Once again, the owner/designer of “Squeeze Me – Accordion Chic Apparel” - Natasha Enquist is donating an item that she has created to the “Visions" Gala Auction, happening on November 14, 2009 at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. The “Visions" Gala auctions off many amazing donations, and all contributions help benefit the Victoria Hospital Foundation. This years event is benefiting the Intensive Care Units at both the Royal Jubilee Hospital and the Victoria General Hospital.
Miss Enquist has donated in the past years under her fashion design label “Aspekt Clothing & Design”. This year will be the first for “Squeeze Me – Accordion Chic Apparel” to make a statement with a very fun pair of men’s boxer briefs. Miss Enquist hopes this years Gala is a great success for the ICU benefit.
I had a great time performing at Oktoberfest this month with the Victoria Edelweiss Club's Dance Group. Getting to really revisit my Mother's side of the family heritage through the music and tradition of Oktoberfest was a treat. Playing a couple of tunes with them as well as dancing in the group, it was a great pleasure to work with this lovely group of people.
November will bring more busy times. A couple of Accordion Girl gigs, as well preparing for Bučan Bučan's show with MeatDraw, opening for Gentleman Reg and the Hidden Cameras on November 24th at the Alix Goulden Hall.
I started up a new Myspace page, it is an artist's page -instead of my old regular user's page. I have yet to post any music though, please be patient!!
My big gypsy marching band, Bučan Bučan, is keeping me ever so busy as usual :)
Tonight we have our first offical photoshoot. Many attempts at this have happened before, every musician, artist, band needs good promo shots, and tonight we're GYPSY FABULOUS! Looking forward to what my photographer friend Darren Stone has up his sleeve tonight!
Bučan Bučan is playing an amazing concert in November...listen to this:
The opening night of the Antimatter Film Festival was incredible!!!
J Maclachlan gathered up many musicians from Victoria BC to be a part of this Disney music night happening at the Openspace Gallery, named "Small World." I was excited to be a part of it because Disney movies had a huge presence and impact on my childhood, and so it was a huge treat to be able to perform my chosen 3 songs.
I had met Alex Cooper during the summer when we both signed up to do the Fifty fifty Art Collective's Annual "Rock Lottery". I was instantly pleased to meet him, 1. because he seemed super nice, and 2. because he was a super-hero of synths, drum machines, samplers, loopers, delays, etc etc awesome etc.
I contacted Alex aka Sunheart shortly after being asked by J to do "Small World", and Alex agreed to collaborate with me for this project. It was great to work with him, the process was very easy and enjoyable.
We ended up playing:
1. "Hi Ho, Hi Ho" from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" -- which I love because I feel it has a wonderful Blackforest/Germany feel to the whole movie. I love Elves, Gnomes, Dwarves, and the music is very 'german beerhall dance party'.
2. "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" from "Cinderella" -- is actually an accordion standard, it's wonderful to play on the accordion, and really shines nicely. Plus, the song is just so charming and lovely.
3. "We Are Siamese" from "Lady and the Tramp" -- I put down my accordion for this one, and played the cymbal and tamborine. Meowing, singing and screaming, hitting myself with a tamborine, and smashing the shit out of the cymbal, I am now left with huge bruises on my leg from whacking myself with that tamborine. Who knew this song was so violent?
----This video is just of our rehearsal of our set ----
We had a fantastic time performing together and plan to continue this accordion/electronic music collaboration. It has been a goal and dream to have an electronic music project.
I grew up listening to Depeche Mode, New Order, Kraftwerk, The Pet Shop Boys, Erasure and Yaz, along with other genres like Lawrence Welk, ABBA, and Bjork...you get the idea. With these influences I have been pining after a project where making the music I love dancing to could be a reality. Having it incorporate my accordion is pure bliss!!
If you've lived in Victoria long enough...then I already know you, your Mom went to highschool with my Dad, your sister was in my dance class, my best friend knows your yoga instructor, and we've probably already dated.
I'll be playing all Disney songs, with my friend Alex Cooper aka Sunheart - who does amazing things with samplers, mixers, pedals, drum machines, and synths. I'm very excited!
The Openspace Gallery is located at 510 Fort Street, Victoria BC. Doors at 9pm.
Here is the Facebook event write up:
The opening night of the Antimatter Film Festival IS Small World.
WARNING:
Small World is a sweetly twisted E-ticket musical excursion through the heart of The Omnipresent Mouse. This ride includes smoke machines, nostalgia, tinfoil, corporate iconography, pretty lights, & performances by:
Chelsea Chenery
Disney On Ice
Jody Franklin
Lindsay Coulton
MD Wren
Natasha Enquist
Pine Family
Rad Juli
Run Chico Run
Slut Revolver
High Arctic(formerly known as Walrus)
Wes Borg
Grayson Walker
J McLaughlin
& of course, the lovely & talented Sarah Rhude if she will forgive me for being such a major flake!!!
To experience Small World, you should be in good health, free from high blood pressure, back or neck probelms, motion sickness, heart conditions, fatigue, or any other physical limitations that could be aggravated by this attraction. This attraction is not available to children under the age of 19.
Tickets to Small World are $8, $7 for students & seniors.
Saving the world with the Accordion? Along with every other Accordionist, I am on a journey to save the world with the Accordion. Save it from the tears of cloudy days, aching hearts, and to warm the soul.
Donate to the "Saving the world with the Accordion" blog!
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A Brief Biography
As a second generation Canadian, Natasha Enquist was surrounded by an influential upbringing of German, Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish relatives. The folk music of these cultures had made an impression on Miss Enquist, and the mighty Accordion has stayed true to her heart.
Miss Enquist's Mother played the Accordion, and she would see her Mother play when she was a little girl. After falling upon her Mother’s pearly accordion in her early 20's she realised the Accordion and her were meant to be together.
Natasha Enquist's background in music includes seven years of classical piano with the Royal Conservatory of Music, several years of private study of the Accordion, and private voice lessons.
Miss Enquist's most current bands/projects are a electronic duo with Alex Cooper aka Sunheart, which is a performance between Accordion, Voice, Synths, Drum Machines, Samplers and various pedals. Aside from that Miss Enquist co-leads, with her friend/bandmate Chris Logan, a gypsy marching band, by the name of "Bučan Bučan" (pronounced booCHAN booCHAN). "Just your average, run-of-the-mill, 14-piece gypsy marching band...and we're coming for you."
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