Upcoming events

Gordon taught the following workshops May 23-25, 2008 at the Folk College in Pennsylvania:

Crooked Tunes

Every musical tradition has a few tunes which don't go the way you think they will -- that have rhythms that rely on unexpected shifts in stress, have unusual numbers of measures, or break the usual mold in a variety of other ways.  In this workshop, we'll learn a few "crooked" tunes from a variety of musical traditions.

 

Easy Modal Tunes 

Modal tunes are tunes which don't follow the common major and minor scales used in most western music, and as a result they sound wonderfully exotic and fresh.  Come to this workshop to learn about modes, and pick up a few easy modal tunes, and break free of the straight and narrow!

 

Balkan Tunes

Would you like to learn some tunes in non-standard time signatures?  In this workshop, we'll find out about the asymmetrical rhythms used in Balkan music, and learn some dance tunes in 7/8, 11/16, and other weird and wonderful time signatures found in Eastern European music.  (Don't be afraid, it's easier than it sounds!)  See his Balkan Music book below.

 

Easy Breton Tunes - (co-taught with Rachel Bell)

Experience the cyclic, mesmeric beauty of these accessible tunes from Brittany, the Celtic region of France.

Biography

Gordon Bonnet is a wind player and singer from Trumansburg, New York, and member of the French music trio Alizé.  Born in Louisiana of French and Acadian heritage, he has played concert flute for thirty years, and received classical training in Seattle, Washington.  He has always had an interest in diverse styles of folk music, and was part of the Celtic quartet Tarradiddle from 1983 to 1992.  He was the flutist and lead vocalist on Tarradiddle's 1989 recording By Roses Circled Round, and performed with that group at the Seattle Folklife Festival five years in a row.  In addition, he has given private instruction in classical flute and Celtic penny-whistle.  Since moving to New York, he has expanded his repertoire into Balkan and French music, and has incorporated the recorder, Irish (wooden) flute, and penny-whistle into his performances.  He has performed locally as part of the quartet Shepherd's Pie, playing songs and tunes from the Celtic lands and Eastern Europe.  His latest project is learning the bagpipes!