Our story...
Awaken was established in 2024. I discovered that there are far too many accordions in the world that need fixing. I was working on an old accordion, putting it back together, when for the first time, I pulled the wheezy, dusty old bellows and it made a noise! It breathed, then it spoke...then it sang. That's when I had a feeling of giving life back to an object, awakening it.
In any free time I get, refurbish free reed instruments, repair, sell and try to provide help with any music service people local to West Cornwall need. I aim to provide a cost effective, approachable service.
I also look to help awaken the music that may lie dormant in a person, and perhaps that music can in turn, awaken them, like it does for me on a regular basis. I provide lessons for beginners on the piano accordion and piano.
The dream...
One day, Awaken would like to be a shop with a workshop and a space for teaching, learning and group activities. I would like to be able to stock a variety of musical instruments, accessories, scores and perhaps novelty items too. For now, I work from home, but I am striving to make the dream a reality.
Laura Clayton
Musician and Creator Piano, accordion, autoharp and more
I also use this as my musician's profile. I live with my sea-going husband near Penzance in Cornwall. You may have seen me on the keys with Kizamba, one of Cornwall's most popular Latin bands. I am a competent piano player and have a Casio Privia keyboard with all my own customised patches. I have my own quality live equipment for gigging, and a lite studio setup at home. I also play folk music on the accordion and other traditional instruments, helping to run a weekly folk session at The Union Hotel Bar in Penzance, and am the current band leader of The Golowan Band. I arrange the music and the performances and help the committee to run the band.