HarmonicaUK Newsletter - September 2025

Welcome to the HarmonicaUK September 2025 Newsletter

Hello HarmonicaUK Members,

Join us tomorrow, Saturday 13 September at 5 pm UK time for a very special Saturday Session with Joel Andersson. Joel will be talking about custom harmonicas, what a custom harmonica is, and why you might consider getting one. He will also share a few tips on how to make your harmonicas last longer, as well as the most common things that cause them to break. Additionally, he will discuss various brands and models, highlighting their pros and cons. Joel is one of the most sought-after harmonica techs, and he's also a renowned player of Traditional Irish Music. Seydel recently referred to Joel as a 'master of Irish Folk'.

A link to the session will be available in the members' area on the morning before the event. Please do not share this link; it's a members-only event. 

LAST CHANCE!

There are still about 15 weekend tickets left for the 2025 Festival, with limited tickets for individual days, meals and the Saturday concert. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Lee Oskar, Steve Baker, Joe Powers and Mat Walklate perform together and lead workshops. Please hurry, once they're gone, they're gone. Get tickets and learn more here.

Please note that the accommodation at Hillscourt is SOLD OUT.

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 Festival Competition 2025

There's just one week left to submit entries for the 2025 Festival Competition. Prepare your videos now. Once again, it’s your chance to be recognised and get feedback from our long-time adjudicator,  David Beer. All the information you need is here.

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Harmonica World

Finally, the first 2025 issue of Harmonica World has been printed and is on its way. It's a bumper issue, 56 pages, our biggest issue ever. You can download the digital version here if you would like to have a look before it arrives on our doorstep.

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Don’t forget to check out our Newsdesk items, and learn more about HarmonicaUK Patron Adam Glasser, and HarmonicaUK Festival 2025 artist Steve Baker.

Gene Myers
Chair & Editor

A Message from our Production Manager, Pete Hewitt

Dear All Festival Goers,

The clock is certainly ticking, and we have already held our first production meeting for Festival 2025.

Once again, I will be overseeing the sound, lighting, staging, and running of the shows—basically, everything that happens in the conference centre. Thankfully, I have a very strong production team again this year. We will be arriving on the Thursday to ensure that when you arrive on the Friday afternoon, the room will have been transformed into something resembling a famous London jazz club.

May I ask that any delegates planning to perform in the Sunday afternoon show email their backing tracks directly to Barrie Elms at [email protected], by Saturday 11 October.

This will help us enormously, as working from mobile phones and CDs on the day creates a great deal of extra work. Please remember that Chris Collis is with us for the entire weekend, so if you prefer to play live, then rehearsal time will be available with him on the Sunday. 

I know that Chris would certainly welcome a lead sheet if you have one. I can’t believe it’s less than two months away, and on behalf of our chair, we are very much looking forward to seeing and meeting you all again.

To quote my late dear friend, Harry Pitch: “Just pick it up and blow it”!

Pete