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Updated
May, 2008
North American
Jew's Harp Festival
(NAJHF)
Information
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FESTIVAL INDEX:
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The 16th Annual North American
Jew's Harp Festival
August 1
and 2, 2008
Bay City Arts Center
5680 A Street
Bay City, OR 97107
The Arts Center has lots of room indoors for workshops and a nice
ballroom for the performances.
NAJHF 2008
Schedule
Print or download the schedule (.doc format)
Print or
download the schedule (.pdf format)
Thursday July 31st
6.00 pm Oyster Feed
All are invited to Dinner at the Harringtonīs
8.00 pm Meeting to fine tune the fest
Friday August 1st
10.00-12.00pm Festival set-up (Raffle tables, signs, sound, stage…)
1.00-2.00pm Meet and Greet -
Beer, wine, snacks (maybe some big screen surprises)
1.30pm Harp circle
All harpers present create a big circle and call upon the energies of peace,
love and spontaneous abandon
2.00-2.45pm Workshop: Beginning Ukulele by Nicki
2.45-3.30pm Workshop: How to make your own washtub bass by Curtis
Workshop: How to make your own mouthbow by John
Unusual instrument presentation and demonstration
Performers at this time in a casual setting demonstrate their instruments to
the public and make connections for evenings performance.
Performers might have to spread out throughout the building and outside.
5.00-7.00pm DINNER available from Bay City Arts.
7.00-800pm Harpists Hall of Fame
Individual harpist from the crowd will get up and give their testament and
conversion to the Jew's Harp and briefly show their stuff
8.00-9.00pm Unusual instrument performances
9.00-10.00pm More performances
Dueling Jews harps
“Specific jams” occur at this time like the
All wood, plastic, metal, bamboo, glass JAMS
JAM ALL TOGETHER NOW
10.00pm+ Art Space Jamboree
(at the local Artspace restaurant across town)
Saturday August 2nd
9.00-10.30am Breakfast by Bay City Arts Center
10.00am Harpers meet and greet at the Arts Center
10.15am Morning harp circle forms
The harp circle is a focused get together where all harpers available will
create a large circle and play for 5 minutes as a group to start the Sat.
Fest
Group photo
10.30am Toast and jam
Morning jam
Sign up for evening performances and band scramble
11.00-11.45am Workshop: Playing with other instruments by Gordon
Brown bag LUNCH
12.00pm Vending booth opens with a vengeance (don’t miss this)This event
preempts anything else
Kids table: Make your own shakers
1.00-1.45pm Workshop: Beginner Jew’s harp
Kids table: Make fridge magnets with Jim
2.00-2.45pm Workshop: How to play the Mouthbow with John
Kids table: Make your own Jew’s harps
2.45-3.30pm Workshop: Electrifying your Jew’s harp by Ralph
3.30-4.30pm Band scramble groups posted and practice time
4.30-5.30pm Band scramble
6.00-7.30pm DINNER by Bay City Arts Center
7.30-10.00pm Headliners (each take a half an hour) and special guests
Best of the dueling Jew’s harps
The frisky women jam session
10.00pm + Art Space (Restaurant open again for jamming)
Dance at the "Landing Bar" with Curtis Chamberlain and his band.
Sunday Aug. 3rd
8.00-9.00am Breakfast at local diner
10.00am North American Jew’s Harp fest Annual meeting
If you wish to perform or give a workshop at the festival,
or have other questions, contact the Guild at:
E-mail: newsletter@jewsharpguild.org
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^ NAJHF 2008 T-shirt Design by
Ingrid Berkhout and Gordon Frazier
The Bay City Arts Center
Website
Google DIRECTIONS TO
BAY CITY ARTS CENTER
5680 "A" Street
Coming North on 101
from Tillamook
Take a RIGHT on "C" Street
LEFT on 5th
RIGHT on "A" Street
 Lodging and Food Information:
Tillamook Chamber of Commerce
(503) 842-7525.
Bay City has a campground across the street from the Arts Center,
available on a first come first served basis. Contact the City of Bay City regarding this
option. |
History of the Festival - The Beginning
We have come a long way since 1991 when the festival was "born"
and each year the festival continues to grow and attract more
musicians and spectators.
It all began with a meeting which took place in the fall of 1991.
Gordon Frazier (of Seattle) who had recently returned from
attending the Second International Trump (Jew's Harp) Congress
that July in Yakutsk, Siberia, traveled down to Bill and Janet
Gohring's place in eastern Oregon. Gordon's dad, Marvin (who
plays bones), and Bart Wood (a friend of the Gohring's) were also
there.
It was the first time the Gohring's had met Gordon, but they
were long time friends with his Dad, Marvin. Gordon had an
impressive Jew's Harp collection and he brought it along with
him. Well, the music started shortly after Gordon arrived and
didn't stop until the next day.
Early in that first evening, the idea came up about having a
Jew's Harp festival here in the northwest. After all, Russia,
Japan, Scotland, Philippines, etc., all have one. So, we
discussed the type of festival we wanted it to be (Free and Fun)
... with the Jew's Harp as the main theme.
Well, it is much more than we ever anticipated it would be.
The atmosphere brings family unity closer together; it's the
perfect chance to meet many new interesting people (Jew's Harpers
are a bit "twangy"); the opportunity to listen and play a wide
variety of music from around the world; become introduced to a
variety of musical instruments (some one cannot even imagine!);
and often people from foreign countries will attend and play their
own music.
The festival was part of the inspiration behind Wayland
Harman's creation of the Clackamore . It also inspired Bill
Gohring to create his own Jew's Harp design and start hand-making
them. So, the festival is effecting many of us in a wonderful,
creative way.
The atmosphere during the festival is open, friendly, a
willingness to share and learn, and great people who love to hear
those Jew's Harpers play.
All in all, it's the place to be if you want to have a great
time, enjoy good music and learn to play the Jew's Harp (most
people learn in no time at all).
Many of us enjoy the wide variety of Workshops held during
the festival. You can learn everything about the ancient,
mystical little music instrument from present day back to
Neanderthal times.
But beware! Jew's Harps are addictive! Once you start
playing, you won't be able to stop.
We have since moved to the Bay City Arts Center in Bay City Oregon
where the festival continues in the same spirit with which it began.
For more information :
Use our JHG Feedback
form
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