Consonance 2007

consonance_con @ 2008-03-08T17:12:00

2008-03-09T01:14:17Z

Well I've been to my 1st Filk convention for 2 days now. I saw my 1st con wedding. I have gotten to hang out with AJA and Leslie Fish, though the later left me smelling a bit of cigarette smoke. It was well worth it. I bought every cd that Leslie had in the huckster's room plus a few others. That wasn't that many, but I have some of her singing Kippling's poems again which makes me very happy. I also preordered Alecs next cd, but it won't be out til at least May.

Katy and Sean's wedding was great, seemed to overwhelm the daughter a bit...just made me cry like a big goof. Very pretty druidic service.

There is an interpreter here named Judy something I think. Gods if I could sign as beautifully as she does!!!!!! I don't know what I'd give but just Wow! And I mean WOW! Doesn't hurt that she's beautiful too, but her signing made me laugh and cry.

Clueless Man strikes again!

2008-03-07T20:56:32Z

This will be my first Consonance! Is there a dealer's room with many CD's for me to buy?

Registration Q's

2008-03-07T19:45:31Z

Not seeing it on the web site, I'll ask here:
For those of us arriving after work tonight who have not pre-registered, where do we go for registration, and do you take plastic?

I hope you're all enjoying the music!

FINAL PROGRAM GRID!!!!! ZOMG!

2008-03-06T23:45:03Z

Subject to last minute changes...
http://consonance.org

FRIDAY

10:00 AM - 6:30 PM: Open filking. Come in, sit down, get comfy. (ALL
ROOMS)
6:30 - 7:00 PM: Set up for evening programming. (CHAM II&III)
6:30 - 7:30 PM: Theme Circle -- TBD. (KRYS B)
7:00 PM - 7:45 PM: Concert -- Dr. James Robinson. (CHAM II&III)
7:45 - 8:45 PM: Concert -- Alexander Adams. (CHAM II&III)
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Drum circle/chanting/open filking. (KRYS A)
9:00 - 10:00 PM: Concert -- Summer and Fall. (CHAM II&III)
10:00 PM - dawn: Open filking. (CHAM III, KRYS A)
10:30 - 11:30 PM: Theme Circle -- TBD. (CHAM I)
11:30 PM - dawn: Open filking. (CHAM I)

SATURDAY

10:00 - 11:00 AM: Katy's Wedding. (CHAM II&III)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Wedding Reception. (Hotel Bar)
11:00 - 11:30 AM: Yoga with Mary Crowell! (CHAM I)
12:00 - 1:00 PM: Set up for afternoon programming. (CHAM II&III)
1:00 - 2:00 PM: Juggling Workshop -- Rafael. (KRYS A)
1:00 - 2:00 PM: Harmony Workshop with Summer and Fall, Part One. (CHAM
II&III)
2:00 - 2:30 PM: Concert -- JT Filkers. (CHAM II&III)
2:45 - 3:15 PM: Concert -- Brooke Lunderville and John Caspell. (CHAM
II&III)
3:30 - 4:15 PM: Concert -- Riverfolk. (CHAM II&III)
4:30 - 5:30 PM: Concert -- Carl Thiel. (CHAM II&III)
5:30 - 6:30 PM: Interfilk Auction. (CHAM II&III)
5:30 - 6:30 PM: Harmony Workshop with Summer and Fall, Part Two. (KRYS A)
6:30 - 8:30 PM: Dinner Break. (Get out get out GET OOOOOUT!)
8:30 - 9:30 PM: Concert -- Mary Crowell. (CHAM II&III)
9:45 - onwards: Concert -- Graham and Becca. (CHAM II&III)
10:00 - 11:00 PM: Theme Circle -- TBD. (KRYS)
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM: Theme Circle -- Keep the Song Alive. (CHAM I)
11:00 PM - dawn: Open filking. (KRYS)
12:00 AM - dawn: Open filking. (CHAM I&III)

SUNDAY

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Taiko Drumming Workshop -- John and Chris. (KRYS A)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Workshop: Songwriting with Carl Thiel and guest to be
announced. (KRYS B)
12:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Harmony Workshop with Summer and Fall, Part Three.
(KRYS A)
12:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Set up for afternoon programming. (CHAM II&III)
1:00 - 2:00 PM: Two-fers. (CHAM II&III)
2:15 - 2:45 PM: Concert -- Lynn Gold. (CHAM II&III)
3:00 - 3:30 PM: Concert -- Chris Phoenix. (CHAM II&III)
3:45 - 4:15 PM: Harmony Presentation with Summer and Fall. (CHAM II&III)
4:30 - 5:30 PM: Concert -- Kanef by Proxy.
5:30 - 6:00 PM: Rock jam -- Paul Kwinn to host. (CHAM II&III)
6:00 - 8:00 PM: Dinner break. (Go towards the liiiiiight...)
8:00 - 11:00 PM: Open filking. (CHAM II&III, KRYS A&B)
8:00 onwards: Dead Moose From Winnipeg Filk. (CHAM I)

**

EXPLANATION OF TWO-FERS: Signing up for a two-fer gives you ten minutes
in which to get up on stage, set up,make sure the amps are not on fire, perform and leave. So it's two short songs, three REALLY short songs, or half of 'Horsetamer's Daughter'.

Consonance Progress Report 2 now online.

2008-02-13T19:42:03Z

It's less then a month till Consonance, Northern California's Filk Convention, on March 7-9 to be exact.

You can read Progress Report 2 online at: http://consonance.org/prog2.html

Highlights of the details included:

Preregistration deadline is Feb 22. Full membership only $45 till then.

Hotel deadline is Feb 21. Call the Crowne Plaza Silicon Valley direct to get the convention rate.

Supporting memberships which receive the program and songbook CD, are available for $15.

There are a very few concert slots still available, contact Seanan if you are interested.

Programming highlights, including a wedding, taiko and of course our fabulous guests!

Guest information and updates.

Consonance Songbook CD details.

Consonance 2008 Songbook: Call for Songs

2007-10-25T18:17:25Z

We are now eagerly accepting songs for the Consonance 2008 songbook. This year, for the first time, the songbook will be released on CD-R rather than on paper, so that we can include your music in the format of your choice, including midi, mp3, or sheet music.

To submit a song, please email lyrics and chords, with copyright information, to thiesen <at> netwizards.net. If the melody is copyrighted by someone else, tell us what the melody is and you're done. If your melody is original, please submit music in one of the formats mentioned above. You may submit sheet music as a Finale, Harmony Assistant, Noteworthy Composer, or pdf file, in which case your sheet music will appear on the CD-R as a pdf file. Your midi or mp3 file will appear on the CD-R exactly as you submitted it. If the melody is in the public domain, music is optional.

Because there is almost unlimited room on the CD, you are welcome to submit as many songs as you want, and you are welcome to submit songs that are available elsewhere, such as in another filk songbook or on a website. We welcome your songs whether or not you will be able to attend Consonance. If you will be unable to attend, let us know your mailing address and we will send you a contributor's copy.

Please help make the Consonance 2008 songbook a great success by sending us your songs!

Thanks!

Consonance Schedules

2007-02-27T10:15:24Z

So many cons seem to have this problem - there isn't really a detailed schedule until 15 minutes after the con opens, and even then it's not posted on the web site because it's still changing and concerts and panelists are getting changed at the last minute, but people who haven't been to the con at least twice mostly want to know "what time does it start Friday afternoon and end Sunday so I can make hotel/plane/driving reservations?", and "what time do I need to get out of bed Saturday and Sunday mornings?" and maybe "what night(s) are most of the concerts?". This is something that can usually be published six months before the con, and updated a week or two before.

Somebody who knows what they're doing will probably update the _real_ schedule. Meanwhile, across the street from the ranch, ....

I looked at the last couple of years' schedules. Friday things nominally start at 10am, but actually seem to start at 4-6 for the dealers' room and maybe for registration. Friday night concerts probably start at 7 or 8 or 9, Saturday starts at 10ish or 11ish depending on whether anybody's doing a session that early or not, concerts in afternoon and evening, runs till midnight, dealers 11-11 except for a few hours for dinner, Sunday starts similarly, dealers 11-3, twofers mid-afternoon, rock jam late afternoon, Schroedinger's Dog party is Sunday evening after all the the other stuff is cleaned up.

As some of you know, I suck at putting together set lists...

2007-02-26T12:27:27Z

So there's a public post over at my largely nonpublic journal, asking for suggestions.

Comments from people not on my friends list will be screened; that's just how I am.

Thanks,
Harper/Gwen

Schedule - at least Starting Times Friday?

2007-02-25T20:21:51Z

I know the full schedule can see changes right up to the last minute, and can even change during the con. We are getting close, but there's still a few days. BUT - there are a few things that should be well known by now. "Doors Open". "Registration Opens". "First Concert Starts"

Sure, those who have attended before can make reasonable guesses on these - but not everyone who goes to the website will be a con-going veteran. Even if the whole schedule cannot yet be put on the website, those minimum items should be listed there so a new person knows not to show up at 8 AM on Friday.

Musicians for Project, chime in!

2007-02-23T00:06:48Z

Could those of you who were interested in helping out with part of my consonance set please send an email to telynor at livejournal dot com? I just need an email head count. I got something for you.

NOTE: I have decided that casual bangy-things like tambourines won't be of any use for this bit. If there is percussion at all, I need a very solid drummer. I am afraid I am a bit spoiled for drummers: I am in a band with ladyat after all.

I also need harmony sluts for both this bit and another bit. If you're interested, please email.

Consonance hotel deadline extended

2007-02-20T19:54:13Z

You can still make a hotel reservation for Consonance at the special con rate of $80 for 1 to 4 people.

As in previous years, the Consonance hotel (Silicon Valley Crowne Plaza) will continue to allow reservations at the special con rate even though the contractual deadline for reservations has passed.

For more about Consonance, see http://www.consonance.org.

HELP!

2007-02-17T18:16:05Z

In a fit of insanity, I volunteered to "run" the kids' room at Consonance in 2 weeks. Life has been intervening with a vengeance, to the tune of colds-from-hell-going-in-sequence-through-the-whole-family, catastrophically sick relatives, and trying to get non-standard treatment for my child in a public school (We suspect a learning disability in the classic sense -- she's well above average in MOST areas and vastly below grade level in a few, but all the teacher seemed to know was ADHD and dyslexia and it isn't that stuff)

So we have some leftover "supplies" from last year (and not all of those) and I hope the ConCom automatically blocked out a room without my pestering (We're at the same hotel where we've been the last several years). What else is needed, and can I delegate some?

Consonance hotel deadline

2007-02-15T18:45:55Z

Today is the deadline for making your hotel reservation for Consonance.

In all previous years, the hotel has allowed late reservations at the reduced con rate, but they are not contractually obligated to do so.

Consonance guests this year include Jeff, Maya, and Alex Bohnhoff; Dave Rood; Gwen Knighton; and Kathy Mar.

See you at the con!

Schedule?

2007-02-09T22:04:49Z

Is it too early to ask about even tentative scheduling? I ask because I'm planning to hit the con as part of a somewhat whirlwindy San Fran trip, and I can only make one night. Sorry if I'm being a nudge.

Consonance PR1, January 2007

2007-01-16T07:53:48Z

from the desk of Dr. James Robinson, Consonance Chair.

CONSONANCE PROGRESS REPORT
JANUARY 2007

Here we go again -- the World's Largest Filk Concom is getting ready to serve up yet another sumptuous musical feast on the first weekend in March. If you haven't pre-registered for the Con or made hotel reservations, you'd better get on it -- "it" being our web site: www.consonance.org. This year the Crowne Plaza has made it possible to make reservations on-line. And, of course, if you pre-register for Consonance now, it'll cost you less than an at-the-door membership...

But, you may ask, why would you want to attend Consonance in the first place? Well, for one thing, the incomparable Seanan McGuire is our Programming Goddess, and she always comes up with a great concert lineup with many surprises -- some of them even planned! There'll be workshops, theme circles and -- of course -- lots of open filking. AND...

...We have a stellar guest list this year; THE BOHNHOFFS (3 of them, with a possible guest appearance by a 4th!) will be our GOHs... as most of us know, their arranging and performing have taken filk virtuosity to amazing new heights, and Jeff seems endlessly capable of writing memorable parodies to Top 40 rock songs. Maya's presence, plus the promised attendance of a couple of folks from the Phoenix area, make a Harmony Heifers homage to Cow-li tantalizingly possible.

KATHY MAR has long been the official North Bay Filk Hostess, so it's fitting that she will be the Toastess for Consonance 2007. Many of us have been hoping for a full fledged one-hour concert from our "songbird" for quite a while now. She not only writes memorable original songs, but also overs songs by other filkers that she feels deserve wider recognition. Our only question is, how will Mud and Trob mike her if she insists on sitting on the floor??

GWEN KNIGHTON is a first-class harper, singer and songwriter who not only does wonderful solo performances, but also Plays Well With others. She was one of the Three Weird Sisters while still living an the U.S. and, indeed, she is still Weird, but now lives in the U.K. and devotes much of her time to playing, studying and teaching the Celtic wirestrung harp. She's not just a harp-geek, though. Her web page states the following: "...viols, crumhorns, mandolins; you name it, she can pick it up and play "Greensleeves" on it." (Anybody got a crumhorn?)

DAVE ROOD has an impressive and diverse musical background. Currently he plays trumpet in a jazz quintet and jazz orchestra; in the late 90's he discovered, and was discovered by, filking -- which prompted him to polish his solo guitar, singing and songwriting skills. He has played backup for the Three Weird Sisters (is there an echo in here?) and Mary Crowell's Banquet Band, but he is also perfectly comfortable -- and delightful -- on stage by himself. I look forward to an infusion of "jazz vibe" to our folkish venue in addition to hearing Dave's more traditional folk/rock/filk offerings.

Of course, there'll be lots more -- including Kat Sylvan and Kendra Dodd, Callie Hills and Rebecca Newman, Steve Savitzky -- and possibly even Dave Clement!

DO YOU WANT A CONCERT SLOT?? Seanan informs me they're still available, so act now and the next performer for Consonance audiences to get excited about could be YOU!! If you're interested, contact Seanan McGuire immediately: delirium@xocolatl.com and start practicing!

DO YOU WANT TO PUBLISH A SONG IN THE CONSONANCE SONGBOOK? Heather Rose Jones is our S.B. Editor this year. We've decided it would be fun to tie the songbook in to a filk circle to help people learn the new songs and to make them more accessible. So we're soliciting contributions that encourage spontaneous harmonies and that would work well in the Harmonic Convergence sing-along. If your song fits these criteria and you're present at the convention, we'd love to have you come lead your song! And, of course, ALL contributions are welcome whether they fit the theme or not.

WHEN YOU CONTRIBUTE A SONG, be sure to send a copy of the lyrics and chording; original tunes can be sent either as notation or as any standard recording format. (Simple midi files of the melody are ideal, since they can be processed directly into Heather's notation program; but she's a whiz at transcribing, so it needs only to be clearly audible. If you're worried about file size for attachments, you can place the file(s) on a web site and send her the URL.

SEND CONTRIBUTIONS TO:

Heather Rose Jones
5838 Fremont St.
Oakland, CA 94608

or to:
consonance@heatherrosejones.com

In anticipation of some little bits of my upcoming Consonance set....

2006-10-20T11:19:18Z

For part (but not all) of my set, I am looking for:
-Somebody who can play the guitar to a reasonable standard;
-People who might be willing to sing backup vocals/bang tambourines/that kind of thing.

You'll need to be confident playing and singing with others, and you'll need to be able to learn quickly, probably.

Let me know if you're interested.

i heard a rumor...

2006-07-19T03:40:15Z

thats there's a con going on arouns here somewhere??

hi everyone.. how's things going?

( it's too damn quiet in here)

"Only the idiots run cons"

2006-04-28T17:02:24Z

Fanfare Music, the organization that runs Consonance, has achieved a boring but significant bureaucratic milestone. I mailed Form 8735, Support Schedule for Advance Ruling Period, to the IRS. (I actually did this late in March, but didn't think of posting here until now.) This form, which is filed after a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation has been in existence for five years, is used to demonstrate that the corporation is a publicly supported organization under sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) or section 509(a)(2) of the Tax Code, rather than a private foundation. (Have I put you to sleep yet?)

We qualify under section 509(a)(2), because we receive more than one-third of our support from the public (that's you, when you buy a Consonance membership or make a charitable donation to Fanfare Music), and we don't receive more than one-third of our support from investment income.

The IRS gets you one way or the other. As a non-profit organization, we don't have to pay taxes, but we still have to file forms. Form 8735 includes most of the information that would be in 5 years of tax returns if we paid taxes.

Was it worthwhile for us to incorporate and jump through all the hoops required to obtain 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(2) status? Right now I'm not sure.

Come join us next year!

2006-04-05T07:10:06Z

Start planning now to join us at Consonance in 2007

When: March 2-4, 2007
Who: Guests of Honor - Jeff, Maya and Alex Bohnhoff
Toastperson - Kathy Mar
Interfilk Guest - David Rood
International Guest: Gwen Knighton

Membership is only $35 for the whole weekend if you pay by October 31, 2006. After that the rates are still the amazingly low amount of $40 until February 17, 2007,
and then $45 at the door. Children 5-12 are half-price and kids under 5 are free.

For more information, go to http://www.consonance.org

Hope to see you there!