Month: June 2016

Rag on a Stick Theatre Makes a May Day Appearance

The Rag on a Stick Theatre was joined by two members of the Orchestra of the Moon, Aage Nielson and Laura Kuhlman, April 30th and May 1st, in Carnation, Washington. Together they performed a revival of Why the Sea is Salt, a puppet play based on an ancient Scandinavian story about the use, and misuse, of technology.

The venue was the remarkable Camlann Medieval Village, a Living History Interpretive Center.

They also performed music  and played for dancers around the May Pole.

The program, minus the Maypole, will be performed again June 25 and 26.

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Here we see Brother Aage before the stage of Why the Sea is Salt.  Through the doorway you can see the mill.  The front of the stage is painted with an image of Dama Fortuna (not seen in this image) and the wheel of Fortune.  (Fortuna Rota).

A season of growth for Orchestra of the Moon

The news from Orchestra of the Moon this Spring is:  Growth!

The band now numbers 11 players, of whom four are dedicated percussionists!  New melody instrumentalists have added to the band shawms, bagpipes, nyckelharpa, saz, cornemusen, and additional krummhorns and doucaines.  Welcome players and instruments!

We also had the pleasure to play two opening numbers for the Member’s Night of the Portland Recorder Society, an August Association dedicated to the Furtherment of the Noble Science of the Art of Recorder Playing, Auspiciously on the First Night of the Full Moon in May.

In addition to the inflowing of musical talent and energy, Orchestra of the Moon is also recently favored with the timely and able assistance of Kyle Stant and Emma Bourdeau, in matters of instrument repair, computer skills and know-how, and artistic collaboration.  Thank Heavens You’ve come!

One last special note:  Many thanks to Christopher Davies, Luthier, of Portland, Oregon, for the two beautiful instruments he made this year, intentionally for OotM:  A beautiful, elegant 5 string fiddle (vielle), and most recently, an extraordinary bass rebec (also 5 strings).  They add much aurally and visually to the band.  Thanks, Chris!

20160531_174927By the way, the rebec is awaiting a carved head, attempted by yours truly.  I will post a few pictures of that progress in an update to follow.

 

I am happy to report such an explosion of lovely Spring Flowers in our Garden of Music!