Since some of you have attended various activities of this sort over the years (and since I’m trying to plan ahead for next years’ vacation weeks) I would like to find out:
Which you would recommend and why.
Beth recently posted a notice about Friday Harbour in Washington in March.
I know there is a “Boxwood” and also a week in the Catskills, and there is Wind on the Bay.
My question is, which of these would give most bang for the buck for someone not quite sure of their skills but who has played for a couple of years now…
By the way, a very happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! I’m off to bake my pies now
I don’t think it’s where you go so much as who’s there. For my money Catherine McEvoy is one of the teachers worth traveling for. I’ve heard good things as well about John Skelton and Kevin Crawford. I’m reluctant to slag teachers I have heard negative things about: those who come to class late or not at all, or who show up badly hung-over and unprepared to teach.
You mention bang for the buck. A great deal depends on the use to which you put your new knowledge. When I go to one of these camps I try to stay totally focused on the music. I use lunch time and breaks to practise what I’ve learned. It isn’t social for me except at mealtimes and at the end of the day.
Find a player who you really love and find out where and when that person will be at a camp-- that’s the one to go to. Aside from that, Willie Week will always be worth going to, at least once in your life. I loved Friday Harbor and East Durham and have mixed feelings about Augusta.
Irish Arts Week was a blast and exhausting. A full week of morning class, lunch practice, afternoon class, slow session, evening concerts and late night sessions. It was total immersion in Irish music for a full week and I learned a great deal and met some wonderful folks.
Unfortunately Ged Foley won’t be returning as artistic director this year and there have been worries from folks emailed about that this won’t be as good. But, I just saw a message posted to the Itrad list from Tom Madden and it seems that all will be well this year.
We’ll see.
Wind on the Bay was a different experience but just as much fun. Much smaller group of people, more intimate, and only for around 2 and a bit days. My only complaint was that it could have been a day longer.
How is Skip Healey as a teacher? His music doesn’t thrill me. Very fast, without muchy loveliness to it. IMHO.
I’d like to go to the flute camp like in American Pie…
The first thing i went to was the Boxwood winter weekend last year (can’t afford the summer one, sorry). It was very good, especially for the people i got to meet. The wooden flute community is not so large, and in some of these camps you get to meet a lot of the people you see on the Internet or whose CDs you listen to. And, maybe the most important, get to try out a whole lot of different flutes.
I attended the Wind On The Bay two years ago and thought Skip Healy was a super teacher. It was in a group situation but he had his eye on every move and identified each nuance of each player there. I’ll be taking a lesson from him Friday, 05DEC. This will be a private lesson and I’ll let you know more. Skip plays fast but also plays some real soft, lovely stuff. None of that, however, is recorded. He played a few slow tunes at his concert two years ago and it was absolutely lovely.
David Levine asked “How is Skip Healy as a teacher?”
David - I’ve been studying with Skip for just over a year now. I can honestly tell you that I have learned more from Skip in this past year than I have learned from all my previous music instructors combined. (I’ve played fife since 1975 and Boehm flute since 1979…)
I’ve not only learned about playing traditional irish music, but I’ve learned basic flute playing techniques(for some reason some of these were never covered by other teachers); body mechanics and how the body relates to the instrument; how both aid in the creation of a bigger better sound…I could go on, but I don’t want to put you to sleep!
As for Skip’s teaching style - while my classes with him are rather laid back - it is always clear that he is the instructor. Most times, my drive home is spent with my head spinning from what I refer to as “information overload”.
You mentioned also that going to a class is about who the instructor will be. If I can add to that…it is also important to study with someone who’s playing you appreciate. Taking a class just for the name behind it will do you nothing if you don’t like their style of playing to begin with. The best thing for anyone to do is take classes with players whose style you appreciate and perhaps even wish to emulate (even just a little bit).
Hope this helps!
