The Fretful Federation: Home
Welcome
Hello and welcome to the Fretful Federation's website. Find here information about who we are, current and past events, resources and how to contact us.
Brighton's very own mandolin orchestra has been in existence since its foundation by Ian Harris, the original Leader and Musical Director of the Orchestra, in 1995. His goal was to revive the tradition of mandolin orchestras, which were hugely popular in the UK up until the 1930s. As of April 2012 Ian passed on the baton as Musical Director to Lindsay Stoner.
Originally playing standard Banjo-Mandolin-Guitar pieces typical of Mandolin Orchestras from the beginning of the twentieth century, The Fretful Federation is always expanding and developing its repertoire. We now play a wide range of material including exciting contemporary music by living composers, as well as classical and popular pieces and concertos, and have collaborated with other mandolin orchestras, choirs and the Early Music group The Pastores Ensemble.
The music is written in part form for mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, mandobass, percussion and guitars. We welcome new recruits playing any of these instruments or their relative bowed cousins -- the violin family -- from beginners to advanced players. We perform concerts all over Sussex and have toured abroad.
Listen to some of our new live recordings here on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/FretFed
Check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FretfulFederationMandolinOrchestra
Upcoming concerts
2013
Our debut as part of the highly-regarded Music and Wine at St. Luke's Concert Series. www.stlukesconcerts.webeden.co.uk
In a fund-rasing event for St Anne's Day Centre in Kemp Town, we will perform our usual eclectic mix of music and styles for half of a concert which will also feature the choir of St Paul's College of Burgess Hill. At the end of the concert the two groups plan to join forces for a couple of joint pieces, merging voices with mandolin orchestra....
The concert will be held at the popular music venue St Mary's Church, Kemp Town, Brighton ...