagpipes a try. Only then did she find out that there are not only Scottish bagpipes.
The Low Countries bagpipes turned out to be a click and two years later duo Tweedledum & Tweedledee started, with whom she played at various fantasy and medieval festivals for a while.
She plays in medieval music group 'De Soete Inval' since 2018 and started the balfolk band Androneda with Wouter Kuyper and Patricia Swart.
Listen to Lenny:
• Androneda - W's mazurka
• Androneda tijdens BalfolkTV S01E02
• Androneda - Oscar
• Androneda - Bourree la Forficule
• De Soete Inval - Daer ginck een meyt om water uyt
• De Soete Inval - live
Bagpipe for beginners - Menno Wester (NL)
Always wanted to play the bagpipes? This workshop is especially for people who never played the bagpipes before. The workshop is the oppurtunity to
discover the basics of the instrument while learning easy but beautiful melodies. Instruments can be rented and two weeks beforehand there is an introduction
morning (23th of September) in which you will receive the rental instrument and the basic information needed to get started the first two weeks.
requirements: none, this is a beginners course
About Menno Wester
Many players will probably know Menno from the introduction lessons that precede the beginner courses and perhaps from the organization for Stichting Draailier & Doedelzak (Dutch Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipes Foundation).
About his passion for playing the bagpipes he writes:
"Why do I play the bagpipes? I have no idea. I wanted to do that as a child, as a student I started looking and so one day (around 2005?)
I was trying an instrument in a bagpipe maker's studio. And that is in got a bit out of hand over the years. And so it began.
He liked the world of folkmusic and now organizes a lot for Stichting Draailier en Doedelzak, is Stage Manager at Boombal Festival,
is responsible for the balfolk concerts in Nijmegen and he played in De Grove Maling. For many years he has been teaching bagpipes at various festivals at "instrument tastings", where visitors receive a short introductory workshop.
Hurdy-gurdy courses
Hurdygurdy (more) advanced - Thomas Hoste (Br)
This day (more) advanced HG-players can challenge themselves in a workshop by Thomas.
Ever since the hurdy-gurdy crossed his path, Thomas has been enchanted by the rich sound of this unique instrument. He played the gurdy with Kléan, Barnabas, Fyndus & Elanor.
Nowadays with his regular bands Hidrae & Cecilia. Thanks to his computer science background, Thomas combines ancient sounds with the most modern sound techniques.
This resulted in the ambient drone trio mOthA. Meanwhile, intensive rehearsals are taking place with two brand new bands: Threo (with Paul James & Hilke Bauweraerts) and a Belgian-Dutch collective Nebel.
In addition, he is often asked as a guest musician with various ensembles, such as recently on a CD release by Michel Terlinck about his bumblebee suites.
Listen to Thomas Hoste:
• Hidrae - Plage de l'amitie
>
• Hidrae - Schelvis
• Thomas Hoste - Turcis je nose
• mOthA - Live concert (1u37)
• Motha
• Nebel
• Nebel - live in Brugge
• Threo @ VONKfestival 2022
• Cecilia: Bramen Plukken & Le Point du Jour
• Elanor - Funambals 2017
• De Manen Opzij ́
Hurdygurdy (haf) advanced - Fabienne Kirschke (De)
Fabi wrotes about her course:
"In this course we‘re going on an adventure through time and space. Covering different music styles of
various epoques and explore how we can play them on our hurdy gurdies. From early music to folkmetal!
I will also do a question block, where you can ask
everything i.E. music theory, the set up of your instrument to playing techniques.
I‘m excited to meet you!
About Fabienne "Fabi" Kirschke
Fabi is a hurdy gurdy player from Germany, who fell in love with the sound of the instrument in the
moment she first heard it. She loves to explore the different worlds that music opens for us and plays in
various musical styles. Currently she has a solo project as well as her bands Brisinga (mystic folk) and
Storm Seeker (nautic folk metal).
Listen to the music of Fabi:
• Fabis Tunes - Innisfree
• Fabis Tunes - Pinetrees
• Brisinga - Krabat
• Brisinga - Lost
• Storm Seeker - Heavaway
• Storm Seeker - How to be a pirate
Hurdy-gurdy for begunners - Adriana Borger (NL)
This workshop is especially for people who just started with the hurdygurdy. You have had some lessons and you play a bit. The workshop will go further into playing the hurdygurdy.
We will work on techniques.
About Adriana Borger:
Adriana is an enthusiastic hurdy-gurdy player. You can hear her on various projects such as 'Hope is the thing with Feathers'.
She also played with the German group Waldkauz for a while. She studies building historic instruments in Ghent, and in this study she specializes in hurdy-gurdy construction. She also teaches hurdy-gurdy at the music academy of Ghent.
Listen to Adriana's music:
• with Waldkauz - Dance Macabre
• with Waldkauz - live
• with Waldkauz - Dimna juda
• with Brisinga live 3 @ Castlefest/ Instrumentenproeverij Draailier & Doedelzak
• Adriana Borger - Halsway Scottishe
• with Folkoren - Arabica
Hurdy-gurdy for beginners: Lies Sommer & Gertjan Jorissen (NL)
Always wanted to play the hurdy-gurdy? This workshop is especially for people who never played the hurdy-gurdy before.
The workshop is the oppurtunity to discover the basics of the instrument while learning easy but beautiful melodies. Instruments can be rented and two weeks beforehand there
is an introductory morning (23th of September) in which you will receive the rental instrument and the basic information needed to get started the first two weeks.*
requirements: none, this is a beginners course
(*This only applies to the first hurdy-gurdy beginners group, we were able to start the second hurdy-gurdy beginners group with the help of borrowed instruments.
These additional instruments will arrive on the workshop day itself. The second hurdy-gurdy beginners group is therefore only at the day itself, so without the introduction
morning on the 23th of September).
