Looks like we can look forward to another great week in the Catskills-- www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek -The website has just been updated.
Who's coming??--any good stories to share about last year?
can't wait! My only complaint is I get so depressed when it over!
Hey you, fiddlefamily,.... I'll see you there.... of course!
I am looking forward to it too, if any of you have never gone, this is the year to go, the line up is amazing, I am thrilled to see Randal Bays and Martin Hayes there among others... and MARY BERGIN is back too. The line up of teachers is amazing. Also this year it is a week later for those of you who go to Willie Clancy week, this will be the week after, so you can now do both.
In addition, if you bring a non playing spouse or friend along, there are great arts programs, like enameling, stone carving, so they don't get bored all day... Linda Hickman is teaching Celtic Cross making, I am teaching ancient style casting in silver (or gold if you have any broken or old jewelry you care to melt down) for Celtic Jewelry.... and you will get a very professional looking piece of your choice, ring, pendant, pin whatever you like. At least one, some people made 2-3 last year.
There are also dance classes.... this week up there, if you are into the music or the arts, it's like going straight to Heaven. That's why you get depressed when it's over!
the site is going to be fully up to date soon and ready to accept registration, but you can check it out now and call if there are any questions at:
You know, I went last year, and I don't think I'm likely to go back again. It felt like they did a fantastic job getting a superb lineup of Irish musicians there, and then figured, "Hey, we've got 'em here. Nothing else for us to do!" The organization was abysmal, the staff rude, and the town completely unprepared for that number of students to show up.
Two examples. I signed up for an advanced whistle class. When I got there, it seemed a bit on the easy side, but interesting tunes were being taught, and it seemed like it would be a pain-in-the-neck to switch, so I decided to stick it out. On the last day, I discovered the teacher thought it was an intermediate class -- and if you looked at the course schedule stickers the students had been given, mine said advanced, others said intermediate / advanced, and others just said intermediate.
The crushing blow, though, was the Peter Horan masterclass.. They scheduled it in the same time and place as a session, so that when we got there for it, there were 40 people playing tunes and no sign of Peter Horan. People tried calling / visiting the organizers, only to be literally yelled at for asking what was going on, as if it was our job to arrange the venues and keep track of the teachers. Finally Peter did show up, and ended up giving a short masterclass in a tent ten feet from the town's busy main drag, on a sweltering hot summer's day. It was an absolutely disgraceful way to treat the 80-year Sligo legend.
Then the organizer shows up, apologizes, and says to make up for it, they will hold a second Peter Horan masterclass the next afternoon at a different venue. So naturally, a bunch of us suckers drop whatever we had previously planned and go to that the next day. And other than potential students, no one at all shows up -- no Peter, no organizers, no handy sign telling us it had been canceled. Nothing. So I sat there for an hour watching other students trickle away as they gradually gave up on it.
Ack, I hadn't realized how bitter I still was about the whole thing. What a freaking mess that was. I would have been utterly distraught if I hadn't gotten to spend four days with Peter the next weekend -- really, getting him and Gerry Harrington into the US was the one good thing CIAW did, as far as I was concerned.
Sol... that is unfortunate you had this experience, overall, in a mass event of this stature there is sometimes a snafu. I have seen it in other walks of life, conferences, conventions etc. where not everything runs seamlessly 100% all of the time.
It is a major undertaking, and it largely falls on the organizer and a few staff members who are inundated with work and organizing, last minute requests and changes from attendees, it must be overwhelming. Actually I am more surprised they run as tight a ship as they do, given the circumstances.
I sure hope you and anyone else on this thread realize this is not the usual state of affairs at CIAW.
There is an email address set up for anyone with any questions or concerns: irishartsweek@gmail.com . I believe this is the best way to communicate for the time being.
The town seemed pretty well prepeared to me, and sometimes, again, with so much going on all over the place, there are going to be some little or sometimes bigger things now and then that need attention, and personally I found the staff quick to accomodate people and very pleasant. Even when I did the unthinkable, and locked myself out of my room like a dummy one night, I thought for sure someone would bite my head off after a long day, but they were cheerful and helpful. From what I could see there was always someone ready to attend to peoples' needs and requests, and they did it promptly.
I have participated in other conferences, conventions, both as an attendee and part of the organization or a speaker etc. over many years. There was never, ever, ever a one that ran 100% smoothly all the time for everybody. Inevitably a person or two may have a problem which makes them not want to go back, and they may be well right about their reasons, I do not dispute this, but it doesn't mean that the event overall is bad. CIAW is a pretty long running event at this point, so it is safe to assume that while a few over the years may have had a bad experience, most have not, and keep coming back.
Unfortunately it is often the case that the people with a complaint, (and Sol, I am not belittling your experience or your feelings at all, if it was bad for you it was bad, and it is unfortunate. I am just speaking generally), are the ones that say the most and speak the loudest. It would be nice too if some people could write some stories about wonderful things they have encountered in East Durham. It is a place where the best and greatest musicians in the world mingle with the rest of us, play at sessions with us, teach us, have a beer with us, hang out and talk etc. Everyone is just a regular person there and the feeling in the air is one of enthusiasm and happiness.
One wonderful experience, for example, I had last summer, was running into the piper, Pat Sky. Maybe only some of you older people remember this, but Pat used to be a "folkie" musician, a songwriter too as I recall, a great guitar player, ragtime, blues, fingerstyle player, singer. When I met him I thanked him, because his old records were the first acoustic guitar music I had ever heard. I was only 11, and had a borrowed guitar, and slowly taught myself fingerstyle playing by copying little bits and pieces of his recordings until I put the tune together, the rags were what I loved. Those recordings of his were my own start, I later went to ITM but the fingering techniques and the sense of rhythm I developed by listening to him have given me more pleasure than just about anything in my life. I was so happy to meet him, and he was really happy to hear that story. Great moment.
Seeing a woman who looked so, so familiar at one of the sessions, and finding out she was the grown daughter of someone I had been friends with way back in the 70s in NYC was another touching moment. My friend had passed away in the early 80s I believe, and the last time I saw her daughter, she was only about 10 years old. She lives on the West coast now, but looked so much like her mother, which is why she looked so familiar. And we are friends now. Another great moment.
CIAW is a place where some pretty good things happen is all I can say, and not only the musical things. It's a real experience which, well.... should be experienced. So if you haven't been there yet, give it a try.
The reason I asked is because I live in East Durham and my family owns several businesses in the town, I didn't see where we we all that unprepared. While CIAW is a large event, we've handled more people during other weeks. As far as the staff goes, I'm personal friends with many of the staff at the cultural center, and couldn't imagine anyone yelling at students. Also, the fact that while E. Durham is a predominantly Irish town, this event is a novelty. Businesses can't turn down customers who come every week to accommodate people who are only in town for a short period. There has to be a happy medium. Some places achieve this, others don't. All in all, I think something is being done right, because last year I met people from Germany, Japan, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Zealand, as well as other places, who came for arts week. If someone is willing to travel those lengths, it can't be all that bad!
Ron... I'm with you. I think I must have eaten in every place and gone into every store in town, and while at peak mealtimes there may in some cases be a short wait for a table, I saw no other inconvenience. Every place was well staffed and they were attentive and polite and the food was good everywhere.
The staff gets it from every direction and I have never seen them rude either.... even when I deserved it, LOL, I am useless with keys, they should really say this summer... "oh you again, here are TWO keys". I carry two car keys for the same reason....what it is about the keys I just don't know, the rest of my life, I am pretty well organized.
Again, sorry to repeat, any event this size, there are going to be some problems arising. The amazing thing is that there are so few. I think Paul Keating deserves amazing credit for pulling this thing together. People don't realize that it is almost year round dealing with this event, not just this week, there is lots to be done after it's over, and by the time all that is done, it's time to start planning for the next year again.
And the business owners in town, always pleasant too, Ron.
Definitely going back. Last year was my first year, and I had a great time. The accommodations were fine, and never had any trouble going out for lunch or dinner, and sampled a few places, and a couple of really good meals. I found everyone to be friendly and helpful. I took the intermediate harp with Michael Rooney, and it was terrific. Enjoyed all of the concerts, being able to be out playing at great sessions almost continually, being together with so many musicians, meeting people from all over the world. Having been away from the music for a long time, it was also an opportunity to reconnect with people I hadn't seen in ages. I'm just glad it's happening again this year, in a place that I can hop in the car and drive to.
Can't wait to go back. I've recommended this week to so many people in years past and they've all thanked me over and over for "showing them the light"--not one has said they didn't enjoy themselves immensely! It is a great week and the staff does an excellent job of making the week enjoyable for both the teachers and the students. They do an excellent job of organizing seisuns, ceilis and concerts and intermingling the teachers so at any given seisun (and there are many!) there are different teachers playing together. Just looking at the schedule makes it difficult to decide where to go first as the choices are all so good. The interaction between the students and the teachers is beyond compare.
The town was very prepared (as they are every year) for the onslaught of musicians and familes and were beyond friendly and accomodating. . I never had a problem getting a meal (but really who had time to eat?--there was so much music to be played!)
The teachers all had a ball too (why do you thinkt they all return?) and I know that Peter Horan thoroughly enjoyed himself as well. My friend who came up for the day had the greatest little seisun with he and Linda Hickman at the Shamrock House--just the 3 of them at the bar playing flute--she still talks about it. He told me himself during one of the seisuns that he was having a great time!
The only problem I had was going home!
True, fiddle, you know, by the end of the week, I felt like my room was my new home, just settling in, getting used to the place.... I vote we make it a summer camp...at least a month long!
I had little time to eat too... the only vacation where I can lose a few pounds, LOL! Just too busy!
I remember Linda talking about that session. When I got booked in to play one sitting between Patrick Ourceau and Patrick Mangan, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven!! Two fiddlers this year I hope to get a chance to play with are Martin Hayes and Randal Bays. Would like to do some guitar stuff with Randal Bays too...he is a brilliant guitar player as well as fiddler. Oh, and Mary Bergin too, can't wait for a few tunes, too many to even name here.....YOU, however, Fiddlefamily my dear, I will catch some tunes with you real soon! You too Drinharp!
Who do you plan to take your classes with? Have you seen the 2007 schedule at the site yet? How far do you have to travel to get there? People come from all over the world for this.
CIAW website updated--who's coming???
CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Looks like we can look forward to another great week in the Catskills-- www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek -The website has just been updated.
Who's coming??--any good stories to share about last year?
can't wait! My only complaint is I get so depressed when it over!
# Posted on February 24th 2007 by fiddlefamily
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Hey you, fiddlefamily,.... I'll see you there.... of course!
I am looking forward to it too, if any of you have never gone, this is the year to go, the line up is amazing, I am thrilled to see Randal Bays and Martin Hayes there among others... and MARY BERGIN is back too. The line up of teachers is amazing. Also this year it is a week later for those of you who go to Willie Clancy week, this will be the week after, so you can now do both.
In addition, if you bring a non playing spouse or friend along, there are great arts programs, like enameling, stone carving, so they don't get bored all day... Linda Hickman is teaching Celtic Cross making, I am teaching ancient style casting in silver (or gold if you have any broken or old jewelry you care to melt down) for Celtic Jewelry.... and you will get a very professional looking piece of your choice, ring, pendant, pin whatever you like. At least one, some people made 2-3 last year.
There are also dance classes.... this week up there, if you are into the music or the arts, it's like going straight to Heaven. That's why you get depressed when it's over!
the site is going to be fully up to date soon and ready to accept registration, but you can check it out now and call if there are any questions at:
http://www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek/
It's more fun that anyone should be allowed to have!! The more the merrier, so please come out. Not to be missed.
# Posted on February 24th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
You know, I went last year, and I don't think I'm likely to go back again. It felt like they did a fantastic job getting a superb lineup of Irish musicians there, and then figured, "Hey, we've got 'em here. Nothing else for us to do!" The organization was abysmal, the staff rude, and the town completely unprepared for that number of students to show up.
Two examples. I signed up for an advanced whistle class. When I got there, it seemed a bit on the easy side, but interesting tunes were being taught, and it seemed like it would be a pain-in-the-neck to switch, so I decided to stick it out. On the last day, I discovered the teacher thought it was an intermediate class -- and if you looked at the course schedule stickers the students had been given, mine said advanced, others said intermediate / advanced, and others just said intermediate.
The crushing blow, though, was the Peter Horan masterclass.. They scheduled it in the same time and place as a session, so that when we got there for it, there were 40 people playing tunes and no sign of Peter Horan. People tried calling / visiting the organizers, only to be literally yelled at for asking what was going on, as if it was our job to arrange the venues and keep track of the teachers. Finally Peter did show up, and ended up giving a short masterclass in a tent ten feet from the town's busy main drag, on a sweltering hot summer's day. It was an absolutely disgraceful way to treat the 80-year Sligo legend.
Then the organizer shows up, apologizes, and says to make up for it, they will hold a second Peter Horan masterclass the next afternoon at a different venue. So naturally, a bunch of us suckers drop whatever we had previously planned and go to that the next day. And other than potential students, no one at all shows up -- no Peter, no organizers, no handy sign telling us it had been canceled. Nothing. So I sat there for an hour watching other students trickle away as they gradually gave up on it.
Ack, I hadn't realized how bitter I still was about the whole thing. What a freaking mess that was. I would have been utterly distraught if I hadn't gotten to spend four days with Peter the next weekend -- really, getting him and Gerry Harrington into the US was the one good thing CIAW did, as far as I was concerned.
# Posted on February 24th 2007 by Sol Foster
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Sol... that is unfortunate you had this experience, overall, in a mass event of this stature there is sometimes a snafu. I have seen it in other walks of life, conferences, conventions etc. where not everything runs seamlessly 100% all of the time.
It is a major undertaking, and it largely falls on the organizer and a few staff members who are inundated with work and organizing, last minute requests and changes from attendees, it must be overwhelming. Actually I am more surprised they run as tight a ship as they do, given the circumstances.
I sure hope you and anyone else on this thread realize this is not the usual state of affairs at CIAW.
There is an email address set up for anyone with any questions or concerns: irishartsweek@gmail.com . I believe this is the best way to communicate for the time being.
# Posted on February 24th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Sol- do you mind if I ask in what way the town was unprepared?
# Posted on February 24th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
The town seemed pretty well prepeared to me, and sometimes, again, with so much going on all over the place, there are going to be some little or sometimes bigger things now and then that need attention, and personally I found the staff quick to accomodate people and very pleasant. Even when I did the unthinkable, and locked myself out of my room like a dummy one night, I thought for sure someone would bite my head off after a long day, but they were cheerful and helpful. From what I could see there was always someone ready to attend to peoples' needs and requests, and they did it promptly.
I have participated in other conferences, conventions, both as an attendee and part of the organization or a speaker etc. over many years. There was never, ever, ever a one that ran 100% smoothly all the time for everybody. Inevitably a person or two may have a problem which makes them not want to go back, and they may be well right about their reasons, I do not dispute this, but it doesn't mean that the event overall is bad. CIAW is a pretty long running event at this point, so it is safe to assume that while a few over the years may have had a bad experience, most have not, and keep coming back.
Unfortunately it is often the case that the people with a complaint, (and Sol, I am not belittling your experience or your feelings at all, if it was bad for you it was bad, and it is unfortunate. I am just speaking generally), are the ones that say the most and speak the loudest. It would be nice too if some people could write some stories about wonderful things they have encountered in East Durham. It is a place where the best and greatest musicians in the world mingle with the rest of us, play at sessions with us, teach us, have a beer with us, hang out and talk etc. Everyone is just a regular person there and the feeling in the air is one of enthusiasm and happiness.
One wonderful experience, for example, I had last summer, was running into the piper, Pat Sky. Maybe only some of you older people remember this, but Pat used to be a "folkie" musician, a songwriter too as I recall, a great guitar player, ragtime, blues, fingerstyle player, singer. When I met him I thanked him, because his old records were the first acoustic guitar music I had ever heard. I was only 11, and had a borrowed guitar, and slowly taught myself fingerstyle playing by copying little bits and pieces of his recordings until I put the tune together, the rags were what I loved. Those recordings of his were my own start, I later went to ITM but the fingering techniques and the sense of rhythm I developed by listening to him have given me more pleasure than just about anything in my life. I was so happy to meet him, and he was really happy to hear that story. Great moment.
Seeing a woman who looked so, so familiar at one of the sessions, and finding out she was the grown daughter of someone I had been friends with way back in the 70s in NYC was another touching moment. My friend had passed away in the early 80s I believe, and the last time I saw her daughter, she was only about 10 years old. She lives on the West coast now, but looked so much like her mother, which is why she looked so familiar. And we are friends now. Another great moment.
CIAW is a place where some pretty good things happen is all I can say, and not only the musical things. It's a real experience which, well.... should be experienced. So if you haven't been there yet, give it a try.
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
The reason I asked is because I live in East Durham and my family owns several businesses in the town, I didn't see where we we all that unprepared. While CIAW is a large event, we've handled more people during other weeks. As far as the staff goes, I'm personal friends with many of the staff at the cultural center, and couldn't imagine anyone yelling at students. Also, the fact that while E. Durham is a predominantly Irish town, this event is a novelty. Businesses can't turn down customers who come every week to accommodate people who are only in town for a short period. There has to be a happy medium. Some places achieve this, others don't. All in all, I think something is being done right, because last year I met people from Germany, Japan, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Zealand, as well as other places, who came for arts week. If someone is willing to travel those lengths, it can't be all that bad!
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Ron... I'm with you. I think I must have eaten in every place and gone into every store in town, and while at peak mealtimes there may in some cases be a short wait for a table, I saw no other inconvenience. Every place was well staffed and they were attentive and polite and the food was good everywhere.
The staff gets it from every direction and I have never seen them rude either.... even when I deserved it, LOL, I am useless with keys, they should really say this summer... "oh you again, here are TWO keys". I carry two car keys for the same reason....what it is about the keys I just don't know, the rest of my life, I am pretty well organized.
Again, sorry to repeat, any event this size, there are going to be some problems arising. The amazing thing is that there are so few. I think Paul Keating deserves amazing credit for pulling this thing together. People don't realize that it is almost year round dealing with this event, not just this week, there is lots to be done after it's over, and by the time all that is done, it's time to start planning for the next year again.
And the business owners in town, always pleasant too, Ron.
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Definitely going back. Last year was my first year, and I had a great time. The accommodations were fine, and never had any trouble going out for lunch or dinner, and sampled a few places, and a couple of really good meals. I found everyone to be friendly and helpful. I took the intermediate harp with Michael Rooney, and it was terrific. Enjoyed all of the concerts, being able to be out playing at great sessions almost continually, being together with so many musicians, meeting people from all over the world. Having been away from the music for a long time, it was also an opportunity to reconnect with people I hadn't seen in ages. I'm just glad it's happening again this year, in a place that I can hop in the car and drive to.
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by drinharp
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Can't wait to go back. I've recommended this week to so many people in years past and they've all thanked me over and over for "showing them the light"--not one has said they didn't enjoy themselves immensely! It is a great week and the staff does an excellent job of making the week enjoyable for both the teachers and the students. They do an excellent job of organizing seisuns, ceilis and concerts and intermingling the teachers so at any given seisun (and there are many!) there are different teachers playing together. Just looking at the schedule makes it difficult to decide where to go first as the choices are all so good. The interaction between the students and the teachers is beyond compare.
The town was very prepared (as they are every year) for the onslaught of musicians and familes and were beyond friendly and accomodating. . I never had a problem getting a meal (but really who had time to eat?--there was so much music to be played!)
The teachers all had a ball too (why do you thinkt they all return?) and I know that Peter Horan thoroughly enjoyed himself as well. My friend who came up for the day had the greatest little seisun with he and Linda Hickman at the Shamrock House--just the 3 of them at the bar playing flute--she still talks about it. He told me himself during one of the seisuns that he was having a great time!
The only problem I had was going home!
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by fiddlefamily
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
True, fiddle, you know, by the end of the week, I felt like my room was my new home, just settling in, getting used to the place.... I vote we make it a summer camp...at least a month long!
I had little time to eat too... the only vacation where I can lose a few pounds, LOL! Just too busy!
I remember Linda talking about that session. When I got booked in to play one sitting between Patrick Ourceau and Patrick Mangan, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven!! Two fiddlers this year I hope to get a chance to play with are Martin Hayes and Randal Bays. Would like to do some guitar stuff with Randal Bays too...he is a brilliant guitar player as well as fiddler. Oh, and Mary Bergin too, can't wait for a few tunes, too many to even name here.....YOU, however, Fiddlefamily my dear, I will catch some tunes with you real soon! You too Drinharp!
# Posted on February 25th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Bless their hearts! Finally they separate Bodhran into basic, intermediate, and advanced. I almost feel like I play a real instrument ;) !
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by peterlenz
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Peter, hopefully this means you will attend? Have you been there before?
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Oh yes, I certainly will be there, just like the last 5
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by peterlenz
Re: CIAW website updated--who's coming???
Who do you plan to take your classes with? Have you seen the 2007 schedule at the site yet? How far do you have to travel to get there? People come from all over the world for this.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by irisnevins