Fingers and Frets

Phyllis Davis

Phyllis joined the orchestra as a guitar player in the early 1980s, then a few years ago she taught herself to play the mandolin. She decided to move across to the mandolin section but still keeps her hand in playing the guitar at barn dances and with John Hopes when the two of them play afternoon concerts.

John Hopes

Born into a musical family (grandfather singer, mother singer & pianist, father singer & flautist), John sang in choirs and as soloist for over 45 years from aged 7, commencing study of music & voice production with Prof Conway Pearson, continuing for 9 years with Robert Fredericks, both of Bristol. He sang in the Novello Players' production of Glamorous Nights. Also he studied piano accordion with Prof Handel Lovell for at least 4 years.

Having met Jim Stevens of Bristol, a fine exponent of self-accompanied style of mandolin playing, John became most interested and studied music & history relating to this enchanting instrument. His particular interest is in ensemble playing and he was for several years mandola player with 'Savante Mandoliers' under direction of Madame Underdowne of Cotham, Bristol. John was also with 'Percy Poole Serenaders' and joined Bristol BMG Club as mandolinist until their demise in early 1970s.

In mid 1970s John was a founder member & musical director of Fingers & Frets and has continued to date. He has over the years made contact with mandolin interests in Italy and collected examples of music, information and instruments of the mandolin family.

Wally Mead

My first contact with a musical instrument was when I joined John Hopes' evening class to learn to play the guitar and find out what those black dots were for. From that time I was hooked, playing guitar and later mandolin in the orchestra. I took over as conductor of Fingers and Frets and also conducted the Banjo, Mandolin & Guitar group that met monthly at Theale near Reading and which was made up of players from the London and Bristol areas.

Having left F&F to pursue a solo interest of playing guitar and singing, I returned to the fold in 2006 and am thoroughly enjoying playing again with these excellent musicians.

Peter Oldham

Peter works abroad most of the time in the poorer but sometimes more exotic parts of the world. He first heard of the mandolin while reading Captain Corelli on a train in India. When being posted to Pakistan's North West Frontier he decided he would teach himself to play the mandolin to help while-away the long evenings. He bought an old round-back for £60 but after a week the neck broke. A local furniture-maker glued it back together and for further strength, Peter bound it with string.

This was the instrument he brought with him when he joined Fingers & Frets to play 2nd mandolin in August 2000. He continues to carry it around the world and we hope it serves him well in Afghanistan.

Bob Pepper

Bob first picked up a mandolin at the Bristol Folk House in 2004 and decided he wanted to try and learn to play the instrument. Carelessly not having learned to read music in his tender years, he is now discovering what those five horizontal lines with funny dots and sticks mean (he says he has decided that the squiggly shape at the left hand side of every line must mean banjos play loud at this point!).

He is looking forward to seeing the introduction of some transatlantic influences on the repertoire of the orchestra and did you know there were more mandolins in the homes of the western settlers than any other instrument - have you tried tying a piano on a horse?

Bill Smith

Bill started to learn to play with members of the Bolton BMG Club after attending one of their concerts at a very tender age. Everyone in the club orchestra played a banjolin and Bill's came with him to Bristol in the 1960s and, in the intervening years, came out of the wardrobe for a couple of hours each Christmas! Pleased to be introduced to F&F in 2006, he is now busy re-learning, arthritic fingers and all!

June Smith

June is Fingers and Frets' Treasurer and joined the orchestra in the 1980s as a guitarist, but since 2003 has been indulging a passion for mandolin with encouragement from John Hopes! She originally studied piano but was lured to strings at the age of 12, taking up classical guitar and developing an interest in folk, electric and jazz guitar over time and studying theory and technique with Mike Watson.

Julie Kingston

Julie has recently joined the orchestra. Hopefully she'll be writing a paragraph or two soon about her mandolin playing.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the other members.

Bill Gould

Bill has recently re-joined the orchestra after several years away.

He was spotted at Backwell Banjo Rally by another member who recognised him as a past player in Fingers & Frets and was encouraged to return with his mandola to keep Alan company!

Alan Mate

Alan is very pleased that Bill Gould decided to come back to the orchestra with his mandola.

He has been the orchestra's lone mandola player for many years.

Barbara Grove

Barbara joined the orchestra so long ago that she can't remember when but thinks that it was soon after Tony's arrival!! The trouble is, if you go to Tony's page you'll not be any wiser as he hasn't yet written his profile. Barbara didn't actually write this so the 'editor' has decided to do some updating herself in the hope that it will prompt more members to put pen to paper!

Miranda Pring

Miranda has recently joined the orchestra.

Hopefully she'll be writing a paragraph or two soon about her guitar playing.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the other members.

Holly

Holly has been playing guitar since 2004 and has passed her initial grade and grade one exams. She started with lessons at school and after a year began one-to-one lessons with June Smith who as a member of the orchestra herself, encouraged Holly to join and she has been playing with them since 2006.

Having played at lots of concerts it's hard to remember them all but she says her favourite was when Fingers & Frets went to the BMG Federation Rally in East Kilbride and she won the 'Playing for less than two years' trophy! Holly has also been playing the flute since 2006 and has passed grades one and two.

Brian Venables

After a classical upbringing, learning to high standard the piano, violin and woodwind instruments, Brian turned to the guitar after leaving school, then found out much later that he loved, and should have played first, the Bass. He especially loves playing blues and enjoys to do classic rock and motown when he can.

Sandra Woodruff

Sandra joined Fingers & Frets early in the 1980s after learning to play the guitar through Soundwell College adult evening classes at Longwell Green Community Centre. She took over as music librarian at the beginning of 2007. Sandra organised several trips to Denmark for the orchestra to take part in the Ballerup Music Festival and also the return visits of the Danish Mandolin Orchestra Magiba.

Sandra is secretary of the National Banjo, Mandolin & Guitar (BMG) Federation committee. If you're interested in finding out more about the BMG Federation, go to the Links Page and you'll find it listed under 'Instrument Related Stuff'.

Brian Hollett

Among the highly trained and qualified members of Fingers and Frets, Brian hails from a skiffle group in the late 1950s and says he hasn't improved much since! He also played with the North London Barnet BMG club about that time, when it was run by Mr Daniels in the back of his shoe repair shop. Rock 'n' Roll beckoned and he played in many bands over the years, in particular a cabaret singing group regularly perfoming at well known London hotels.

Work meant his guitars stayed in the cupboard for decades until recently when he decided to sell them. On taking the old 1960s instruments to a dealer he was persuaded to keep them! That sparked the idea of playing again and, recalling the early BMG days, Brian wondered if that might provide an outlet now. He came across Fingers and Frets on the web and is now an enthusiastic member, hoping to improve - at last!

Pete Bryant

Pete has recently joined the orchestra.

Hopefully he'll be writing a paragraph or two soon about his guitar playing.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the other members.

Derek Winter-Alsop

Derek has recently joined the orchestra. Hopefully he'll be writing a paragraph or two soon about his guitar playing. Derek also plays the fiddle.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the other members.

Tony Counter

Tony is rather vain as he insisted on having a new photo taken for the updated website. He has been with Fingers & Frets for so long that his hair has turned grey.

Tony is Chairman and tries to keep orchestra members in order at the Annual General Meeting.

Brian Dingley

Brian was inspired to start playing Classic Five String Finger Style Banjo in September 2003 after attending Backwell Banjo Rally that month and in September 2002. He currently has four instruments, the favourite being an open-back Weaver built in the 1880s and strung in nylon. Mary Walters has provided tuition and they meet most weeks to play together with Rosemary Evered who is also in Fingers & Frets. As the other banjos in F&F are plectrum instruments, he hopes to bring a different but complementary sound to the orchestra. Brian also regularly play in pubs etc in a trio with Mike Redman, an accomplished local Classic Banjo player, and keyboard player Jill Friendship.

Rosemary Evered

Like Brian, Rosemary plays finger style banjo and receives tuition from Mary Walters.

Rosemary joined Fingers and Frets in 2008. She especially loves the barn dances!

Mike Lock

Mike has been secretary of the Fingers & Frets for several years now and takes all the bookings for concerts and barn dances.

If you would like to make a booking or you have an enquiry, please use the Contact page.

Helen

Helen is a banjo novice and recently became a fully fledged member of Fingers & Frets. She played the violin and recorder as a child, but didn't pursue music in any way until inexplicably falling in love with the banjo in 2007.

She is currently trying to learn the songs and techniques and is being ably, and very patiently, helped by Mike Lock, banjoist in the orchestra! She has very much enjoyed the barn dances and concerts she has played at so far.

Bob Cave

Bob has recently joined the orchestra.

Hopefully he'll be writing a paragraph or two soon about the drums.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the other members.

Peter Cox

Peter came along with his English Concertina to help out at a Barn Dance and has been with the orchestra ever since!!

He is very active on the concertina front and is involved in various festivals and events.