Only nine days before I must go to the enrollment at WCSS and I’m becoming nervous. Who has gone through it and can give me some information or advice? Do students have to play just a few bars, or an entire tune, or even a set? Who is going to listen, how many of them? And what kind of tune should I play, should it be a reel, or is a jig also ok?
You don’t get graded at the enriolment on saturday, grading for flute and whistleclasses is before class on mondaymorning. You can still enrol on mondaymorning too and have the saturday off altogether.
Yeah, don’t stress Claudine. When you are deciding what tune you want to play, I would pick a tune that you feel like you are solid on, you know? Not something flashy, just something at your level that you can play without making many mistakes. (And remember that there will probably be a lot of other people there the same as or worse than you, so don’t feel intimidated!)
I know how you feel cause I always put a lot of thought into what tune I’ll play for my teacher, but I have already decided on mine. Hope to see you there, Claudine! (And I bet you will be running into Peter, too, cause he’s everywhere) 
Justine
I’m so jealous, I wish I could be there. Next year, maybe
Why not this year? C’mon, you can stay with us (unless you snore)!
J.
Darn you, Temptress from Hell! Oh well, I’m broke, got a new job, and going to spend money I don’t have in Catskills with Jack. I’m thinking maybe next year, a combo Willie Clancy/Catskills would be awesome.
But I know next year yer goin’ to be quite busy, is that so? 
Hey, now, don’t be telling all my secrets. 
I’ll come out with the news soon & then you can say you already knew.
Maybe next year I’ll go to East Durham, how about that?
J.
Congratulations. Wonderful news!
Don’t play your best tune like I did, or you’ll be placed in a class above your ability. Try to play an average tune, with the amount of ornamentation you’re comfortable with as a general rule, and not something you’ve been practicing exclusively for ages.
Justine & Ava, thanks for your advice. In fact, I was thinking about picking a “best tune” now and practicing it like mad for the rest of the week, with sophisticated ornaments and all, although generally I don’t play much ornaments at all. So I’d better just “act naturally”, just be myself.
Yup, just be yourself, play something you’re 100% familiar with and have played for ages.
I just played a few bars on my whistle before the tutor placed me in a class. I was moved up a class within an hour, then the next day a new class was opened above that one and I was moved again (as there were still people in my class clearly below my standard). I couldn’t stand the small boy playing with his spiderman lunchbox all the time who was sat next to me (it was supposed to be an adults-only class, but somehow that was forgotten), and moved myself back again the next day.
All that, and I’d already decided I was going to switch to fiddle anyway when I got home, so it was all a bit academic.
WC 2003 goes down in the annals as a great week, where I got to meet Peter, Azalin, Murphystout, Eldarion, Joyce and Wendy (two of Azalin’s Harem), and most importantly in light of susequent events, Avanutria.
WC 2007 is also a strong possibility for the AvaMil household. We’d hoped to make 2005 but money was too short. By 2007 both our funds and our playing skills should be ready!
Might have to be 2008, unfortunately, as I’m due to be in Pennsylvania for a family reunion in mid-July 2007!
Oops! Guess I’d better come with you…
Oh, the joys and pleasures of the Interweb; where husband and wife can meet, talk and make holiday plans together
When my children are a bit older I also hope to make a trip to Miltown during the summer school. Would be cool to meet some chiffers!
Thanks!
Alright, 2008 it is…Hope to see yez then!
J.