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The many styles of playing the Anglo concertina

My current level of understanding!

Let's start off with a caveat! I have only been playing the Anglo Concertina for three years and I very much still see myself as a learner/improver. I have no academic background in this subject! During my playing time, I have done a variety of courses, which included online Irish concertina courses and I have now attended three in-person weekends at Quantock Lodge with the WCCP. I find it interesting to learn more about and experience the different styles of playing the Anglo Concertina. For the benefit of non-Anglo players, the Anglo concertina is bisonoric, i.e., there is a different note on the push or the pull. I will say a little more about the styles of play below, as it is not just about the push or the pull!

Playing in ‘the Irish Style’

As a beginner, who enjoys Irish music, it was natural for me to choose to learn to play the Anglo using a range of Irish online courses. I therefore describe myself as playing in the Irish Style. This means that I mainly play the melody line across the rows. I use both the left hand and right hand to play the melody and I use both of the C (middle) and G (bottom) rows, choosing which notes are on the push or the pull. Quite a lot of the online Irish courses I have done, guide the learner in which buttons it is best to play for each tune – often giving a rationale for the button selection.

The advantage of playing in the Irish style is that I have been able to join in with tunes with other concertina systems (English and Duet) playing a tune as written (in the same octave) and I have been used to thinking of the most appropriate button to play e.g. Right or Left Hand, Push or Pull. With more practice, I will add more ornamentation to my playing. At the moment, I tend to play chords less, but I hope these will come with more practice time. We all have a limited mental capacity sometimes!

Playing in a Harmonic Style

One aspect that I find most interesting about attending the Autumn Residential weekend at Quantock Lodge, is that I am usually taught by tutors who play the Anglo concertina in a more Harmonic Style. In broad terms, they play the melody with the right hand and the accompaniment with the left hand, or I have heard some tutors play lots of chords together with both hands, at the same time. This is a great style for self-accompaniment.

In the Anglo Improvers’ class at this year's Quantock Lodge weekend, we played most of the melody with the right hand, in an octave higher than what was written, which enabled some chords to be played with the left hand. This was challenging for me, as I had to get used to playing the higher notes on the right-hand side and shift my hands to get to the higher notes. We also covered some music theory about which chords we could add on the left-hand side, either on a push or a pull.

Hybrid Style!

Everyone will come to the Anglo from their own musical background or musical preferences. I think that playing in the Irish Style will still be my home style. That said, I do want to practice my right hand more and get better at including chords. It will be interesting to see whether my style turns out to be more hybrid?! Maybe every Anglo player develops their own style a bit over time, as they piece together different teachings?

Forthcoming Events

The next Quantock Lodge weekend will take place late September/Early October 23. We would love more beginner and improver Anglo players to join us. Regardless or your standard or style of playing, you always learn a lot and the weekend is great fun. Plus, you get to hear other concertina systems (English and Duet), so it is a great melting pot for the concertina. In the meantime, if you can play a bit, the WCCP offers general playing sessions on Zoom, so you don’t even need to be based in the West Country.

Alison Walsh, Anglo Concertina Learner

3 October 2022

How I started to play the Anglo concertina

Are you thinking about starting to play the Anglo Concertina?

You may have already decided to play the Anglo Concertina or you are still deciding which type of concertina you want to play (Anglo, English Concertina or Duets etc). I want to share with you how I started to play the Anglo Concertina, as an adult learner, based in the UK.

When I met my Anglo

I went to a traditional Irish music festival back in 2019 (Fleadh Cheoil nah Éireann). I am a harpist by musical background, but as soon as I saw young people effortlessly playing the Anglo Concertina (Irish Concertina) at the festival - I knew that I wanted to learn how to play one. Compared with a harp, an Anglo is so portable! On a musical impulse, I went and bought an Anglo Concertina straight away from an Irish store. I bought a mid-range, 30 button concertina, in the key C/G.

My first beginner course

With my new concertina in hand, I then searched for UK based courses, and this is when I first came across the West Country Concertina Players (WCCP). With luck, my search was just before the WCCP, annual, autumn weekend for beginners and improvers, which is colloquially known as the Quantock Lodge Weekend.

As a new face to both the WCCP and at Quantock Lodge, I was made to feel very welcome. I was placed in a nice, small, friendly tutor group with other Anglo learners. I learned a lot during this weekend, and it is amazing how hard your brain works over the length of a weekend course! For the Anglo, there is a different note on the push or the pull (i.e., it is bisonoric) - this takes some practice, but it is a fun instrument to play. The Quantock Lodge weekend is a great weekend for absolute beginners to learn the concertina, plus it is social and a lot of fun. Everyone in the club started as a beginner and there is no pressure to be more advanced than you currently are!

Since my first Quantock Lodge weekend, I joined the WCCP as a member and I have since completed some online Irish concertina courses and some sessions held on Zoom. I also joined the organising committee for the Quantock Lodge weekend, as it is an enjoyable weekend - focussed on beginners and improvers.

How can I learn to play the Concertina (Anglo) with the WCCP?

The WCCP welcomes absolute beginners for all of the concertina systems. If you are local to Somerset, you may be able to attend the Ruishton Play Days (near Taunton). Or you are welcome to come to the Annual Quantock Lodge weekend for beginners and improvers. The next Quantock Lodge Weekend will take place on 30 September 22, with bookings open to non-members on 1 August 22. If you missed the date for booking on to the 2022 event, please plan ahead to join us for a future autumn weekend! Please contact the WCCP to find out more at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.