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Gina Brannelli and the Petulengro Family  15th June, 2010

On the June clubnite (June 15th)  at Holditch we will be welcoming back as our guest for the evening, Gina Brannelli and she will be accompanied by members of the Petulengro family. We are not quite sure which of them will be coming - but William and Julie Langton came with her last time in 2007 and it was a wonderful evening. Together with sister  Nancy,  as well as being Gina’s pupils, they are members of the Petulengro gypsy family from Blackpool, long famous for their fortune telling.  William and his sisters are steadily making their family famous also for their accordion playing and colourful performances. In playing accordions, the Langtons are carrying on a long family tradition.  Their mother, clairvoyant Sarah Petulengro, interviewed on the BBC TV programme Inside Out, commented: “Every Romany has an instrument – violin, tambourine or accordion – they’re small and compact for the caravan when you’re traveling up and down.  In the olden days, when they’d pull up with the caravans and the gypsy ladies would put the boards out, the men would play the accordions.  With them playing all day they’d get really good at it and would earn money – it’s gone down from generation to generation.”

         

The present day involvement of the family with the accordion began when they met Gina Brannelli, whose music shop Music World UK is situated at Marsh Mill Village in Thornton Cleveleys.  Gina became teacher and mentor to William, Julie and Nancy, and their musical progress was rapid, with all three regularly entering and winning competitions. Between them, the Langtons have won a large number of NAO titles.  William and his sisters have appeared on all kinds of shows, and also at accordion clubs. They have appeared on BBC television programmes and on BBC radio. Other Langtons, Sarah Jane, Leah and Stewart, are also Gina’s pupils  and have also embarked on a competitive career themselves.

 

Whoever comes, it looks like being a great night.

 

William

Julie and Gina