I have terminal WhOA and cabin fever, and I can only treat one or the other syndrome. Maybe you can help me decide which one gets my attention.
Have any of you been to the Lark in the Morning Music Celebrations which are held in the redwoods of Northern California? If you have, how was it? How were the sessions? Were the workshops fruitful? How were the accommodations? By the time the next one rolls around in August, I will be either an advanced beginner or an intermediate whistler - would I be likely to have fun and find other whistlers at about the same level, or might I get discouraged because everybody else knows how to play better than me?
It would be a little cheaper to satisfy my WhOA, probably, but I haven’t been out of this town for almost five years, and the break from the mountain deserts in Arizona would probably be good for me. But you know that kind of achy, empty feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when there’s a Whistle you want?
So, if you can help me out of this dilemma, I would sure appreciate it. Thanks.
Kendra, where in Northern Cali is it? Those wonderous trees grow all the way down to Big Sur (which I’m going to for a whole week at the end of this month, can’t waite) and like wise but inland in the Seqoia National park.
The celebration is the first week in August and is held in the Mendocino Woodlands just north of Ft. Bragg. It sounds like a lot of fun - if you go to http://www.larkinam.com you can get the info you need. I am not running an ad for this site, but I really need to weigh my options here.
I like airs, so I badly want a Dixon D - everybody seems to like it. I need more music and more recordings, too. I’d also like a nice high-end tuneable High-D, but I don’t know which one. And I want a bodhran. Oh, woe is me. WhOA is me.
Fort Bragg is in CA? I thought it was in North Carolina… or are there two?? I’m confuzzled…
As for the dilemma of festival or whistle… I’d definitely go for the festival! Sounds like a load of fun, and an experience I wouldn’t want to miss. The Dixon Ds aren’t going anywhere, and you can always pick one up later. After you’ve learned all sorts of new, wonderful things from all the new, wonderful whistlers you’ll meet! Let us know what you decide!!
Mendecino is beautiful - a couple of hours north of San Francisco on rte 1 through the red wood forest - nestled between ocean and mountains. Stayed at the Stanford Inn BY the Sea and visited the Larkinam shop there.
My husband and I went to Lark Camp last summer. It was wonderful and I highly recommend it. If you are a beg/inter player you’ll have a ton of inspiration whistle-wise. The intermed/adv workshop I went to all week was good. The great part about the camp is that you have the opportunity to hook up with other people and jam pretty much all day and all night. Hot sessions with great players if you want to listen, and slow sessions with friends you made in class if you want to play. The scenery is awesome, food is also really good. The accomodations are really rough..well, like camping! lol But you’ve got to like the great outdoors lifestyle for sure to last the week. I think the best thing was just being so far away from ‘proper civilization’ and being immersed in so much music with really fun people.
Thanks, PhilO and lawhistle, guess I will do the camp. I was a little worried because I’ll have to live even a little poorer all year to do it, and was really concerned because of my level of whistle experience. I lived adjacent to Redwood Regional Park outside of Oakland and used to go horseback riding there, and what really attracted me to the celebration was the trees I do believe it is worth the hassle - trees and a chance to play with people does seem to be better than zoloft or prozac.
I was with Mickie and Beth for the camp some years ago and can only say that it was MAGICAL.The camp was as if you left this world and were transported to TOLKIENS world.
It just breaks your heart to leave so be careful if you choose to attend it may change your life.
I’ve been invited there this year and may well attend,this will meen that I have to cut my family holiday in Italy in two,so I have to make the big choice,it’s a hard one .
I can recommend this camp 100%.
All the best
Phil.
Kendra,
Thank you for bringing Lark in the Morning’s camp to our attention. I for one had never heard of it and would never have thought to look for such a thing. My family is considering attending.
Lawhistle,
When you say beginner/intermediate whistlers will find inspiration, do you mean they will find the workshops are too difficult? Also, do they have instruments there for people to use or do you have to have your own? For examle, my 8-year-old wants to try the harp. Obviously I’m not buying one just for this!
Debra
[ This Message was edited by: dth on 2002-03-15 12:39 ]
Debra, No, actually it’s just the opposite! I meant to say that beg/interm. people can find a class thats at just the right level (sometimes thats hard in a festival type situation), and a session to practice in too! I dunno about the instruments, seems like everyone brought their own stuff… you might go to the Lark in the Morning website and see what it has to say. LA
Let us know what you decide!!
I do believe it is worth the hassle - trees and a chance to play with people does seem to be better than zoloft or prozac.