Hands Off 2011 - 29 July to 1 August 2011

Posted: 8/2/2010 7:01:52 AM
GordonC

From: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK

Joined: 10/5/2005

This is a preliminary announcement for Hands Off 2011.

HO11 will be in the same style as the first and very successful Hands Off event - a long weekend symposium of talks, workshops, masterclasses and so on, but this time it will mark the start of a week long festival of theremin performances in and around Scarborough!

We are holding HO11 in the English town of Scarborough - the very first seaside holiday resort - original and best.

The symposium will be in the University of Hull campus in Scarborough - this is the University music department with dedicated sound stages for the masterclasses and demonstrations - and a building full of state of the art recording studios, which will be manned - so if you want to slip away from the full schedule of talks etc. to do an hour or two of recording, you can.

All your favourite thereminists and theremin experts will be there - Lydia Kavina, Wilco Botermans and Carolina Eyck have already committed to attend, as have electronics geniuses Fred Mundell and Thierry Frenkel - and there will be many more added to this list in the coming months.

The cost of the symposium is not yet fixed, but we guarantee it will not exceed £250 - so assume that this is the cost and IF we can make it lower than that you will get a nice surprise. (But please understand that we are not making any promises about this.)

This will be an inclusive fee - covering attendance, accommodation (in the student quarters, so single rooms for everyone) and meals on the campus.

You should also note that early payment will mean that you will be entered into a raffle for a moogerfooger of your choice, thanks to The Source - Moog's UK distributors, who will be sending a moog expert along to talk about about Moogs theremins and compatible products. (All attendees will receive a discount voucher for Moog gear!)

[b]What To Do Right Now[/b]

We are not accepting money yet. If you are planning to attend the symposium, email me at gordonc at theremin dot org dot uk to be added to the invitation list. There is a strict limit on numbers. We cannot accept more than 100 attendees, so it is very important that you contact me as soon as possible to be added to the list.

If you are interested in presenting a talk or demonstration at the symposium, please mention this so that we can try to accommodate you.

If you also want to perform at the festival contact me at the same address. We believe we have sufficient venues available to accommodate as many performers as will apply, but early applicants stand a better chance of being placed in a venue that pays a fixed fee or a percentage of the door takings for performers. Late applicants are more likely to play just for the love of it. :-) We will need to know what style of music you play - with links to online examples - in order to find a venue which is best suited to you.

Posted: 2/21/2011 6:16:39 PM
omhoge

From: Kingston, NY

Joined: 2/13/2005

Hey GordonC,
any updates Hands Off 2011? Someone was asking be about it htis weekend. Hope it's chugging along!
Posted: 2/21/2011 6:57:30 PM
GordonC

From: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK

Joined: 10/5/2005

Chugging along nicely. :-)

Thanks for the bump!
Posted: 2/25/2011 6:58:45 PM
omhoge

From: Kingston, NY

Joined: 2/13/2005

you know me, happy to bump ya anytime!
Let us know the full info. when you have it.
all the best - jh
Posted: 6/4/2011 8:19:30 PM
FredM

From: Eastleigh, Hampshire, U.K. ................................... Fred Mundell. ................................... Electronics Engineer. (Primarily Analogue) .. CV Synths 1974-1980 .. Theremin developer 2007 to present .. soon to be Developing / Trading as WaveCrafter.com . ...................................

Joined: 12/7/2007

I am sad to say that I am extremely unlikely to be attending HO-2011, and if I do manage to attend this would only be as a spectator.

Several months ago my health deteriorated, and I have been unable to work since April - My exact ailment/s have been a puzzle (bizarre blood test results related to liver and kidney function) but it has now been confirmed that I suffered a cardiac failure.. I am now on medication which has greatly improved my condition (in particular, I can now breathe without much difficulty.. and this certainly is an improvement I am most grateful for! ;-) .. But there are many other issues still to be diagnosed and treated before I am able to function in any 'normal' way.

I have suspended all work on theremins until I know what my prognosis really is - I became seriously ill while my family was away on holiday - I had chosen to spend this time on preparing for HO-2011 (getting circuit boards finalized so that they could be manafactured and built economically in time for sale at HO-2011)..

Somehow, theremins seem completely unimportant to me now..

Best wishes to you all, and I hope HO-2011 is great! I may be back on the theremin 'scene' at some future time.. but I might not be.

Fred.
Posted: 6/4/2011 11:03:26 PM
Amethyste

From: In between the Pitch and Volume hand ~ New England

Joined: 12/17/2010

Fred ~

I am truly sorry to hear about your health issue(s).
Please know that I am here if you need to talk. And I mean this sincerely...

Sending you warm hugs.
Posted: 6/5/2011 6:42:44 AM
Thierry

From: Colmar, France

Joined: 12/31/2007

Hi Fred,

I'm really sorry to hear that and I want to express my compassion.

I wish you that you may get back soon your health and the power to realize all your theremin-related projects.

In case you could attend HO2011 I'd like to have a beer with you and discuss some theremin issues.
Posted: 6/5/2011 6:01:23 PM
coalport

From: Canada

Joined: 8/1/2008

Cuzzin Freddie!

I am most distressed to hear about your fragile condition. As I have told you before, both publicly and privately, when we don't hear from you for any length of time I begin to worry. I am convinced that your problems have been caused by the disastrous effect your frazzled nerves have had on your physical body. You know how easy it is for things to spiral out of control. You need complete rest, good food, and hugs. You should do as little thinking as possible - THINKING is your Achilles heel (if you haven't realized that by now then it's time you did). Try watching old BENNY HILL TV shows, "CARRY ON" movies and Charlie Chaplin classics.

Under no circumstances are you to think about either theremins or money. Thoughts about either of these things are toxic.

If there's a yoga class anywhere near where you live, you might think of taking it. I have known a few people who are "Type AAAAAAAA" personalities like you who have been helped immensely by the mental and physical exercises that yoga teaches. One thing that yoga recognizes that western science is only beginning admit is the close connection between the mind and the body. The connection between YOUR mind and YOUR body is particularly intense. You are not quite like other people.

I know, I know..... EVERYBODY has advice and is telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The difference between them and me is that they don't know what they're talking about and I do.

Just thought I'd start you out on the Path of Laughs!

Posted: 6/6/2011 7:12:31 AM
Amethyste

From: In between the Pitch and Volume hand ~ New England

Joined: 12/17/2010

Coalport wrote:

"If there's a yoga class anywhere near where you live, you might think of taking it. I have known a few people who are "Type AAAAAAAA" personalities like you who have been helped immensely by the mental and physical exercises that yoga teaches. One thing that yoga recognizes that western science is only beginning admit is the close connection between the mind and the body"

I couldn't agree more on this! I am type A as well, and I cannot emphasize enough on how yoga changed my life. Really. I was at the end of my rope when someone suggested this to me. It was my life savior!!!
Posted: 6/6/2011 8:52:04 AM
coalport

From: Canada

Joined: 8/1/2008

Amey, you may be a "Type A" personality, but Fred is a Type AAAAAAAAA which is much more serious! I also think Fred has been misdiagnosed and I do not believe he suffered what he describes as a "cardiac failure". I don't doubt that is what it looked like, but I don't think that's what it was.

Doctors, when pushed into a corner, will deliver an official diagnosis of some kind, mainly because they are expected to. There is tremendous pressure on them to come up with hard and fast explanations even when there aren't any.

I know a few doctors personally, and they will freely admit (usually after a good meal and a bottle or two of vintage Chateau Lafite) that much of the time they haven't the slightest idea what they're talking about!

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