There's more information and links on our website: www.consonance.org
Consonance is less than a month away -- March 7-9 to be exact. Performers are rehearsing, the concom is feverishly planning and -- wait! Have you pre-registered and made your hotel reservations yet?? (Um... me neither.) So pay attention to these...
... IMPORTANT DEADLINES!The pre-registration rate of $45 ends on February 22nd, so you still have 2 weeks to save five bucks. In this economy, every little bit helps. Check our web page for details.
Hotel reservations should be made by February 21 in order to take advantage of the special convention rates. Call the Crowne Plaza Silicon Valley at (408)321-9500 and be sure you mention Consonance. The hotel *may* allow reservations at the con rate after this date, but they are not contractually obligated to do so.
... but want the program book and the songbook cd (see below), you can buy a supporting membership for $15 and we'll send them to you after the con is over. See our web page!
... and you may still have time to *be* one of them! Concert slots are given on a first come, first served basis so let Seanan delirium@xocolatl.com know if you're interested. By the time I finish typing this sentence, they may be all gone...
Friday evening Programming (begins at 6:30PM). "Dr. James" (who??) will have the first concert at 7; he'll be followed by fan favorite Alexander Adams and then our International Guests, Summer and Fall (see below).
Saturday Programming (begins at 11AM). You can hear the JT Filkers, who will dedicate their concert to the memory of Pam Goodrich. You can also hear Chris Phoenix, and will not be able to avoid hearing the Taiko Drum Workshop led by the O'Hallorans! Saturday late afternoon the guests concerts begin, featuring Carl Thiel, Mary Crowell and Graham & Becca Leathers, with sign language by Fan Fund Guest Judi Miller (see below for guests).
Sunday Programming (begins at 11AM). We're roasting Kanef -- can you believe it's never been done before?? There will also be a concert by Midi-Queen Lynn Gold, One-Shots, Two-Fers and the ever popular and raucous Rock Jam... followed *much later* by the Deceased Canine filk.
And that's BY NO MEANS all -- that's just the tip of the iceberg. Arrive early and check your pocket program to be sure you don't miss anything!
Be sure to look for the "Keep the Song Alive" theme circle. Come and perform your favorite great old filk songs that are slipping into obscurity (*not* "Banned from Argo. No matter how hard we try, it refuses to slip into obscurity). We are looking for songs that are at least 20 years old or were written by filkers who are no longer among us. Do not perform your own songs -- you can do that any time. We encourage you to record this event and add some of the songs to your repertoire.
As always, Consonance will have a spectacular roster of guests this year, and there will be something for everyone. Our GOHs, Graham and Becca Leathers, will be bringing many instruments and lots of new folk songs to our main stage. They have just completed a cd which will be released at Consonance, and all I can say is I hope they bring lots of copies -- 'cause they're gonna need 'em! Mary Crowell, our Toastmistress, has a doctorate in Musical Arts and teaches music at the college level, but there's nothing stuffy or academic about her. Her prowess with keyboard is legendary... Oh, and she can *sing*. Her "Best Performer 2007" Pegasus award should tell you there's something very special about her. Interfilk Guest Carl Thiel is "of the Fibs," a comedy rock band, but will be Fibless at Consonance. He writes with abundant wit (i.e. this guy is *really* funny) and sings with all of the gusto appropriate to his bizarre and eclectic subject matter. Summer and Fall, International Guests from Germany, specialize in writing and singing lyrical, haunting, sometimes sinister or sidesplittingly funny fantasy songs, and can accompany themselves on 14 different instruments. (No, Lynn, you don't have to find them a krummhorn or a metallophone -- but they could play them if you did!) Our Fan Fund Guest, Judi Miller, uses sign language so eloquently that she earned a "Best Performer" Pegasus award is 2006. You won't need to understand sign language to appreciate her grace and eloquence at the corner of the stage, supporting and enhancing the performances of others.
It'll include midi, mp3s and video in addition to lyrics and sheet music. All sheet music will appear in midi as well, so anyone who doesn't read sheet music can hear the melodies and arrangements.
Highlights include:
SEE YOU THERE!!