archived – NW HOOT

APRIL/MAY, 2020 – Vol. 12, No. 4

Bryan Bowers / autoharp Bryan Bowers / mando

The Past Concert featured Bryan Bowers on Feb. 17. This issue features A Word From Your Director, and a new article, Vinyl Recordings – Back in the Groove, by Stewart Hendrickson. The Upcoming Concert at the Couth Buzzard will feature Claudia Schmidt on June 14. Every 2nd Saturday at the Couth Buzzard from noon – 1:30 pm, Stew’s Folk Music Corner will feature tunes, songs, and community singing. The Events page lists some great concerts through the next few months. Keep tuned and revisit the NW HOOT as new articles may appear along with a new video of the week. We are still looking for more writers for the NW HOOT (send us your ideas and articles).

A WORD FROM YOUR DIRECTOR (2) by Stewart Hendrickson

Recently my life has taken a major new turn. This began with placing my wife in memory care last November at Aegis Living at Rodgers Park in Queen Anne (Seattle). Our large 4-bedroom, 3-bath house seemed too much for me, so I bought a condo in Ballard (Seattle), emptied the old house and put it on the market for sale. This consumed all of my energy for almost three months (the house is now sold!), and I am adjusting to a new life. Needless to say, I have had little energy or time for the Pacific Northwest Folklore Society. Now the corona virus (COVID-19) has added new complications. Continue reading “A WORD FROM YOUR DIRECTOR (2) by Stewart Hendrickson”

VINYL RECORDINGS – BACK IN THE GROOVE, by Stewart Hendrickson

In the 1960s I built a beautiful walnut stereo cabinet, complete with turntable, amplifier, storage for LP records, and state-of-art Advent speakers. Then when CDs arrived in the 1980s I bought my first CD player and started buying CDs instead. The stereo system fell into disuse and became just a nice piece of furniture. I recently downsized into a condo and was happy to find that the old stereo cabinet just fit in the living room – I didn’t have to get rid of it. The old CD player in the cabinet quit working, so I resurrected the old vinyl system. I still had a large collection of LPs, which I had resisted throwing out, and started playing them after years of disuse. The result was astounding! I discovered sound vastly superior to that of CDs, and the joy of really listening to music. Continue reading “VINYL RECORDINGS – BACK IN THE GROOVE, by Stewart Hendrickson”

FEBRUARY/MARCH, 2020 – Vol. 12, No. 3

The Past Concerts featured Crossing the North Sea – Rachel Nesvig and Brandon Vance on Dec. 13, and Crònan on Jan. 10. This issue features a new article, Can You Learn Music Kinesthetically, by Laurie Riley. The Upcoming Concert at the Couth Buzzard will feature Bryan Bowers on Feb. 14 Every 2nd Saturday at the Couth Buzzard from noon – 1:30 pm, Stew’s Folk Music Corner will feature tunes, songs, and community singing. The Events page lists some great concerts through the next few months. Keep tuned and revisit the NW HOOT as new articles may appear along with a new video of the week. We are still looking for more writers for the NW HOOT (send us your ideas and articles).

CAN YOU LEARN MUSIC KINESTHETICALLY, by Laurie Riley

It sounds like some kind of game, but “kinesthetic” refers to learned movement that becomes automatic. I’ve been writing about it for years. It’s the result of consistent and focused practice; the point at which a specific sequence of movements becomes a kinesthetic habit is the point at which you can feel the effort decrease, the flow of the music improve, the ability to play expressively increase, and you get the feeling that your movements are on “autopilot”. Professionals know all about this, and it’s at this point and beyond that music playing becomes the lovely thing that makes music playing look easy. Continue reading “CAN YOU LEARN MUSIC KINESTHETICALLY, by Laurie Riley”

December/January, 2019/2020 – Vol. 12, No. 2

The Past Concerts featured Del Rey on Oct. 11, and KlapaDooWopella on Nov. 8. This issue features a new article, Celebrate Winter, by Stewart Hendrickson. The Upcoming Concerts at the Couth Buzzard will feature Crossing the North Sea – Rachel Nesvig and Brandon Vance on Dec. 13, and Crònan on Jan. 10. Every 2nd Saturday at the Couth Buzzard from noon – 1:30 pm, Stew’s Folk Music Corner will feature tunes, songs, and community singing. The Events page lists some great concerts through the next few months. Keep tuned and revisit the NW HOOT as new articles may appear along with a new video of the week. We are still looking for more writers for the NW HOOT (send us your ideas and articles).

CELEBRATE WINTER, by Stewart Hendrickson

When I grew up in Southern California I had no idea of seasons. Aside from the fact that there was no rain from May through September, and some rain in the other months, we had no weather, only climate. It wasn’t until I moved to Illinois for graduate school, and later lived twenty-eight years in Minnesota and twenty-three years now in Seattle, that I learned to appreciate the seasons. Although my favorite season is summer, the other seasons remind me that life is cyclical. The inexorable turn of the year with its different seasons reminds me that life also changes. Each decade is different as we move from youth to old age. Continue reading “CELEBRATE WINTER, by Stewart Hendrickson”

October/November, 2019 – Vol. 12, No. 1

Tango Cowboys – Robin Kallsen, Rich Hinricksen, Tom Bourne

The Past Concert featured Tango Cowboys on Sept. 13. This issue features a new article, Music and the Asymmetric Brain, by Stewart Hendrickson; and A Word From Your Director. The Upcoming Concerts at the Couth Buzzard will feature Del Rey on Oct. 11, and KlapaDooWopella on Nov. 8. Every 2nd Saturday at the Couth Buzzard from noon – 1:30 pm, Stew’s Folk Music Corner will feature tunes, songs, and community singing. The Events page lists some great concerts through the next few months. Keep tuned and revisit the NW HOOT as new articles may appear along with a new video of the week. We are still looking for more writers for the NW HOOT (send us your ideas and articles).

A WORD FROM YOUR DIRECTOR, Stewart Hendrickson

As we begin the twelfth year of the NW HOOT (Vol. 12, No. 1) we have come a long way from our first paper edition (Vol. 1, No. 1, Oct/Nov. 2008). Powered by WordPress, it includes embedded videos and mp3 sound files, hyperlinks, photos and more. While past articles have included those from a number of authors, more recently I have been the only author. I would like to have more contributing authors on subjects relating to music that would be of general interest to our readers. An example of this sort of thing is on the website FolkWorks (click on the link Columns). Please consider contributing articles – contact me here. Continue reading “A WORD FROM YOUR DIRECTOR, Stewart Hendrickson”

MUSIC AND THE ASYMMETRIC BRAIN, by Stewart Hendrickson

Modern research shows that music stimulates the brain. Music listening and performance are enhanced by the way we use both parts of our asymmetrical brain. Understanding how this works is the key to enjoying music, learning music, and improving your performance. Continue reading “MUSIC AND THE ASYMMETRIC BRAIN, by Stewart Hendrickson”