Hurdy-gurdy beginners to half advanced - Thomas Hoste (Be)

Especially for the players who have been playing the hurdy-gurdy for a while, but are not yet ready for the (semi) advanced workshop, Thomas Hoste will give an interesting course. Het wrote us:

“This course is for hurdy-gurdy players who have been playing for a while and are bursting with enthusiasm to explore the world of the hurdy-gurdy further, with pricked ears and well-oiled fingers. We start the journey with the pure techniques, paying attention to the maintenance and adjustment of the instrument. We stroll along the regular and irregular two, three and four beats. Learning to play more subtly with more energy, both in the right and left hand, will certainly be part of our journey. No more slack cranks and lazy fingers!

If there is sufficient interest, I will be happy to give a demonstration of how we can push the hurdy-gurdy electro-acoustically through an audio interface. Then we will have fun tinkering with effects pedals and the Ableton computer programme! Perhaps all that steam will result in a real rock session on the hurdy-gurdy…

I leave plenty of room for initiative from the participants themselves. Everyone is free to follow their own path and evolve at their own pace. Traditional and modern folk tunes are our guide, and we are led by both our ears and sheet music.“

Registration form

Level of playing

This course is especially for beginners to intermediate players. Participants already have experience with the hurdy-gurdy. For example, they take the Saturday course for beginners or beyond beginners to intermediate players. For example, they have already followed some lessons or workshops. Or they have been playing for at least a year. Tuning and preparing an instrument for playing is no longer a problem and it is also possible to learn new melodies.
In comparison with our Saturday course: this workshop is intended for approximately the same level as the beginners to intermediate course that Kay currently teaches, but the more fluent players from the group of beginners (teached by Petra & Gertjan) are also welcome.

Maximum amount of participants: 12

Thomas Hoste

Ever since the hurdy-gurdy crossed his path, Thomas has been enchanted by the rich sound of this unique instrument. His infatuation turned into a true passion. He attended intensive workshops and courses at home (Martina Diessner, Iep Fourier, Hans Quaghebeur, etc.) and abroad (Gregory Jolivet, Gilles Chabenat, Isabelle Pignol, Valentin Clastrier, etc.).

A few years later, he was turning the crank himself with Kléan, Barnabas, Findus & Elanor. In 2018, he helped bring a traditional touch to the FolKK (Folk meets KleinKunst) project. He now tours throughout Western Europe with his regular bands Fyndus (with Emma Coopman), Hidrae (with Bart Van Troyen & Hilke Bauweraerts, among others), Cecilia (with Jan Leeflang & Greet Wuyts), Threo (with Paul James, among others) and Nebel (with Puck Duits & Joris Alblas).

Thanks to his background in computer science, Thomas combines ancient sounds with the most modern sound techniques. This resulted in the ambient drone trio Mótha and a haunting musical saga “De Manen Opzij” (The Moons Aside).

He is also a frequently requested guest musician with various ensembles, such as Blowzabella, Kadril, on a CD release by Michel Terlinck featuring his bumblebee suites, and with Andries Boone on his recent CD C.O.N.V.E.R.S.A.T.I.O.N.S.

Thomas has also been a regular teacher of his instrument for many years, including at the Stage in Gooik, the Qiqalson folk stage in Floreffe, at Stichting Draailier & Doedelzak (the Netherlands) and at Westelfolk.
Listen to Thomas at youtube: