Andrew Kuntz wrote:
> Nigel...Could you say a bit about the Adult Learning Project...
Two approaches. First, the facts:
The Adult Learning Project was set up in 1979 to involve adults in
educational subjects from History, Politics and Citizenship to Writing,
Drama and Music. It is a registered charity and part of the City of
Edinburgh Council Community Education organisation. The group is also
part-funded by the Scottish Arts Council.
Ten years later the ALP Scots Music Group (or SMOG as it's commonly
known) was formed to organise the Scots Music classes and events of the
organisation. Interest in learning the music was phenomenal and the
group rapidly grew to become one of Britain's largest traditional music
projects.
SMOG run three terms of ten-week evening classes in many aspects of
Scots music, from fiddle (with 7 or 8 weekly classes), whistle,
accordion, guitar accompaniment, small pipes, highland pipes, several
mixed instrument groups and 2 or 3 singing groups. The tutors have been
a range of professional, semi-professional and expert amateurs,
including Derek Hoy (Jock Tamson's Bairns and Scots-L listmember),
Angus Grant (Shooglenifty), Catriona MacDonald, Tim O'Leary, Christine
Kydd, Gillian Boucher (from Cape Breton), Mairi Campbell, Pete Clark,
and so on.
In addition to the classes SMOG organise workshops, ceilidhs, concerts,
sessions, and publish small books (e.g. three collections of session
tunes) and CDs.
One of the creators of the ALP and SMOG, and in my opinion one of the
reasons for its success, has been Stan Reeves, whose enthusiasm and
energy has pushed ALP's wildly unrealistic ambitions into very real,
glorious success. If I've never said how much I admire him for this,
it's not because I don't believe it to be true.
To be continued...
--
Nigel Gatherer, Crieff, Scotland
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/
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