Greg O'Leary: A lifetime achievement, preserving Australian fiddle tunes.

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Hobsons Bay Leader
12 Mar 2013

Friend Greg O'Leary has been recognised with a lifetime achievement award (Tamworth Music Festival) for his work collecting and passing on Australian fiddle tunes. Here he is on the front page of The Hobsons Bay Leader. In the same way storytellers pass on stories from ear to mouth, fiddle players pass on tunes from ear to ear and so the music is carried through time and around the world. Greg an I have had some fun over the years performing tunes and stories at the Williamstown Literary Festival and Hobsons Bay Libraries. The man is a living treasure, an archive and entertaining to boot.


Greg will be playing this weekend at the Newport Bush Dance Sunday 17 March at the Newport Lakes.

Details here: http://www.nffc.org.au/

I'll be there with a story or two - still deciding which one.

Three days of Moomba! 2013

Three days of working at Moomba in sweltering weather was an experience to remember. Like all festival gigs, it involved much thinking on feet and making do with difficult random happenings. But everyone was in the same boat. And the event crew were astonishingly, supportive. One artists said to me - 'What's going on? Everyone here is so bloody nice!'

Working in The Little Big Top, I had the fun of sharing the air conditioned dressing room  with  Ashton Entertainment Australia. Being a circus tragic this was a thrill and and I had to show restraint and not relentlessly quizz Jan Ashton Rodriguez about the history of Ashton's.

Other wonderful performers drifting in and out of the heat were Cha Cha Sam. This is truly intelligent singing and dancing for small people and the big people who care for them.

Lana Schwarez with her Minute Exhibit was sweating it out under the trees. Check it out! Gorgeous. 

Tamara Rodiguez, snapped about to enter the ring.

Huge thanks to the organisers of this festival. What a privilege to be part of it.

Stories off the back of my bike: Moomba 2013

Yes! This is my study. My bike is having a clean and polish. The Kamishibai box has been screwed onto the rack. Tomorrow I'm off to Moomba to take my gear in and check out the lay of the land.

How do they they organise this huge festival with such calm and courtesy? I feel so valued.

Must remember to enjoy it while it lasts!

If you are wondering (I would be wondering), the bike is a Pilen. They are available from psbikes in Yarraville (that's an inner western suburb of Melbourne). Peter from psbikes also helped me with the black box and the wooden kamishibai was made by Ted Smith from the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club.

Check out the Moomba  program here. 

Back on the road with a basket of stories

 Back on the road and visiting the first of the kindergartens for the year. The only thing that spoils my fun is the driving but today I was working only 20 minutes away. I spend hours sitting in traffic gridlocks. Our new car is a diesel and the engine automatically shuts down when I stop. So at least I can travel further for my buck and I'm not idling away burning fuel at the lights!   Last week I was able to deliver my services and travel by train but alas ... most places I go are no where near public transport.

Oh ... how I wish I could take photos of the children I meet. Its not acceptable any more.Minutes after this bare mat was photographed, it was covered with beautiful 4 year olds fresh from the holidays and hungry for stories. You just have to take my word for it and imagine the fun we had today! 

Check out my website if you would like a visit - I'm keen.

Kamishibai at MOOMBA 8 -11 March 2013

MOOMBA:  A festival for the people still going strong after almost 60 years.

This is a festival that has always sought community involvement - its crazy, diverse and part of the social fabric of the city of Melbourne. Something to be proud of!

I'll be there with my kamishibai and my collection of stories from around the world, each one unique and illustrated by me. And yes folks  ... I will attempt to speak Spanish!

Full program here. You will find me listed under 'KIDS'


Maybe I'll see you there. Fingers crossed for fine weather.

Storytelling House Concert in Tasmania 2013

 I've just returned from ten days away in Tasmania. My daughter is studying at the University and living in a beautiful share house, walking distance form the centre of Hobart.

I had the use of an enormous sunshine filled bedroom facing out into the street. A little vegetable garden by the door offered some grazing opportunities.

On my second evening there, she organised a House Concert. Her friends arrived, arranged themselves on cushions and for two hours we shared stories and music.

This is the first time I've ever done a House Concert and I'm hooked. 

Eastern Regional Libraries: Belgrave Literary Lunch. 28 February 2013

I'm looking forward to travelling to the Dandenongs and sharing the story behind the story of one of the first lyrebirds filmed and recorded in display. I also plan to show off Storytelling Australia (Vic's) new banner, designed and stitched by Susan Pepper.

Lyrebird! A true story is close to my heart and is part of a collection of original Tellable Australian Tales. These stories are in oral language for use by story makers working in the spoken tradition. I dream of these tales being told and spread around the world ... well we all have dreams ...

As well as stories, I will be showing a film which contains archival footage of my lyebird protagonist, taken in the 1930s by Ray Littlejohns.

Literary Lunch – Meet Jackie Kerin 

Jackie Kerin is a gifted storyteller whose presentations are loved by children and adults alike. Her book Phar Lap the Wonder Horse was selected as a notable book in the Children’s Book Awards. 
When Jackie came across the story of flower farmer, Edith Wilkinson and her garden guest James the lyrebird, she just had to share the story. The result was a prize winning short story which became a short film and then a children’s book published by Museum Victoria. 
This is an opportunity to hear a magical story which is part of the rich heritage of the Dandenongs. 

Cost $12.50 includes lunch 

Bookings essential 9754 7266 or online

When
12:30 pm Thursday 28/02/13

Where
Belgrave Library

Cost
$12.50

Book now!