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5. Pascale Rubens: Teachers Talk ~ Nerves, Comfort & Joy
59:20Everyone has a comfort zone - even the multi-talented musicians who you might assume are impervious to such things. How can we challenge ourselves to overcome our uncertainties and nervousness to take a risk and break free of the pigeon holes we put ourselves in? Are you motivated by feeling the joy music brings to others?Pascale Rubens is a composer, singer, teacher and diatonic accordionist best known as one half of multi award winning Belgian folk duo Naragonia. This month's conversation takes a relaxed route, finding many commonalities along the way. Through talk of finding vs making time for creativity amongst everything else life entails, drastic career changes and finding the accordion later in life, and getting geeky over our shared passion for teaching and being a part of our student's successes. Also, I get nosey about how Naragonia's secret sauce is made...A thoroughly lovely chat in which you get to hear two friends deepen their acquaintance, and mutual appreciation of each other's work.Naragonia's links:Website | Facebook | YouTube | InstagramWatch Pascale's Rhythmical Accompaniment for Dance Melinar on my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/103145730Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | Facebook
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4. Andy Cutting: In(ter) Continental Legend
59:00What makes a hard-working, award-winning melodeon legend? How do you turn a terrible idea into a musical triumph without falling out with other people? And what's the strategy for remembering SEVEN current repertoires at once?!Andy Cutting is an internationally renknowned diatonic accordion player from England. He works extensively across genres (and borders) in duos, trios and bigger line ups as a dance musician, session player, & accompanist. His current bands include Blowzabella, Topette!, Leveret, Niepold:Cutting, Gudrun Walther & Andy Cutting, and Martin Simpson's band. Join me this month as I sit down in conversation with him to chat about his long career in folk music and beyond, how he works with other people, and how he has become internationally recognised his characteristic sound and style.Andy's links:Tour Dates Facebook GroupLeveretBlowzabellaTopette!Niepold:Cutting DuoGudrun Walther & Andy CuttingAndy's Playing With Other People Melinar on my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/101033499Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | Facebook3. Anne Niepold: Unboxing Labels - Jazz? Folk? Other?
56:09How do you categorise a musician who works extensively across genres? Are labels a help or a hindrance to artists? What are the benefits of teaching & learning an instrument from a multi-genre perspective? Anne Niepold is a musician, composer, teacher and diatonic accordionist. Born in Germany, living in Belgium, she cultivates multi instrumental projects across the worlds of folk, jazz, musette and classical music. Listen in this month to hear about Anne's journey to becoming the musical chameleon she's known & admired for, and how being told you don't fit in becomes the fuel to success. Anne's links:Website | Facebook | YouTubeNiepold:Cutting Duo:Website | Facebook | BandcampAnne's Bluesy Breton Rhythms Melinar on my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/98351944Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | Facebook2. Hartwin Dhoore: Creative Problem Solving In Composing, Life & The Music Industry
52:57How do you adjust to parenting life when you're a busy touring musician? What's up with the way the music industry works these days? And why might daytime festivals be the way forward? #DaytimeBonfireFest Hartwin Dhoore is an award winning composer and diatonic accordionist from Flanders, Belgium. This month, Mel chats with him about his strengths & vulnerabilities in tune writing, composition, and collaborating with classical musicians, learning to go with the flow in work/life as a new father, and questioning the challenges presented by the current state of the music industry and what the alternatives might look like.Harwtin's links:Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTubeHartwin's How to Write Your First Tune Melinar on my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/97066592Mel goes to Hartwin's gig:https://youtu.be/kcbmL66oORoJoin my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | Facebook1. Lucas Thébaut: Is Music Theory Important In Traditional Folk Music?
43:11Do "the rules" apply when it comes to making folk music? How do different brains interpret melody and harmony? And why has TV show Friends got anything to do with this?!Lucas Thébaut is a diatonic accordion player, tutor, and balfolk dancer hailing from the Poitou region of France. This month, he joins Mel to chat about his approach to teaching as a conservatoire trained musician and former scientist, and what wisdoms he's learned along the way to becoming a professional musician. Lucas' links:Website | SoundCloud | FacebookPetit Piment on Bandcamp:https://petitpiment.bandcamp.com/releasesLucas' Harmony Tree Melinar tutorial on my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/93365805Lucas Teaches Mel:https://youtu.be/SF_cpsmxPcwJoin my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | FacebookIntroducing Chatterbox with Mel Biggs - Melodeon Teacher
07:39To mark the start of my second decade being a full-time professional folk musician, in January 2024 I'm starting a podcast! Each month, I will be chatting with my guest about where they started out, the breakthroughs on their own learning journey, and sharing our approaches to teaching.I have a stellar list of folk musician guests lined up for Season 1 of Chatterbox with some of the finest diatonic accordion players from across Europe!This podcast will run alongside my NEW guest tutor Melinar series over on my Patreon. BUT - you don't need to wait until January to get the first guest Melinar! Lucas Thébaut - French diatonic accordion and balfolk dancer - graciously stepped into the role as my guinea pig to be the very first guest tutor back in November! Run, don't walk, over to my Patreon to watch his Melinar episode back, which was all about making advanced harmony theory more accessible. Subscribe to the podcast to be notified of when Lucas' episode comes out in January 2024.Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive:www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusicVisit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:www.melbiggsmusic.co.ukIntro & outro music:'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved.Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.comGet in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.ukDon't forget to like/subscribe/follow:YouTube | Instagram | Facebook