During the moments he could spare from music, he got a PhD in physics and worked for Intel for 23 years, ultimately managing a team of 45 engineers. This team was part of the much larger group responsible for developing how the next generation of computer chips would be made. Specifically, after a chip failed during testing, Tony’s team was responsible for tracking down the one failing transistor in 10 billion and taking a picture of the atoms in order to determine how it failed. Now he is retired and his focus is very much on music. Recently he has begun making and selling dulcians and shawms.

This year, Tony and Heather are collaborating to teach a pair of sessions on playing and dancing English Country music and dances. Tony will lead the band and, in January, he will teach a few key elements needed to play well for dancers. In particular he will focus on how to vary the basic tune to keep yourself entertained while playing the song 10 times. You are highly encouraged to bring sopranino recorders and pencils. If you print the music double sided, be sure to have Goddesses and Nonesuch up at the same time and continuing that way through the packet. In February, Heather will teach the dances that go to the music that Tony taught in January. She will cover the basics so that even people with two left feet will get the hang of it. Please come and have a great time!

Download the Music

This music is for the use and enjoyment of this particular workshop and may be protected by copyright. The music is for educational purposes only. Please do not distribute this music outside this workshop.

Click here to download the packet of dance tunes for the January playing session,

Los Grillos

The Los Grillos “The Crickets” Renaissance Consort revels in performing music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The group’s vocal music includes classic English madrigals, French chansons, Spanish canciones, and, if you listen closely, you might even hear a catch or two. Instrumental and mixed pieces are performed on a wide variety of reproduction instruments including the familiar recorder; the funny curled crumhorn; the predecessor of the bassoon called the dulcian; the singing cornetto, an odd hybrid of recorder and trumpet; the sackbut, clearly recognizable as the early trombone; the cornamuse, a straightened cousin of the crumhorn; the compact but surprisingly low-pitched racket; the beautiful harp; and a variety of percussion. This extensive repertoire of authentic period music is full of color and excitement!