I’m exhausted after getting up a little before 4am Eastern time to catch my flight; that’s the thing about using frequent flyer miles, can’t be choosy about times. I’m fiddling about on the computer to stay awake until a reasonable hour for bed.
Paul McGrattan’s class was a blast, even if I couldn’t quite learn the tunes at the same pace at the other folks. And, he’a heck of a nice guy. Not to mention, a monster on the flute.
I’m in love with Mary Bergin, and I haven’t said more than “no problem” to her as she scooted by during a concert. Think she has a thing for geeky computer jocks?
I understand that the Shamrock boarding house is cheap, but after several rooms flooded early in the week and the roof the bathroom collapsed later, I started to wonder if I shouldn’t just pay the money for better accomadations.
Only downside, I lost my moleskine notebook on the flight home and it included all of my notes for the week, tunes I wrote down to learn, and email addresses I collected. Damn.
If anyone’s interested, I’m in the third picture, wearing the blue shirt and playing the flute in the session. Couldn’t you get any of the big names in the same picture with me? I was sittin’ right up there next to them! :->
Hi guys. Thanks for being such good pals at the musical binge. It was a wonderful time!
It was great to see you all in person, and also Cara and Scott and Blaine. Everyone was so nice. I have severe tone envy of Cara, but will be working hard to catch up (maybe someday?)!
I just learned “Mary Got Married in the Morning” from the Mike/Mary Rafferty & Donal Clancy concert on Saturday. Fun!
I still haven’t gotten over this experience. I gave my sister and closest friend a blow-by-blow yesterday over a bottle of wine, and I was weeping at the end. (Amanderthad would nod here, he saw me lose it on the last night in a song session. Who was that singer, anyway. His soft, high voice coming out of a great big man did me in.) It was so great meeting all of you, and trying your Pratten Olwell, Heather, what a treat that was. I think you have lovely tone, by the way. And I’m definitely going to bring my classical duet repertoire next time-- a little Bach & Telemann will be a nice palate cleanser, don’t you think?
My only regrets were not meeting Brad Hurley and Jessie Driscoll. And the 13 hour drive home was a bit much, but I had a cell phone and good friends to keep me company. Next morning, I had a flat tire! I’d driven 2028 miles. Note to self: make different travel arrangements for next year. Fly to NYC, beg Amanderthad for ride to East Durham.
I would love to play some duets! Audrey and I played classical flute duets and messed about on my cello one night. (Then we had a contest to see which was the loudest & most obnoxious, fife or piccolo. Picc won, just barely.) I don’t want to give up any kind of music. Listened to U2 live full blast on the way home.
I feel like a sponge that is completely full of water, with no room left for more at the moment - I need time to soak it in.
Paul’s air at the Saturday concert got to me the most. He stayed at the same house with a bunch of us other flutes. Before the concert, I heard him practising the air in the stairwell. I snuck away quickly because he was so absorbed in that it I would have hated to intrude. As wonderful a player as he is, he still works so hard and cares so much.
And it was wonderful to hear Milke Rafferty and his lovely playing and stories. What a sweet man - I just love him.
“I know I had a good time madam, I wasn’t up and about till the 20th.”…paraphrasing A. Capp.
Moments I wish were captured on film:
Frank Claudy sniffing the air, watching the signs, deciding at 1 AM that a session would materialise if we waited right here at the Shamrock. (and indeed it did…WOW)
Audrey ready for a midnight session after six cups of java.
Jimmy Noonan realizing that the M&E version REALLY DOES sound like a Rudall.
Eddie trying to explain how he got that unbeleivable seat.
Mike Rafferty getting a peck on the cheek from his daughter.
Everyones dropping jaw when Aran picked up a straight C Sax (for the first time in his life) at 3 AM and just wailed into ITRAD. (I don’t think he got up the next day…I could be wrong)
A panning shot of almost any “morning after” breakfast before class.
It was indeed a wonderful and memorable week, and a great time for me who has never been at this sort of festival and workshops before. I thought it was amazing just to be able to listen to all the different flute styles, and playing abilties. And to be able to learn from the likes of McGrattan, Rafferty, and other amazing players is an experience I’ll never forget.
It was great to meet Jack, Heather, Audrey, Mark, and whoever else I met and played with that hangs out on this board. To tell you the truth, I didn’t know that they were C&F’ers until Saturday (I’ve been reading the board daily for almost two years, but rarely post). Well, next year I’ll drink less beer and pay more attention. Well, maybe except the less beer part.
If any of you are in the Boston area, drop me a line, and we’ll find a session somewhere!
Heather – Fife will win when I manage to get out the remainder of the 3rd octave. Just you wait.
And Jack – I’d only had one cup of coffee. For the most part I can get that hyper all by myself.
wow this all sounds great. We couldn’t go again this year but I love to
hear all the reports.
So - was there another hyperceili at Erin’s the last weekend? What tunes
did you guys learn and from whom? What else was going on in the “Flute”
Carousel house? (Anyone tape the Raff concert?) That’s a great tune,
Heather (Mary Got Married ..)
hey it was great seeing everybody and meeting new ppl. ill have my pictures up soon. one of my good memories was playing my flute like a didgerido with audrey.
-Andrew Cassidy
yes, the didgerido thing was definitely good times, though i must tell you that it works far better on a clarinet if you ever get the chance.
where’re the pictures?
