Music

I've tried many instruments, but eventually I've settled for the fiddle, mandolin, and the guitar - and I'm quite happy with it! Although I listen to a wide range of styles (from psychedelic rock to Ethiopian jazz), my own music making focuses on Dutch 'traditional' music (as far as it exists) and Irish traditional music.

Tobermore

Tobermore plays Irish traditional music, spiced up with the occasional Americana song.

Hete Bliksem

Hete Bliksem ('Hot lightning') is named after a Dutch dish of mashed potatoes and apples. The music is like the dish: pure, simple, and very nutritious. We play old and new Dutch songs and dance tunes in a lively, modern manner. Think Spiers and Boden and Wolverlei.

Madlot

Madlot plays Dutch traditional music for bal folk. Old Dutch tunes from the eighteenth and nineteenth century brushed up as scottishe, waltz, mazurka, polka, andro, bourrée, and so on. I left the group in 2016 but we still organise sessions and bals (see below).

Traditional music sessions in Wageningen

Believe it or not: this small town has no less than two folk sessions!

Every first Sunday of the month: open traditional music session
I organise a monthly traditional music session with musicians from many corners of the world. (To get an idea of the setting, imagine an Irish pub session rather than a free-jazz improvisation session.) Most of the regular visitors of this session play French, Irish, or Dutch traditional music, but, this being Wageningen, we have also heard music from Afghanistan, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Eritrea, the Basque Country, and China. More information here (in Dutch - sorry!).

Every third Sunday of the month: Irish traditional music session
Those who prefer the energy of a traditional Irish music session over the musical diversity of our regular session are most welcome every third Sunday in De Zaaier. More information on http://www.iersinwageningen.nl.

Bal Folk Wageningen

You could call Bal Folk the French or continental equivalent of the Irish and Scottish Céilidhs: dancing to live traditional music in a happy-go-lucky manner. Most of the dances are French (bourrée, rondeau, andro, hanterdro) or more general continental European (scottishe, polka, waltz, mazurka). I organise a bal folk twice a year with Madlot. Unlike many other such events in The Netherlands and Belgium we strive to create an intimate atmosphere and an accessible open stage for amateur musicians. More information here.