Mountain Laurel 2013

Monday, 1 July 2013

Day Eight - Saturday morning coming down

I felt too embarrassed and guilty to go out of my popup last night. I just couldn't face everyone, still don't really feel I belong in the company of these people, but also couldn't sleep. I just lay beneath the stars, playing my Autoharp, thanking the Lord for my fingers.

This morning I woke late and still a little tearful. I can't walk a step without people coming up and congratulating me - Hey! I'm British, I don't get praise! Sat in on Harvey Reid's workshop on amplification, but he was trying to show the differences between his pickup, Lavalliere mic, his own mic, the stage mic, each played through the stage system or his amp, in combination, with or without a ground lifter, with different forms of equalisation ......sorry, he lost me at Lavalliere. Working on how I get everything home. I have bought a double Blue Heron carry on bag and will take my two new harps in that as carry on. Pete assures me he has never had a problem there. The old harps will go in my case as before. I need some form of valuation from Pete to get it through customs, he has agreed to value it at $2000, making $5000 total I will be bringing in - at 20% duty. So then the only problem is carrying them, a shoulder bag and my case through the underground and the train system. Not looking forward to that.

Today, sing with Cathy soon, lunch duty, workshop on how to make a CD with Eileen Kozloff, then I give a workshop on the dance tunes I have. Going now to try to practice those with Ian.

All is good. Cathy's singing workshop was fun. My workshop went fine - except Americans don't know that Humpty Dumpty has a tune! Concert this evening was again excellent. Really enjoyed Carey Dubbert's Jesu Joy, Tom Schroeder's Pachelbel and Hewlett combo, Katseyes Music in My Mothers House, and Harvey Reid's My heart is full of love - which for the first few times I heard as My heart is full o' flour! Had a good jam with Doofus afterwards. Bed about 12.30, listening to some jamming till nearly two.

Day Seven - The Contest (contd)

OK. Pinch me. When I wake up will I still be Third Place Winner at Mountain Laurel 2013?

I went in the room to draw numbers at 7.20 and my heart sank. Cindy Harris, Cathy Britell, Doug Pratt, Bonnie Phipps, Tom Fladmark, Michael Poole, Drew Smith, Robert Grappell, Kim Goodhue, Vicky Lehman and Muriel Powers - who had done an amazing set in the Open Stage - amongst the 16 competitors. Some of the giants of the Autoharp were in this competition, and very few were missing. So what did I expect? I knew it would be like this. Sixteen competitors, I drew number 8. Come my time, I started with Dylan's Dopvals and messed up the start. Got through it only OK. Also messed the start of Fields of Gold, but it was marginally better than OK, I knew I had a good arrangement and it worked well. But after the first round, I had myself 7th or 8th. So did Holly.

But, to my amazement, my number was called for the second round. My jaw was on the floor, I could not believe it. But I got to play again. So I went for it. And I have only just realised I actually played Great Uncle Henry in the wrong key! I played in D when I had practiced in G!! But, I went for it, and it worked. Then Albatross - I was in the zone, eyes closed and the music was just pouring out of me. I knew I stood a chance. But not against Cindy, or Bonnie Phipps. Cindy's pieces were majestic, rhythmical and lyrical. Bonnie's pieces were just out of this world. She took Autoharp playing to a whole new level, I have never heard anything as musical on an Autoharp, and we all knew who the winner was after the last piece she played. But, in the opinion of the judges, I beat Drew Smith, and Tom Fladmark in the final of Mountain Laurel 2013.

Now how do I get four harps home?

Day Seven - The Contest

Very late night as Cindy's singing jam lasted till three am - but I didn't want it to end! Maggie Dodds and Eileen Kozloff in particular, singing songs, some of which I knew. I should have joined them but I needed rest. Which I didn't really get. I was up at 7.30 to reserve Heather a place in the Open Mic, which was oversubscribed and Nadine could not get signed in. Hope she does so tomorrow.

Spent some of the morning getting a private lesson with Drew Smith and his amazing Autoharp. 47 strings! 22 chord bars, arranged in two rows! Chromatic, but the extra strings are really close doubles! You will love him at Sore Fingers, but be prepared to stretch those hands, and I would think a chromatic harp will be essential. Then played a little with Ryan Hulin before he had to fly home today, missing the contest. Then had to rudely chuck him out so I got some time to practice, and so far it is going very well indeed, the harp is sounding better than ever and surprisingly keeping its tuning in this heat. It is hot again, after the torrential rain yesterday. For the rest of the day, lunch, take Kathy Wieland's songwriting workshop, practice some more, watch Heather in her Open Stage, a light supper and draw numbers for the contest at 7pm. I have been working on the pieces for months, I have got a really good sound with them, I am going out to enjoy playing. Drew Smith told me he will be in it as well - but he has not decided yet what tunes to play!

To be continued.....

Day Six - Open Stage

Signed up for 4.50. Despite having no working harps at present. Pete's fixes exposed other problems when I tried to jam last night. One song and I came away. But I have given them back to Pete and he has fixed them again, so I am happy again. Having no harps this morning, I missed Heidi's workshop on French Canadian tunes, which is a shame, but I was able to spend quality time instead with my new harp. I am discovering which songs work with it and which don't - basically I think anything I sing in F or G I can do with few problems in E. Songs in D are fifty- fifty, and those I sing in C are probably a no. Tunes are tricky. I only seem to have one usable octave at the moment, and it sounds a bit like a tenor harp, which fits my singing well, but doesn't have the angelic sounds of the high tinkles - top note is a doubled B, and all the top notes are doubled. This means that I cannot do the variations I use on some tunes, and also that some notes are in the wrong place, so I have to relearn. But it is GORGEOUS!

Very happy with Pete's new fixes. I served at lunch again - it is a good way of getting my face known, though I think Gill will be amazed that I spend such a long time each day being nice to people - then I sat in at a slow jam, and was one of several people hauled out to lead a song - "Hand me down my walking cane" is my default for these situations. Ryan Hulin was another who came forward, good to see, and I was impressed with his playing. Then I sat in at the start of Tina Louise Barr's 12 bar blues workshop - but I am afraid I was very rude and left when I realised that I could already do what she was doing. She was very good, and I loved her performances, but I didn't need what she was teaching, and I did need to play my new harp. So I waited for the lull in yet another thunderstorm, and came back to a slightly soggy popup - I had left the skylight open, not a good idea - where I am now sitting, tuning and practicing for my Open Stage in two hours time. But the rain is coming down so hard on the roof of the popup that I cannot hear my harp at all!

I had to make a mad dash for the Hall and got soaked. Neal says this will probably go down in the annals as the wettest MLAG ever. But my performance was good. First performance of the new harp. Lots of people came up after to congratulate me. Neils was good enough to take a video, which is now on YouTube here. I wore the Union Jack T shirt! Supper was chili pork. What have Americans got against potatoes? Maybe I will get to jam tonight.

Concert was amazing! Tom Fladmark was justly inducted into the Hall of Fame to tremendous applause. Heidi and John did a lovely set, followed by Katseye. Wow. Suffice it to say I went and bought two of their CDs straight away. Then Tom Schroeder. Words fail me. Sheer musical brilliance. Then Harvey Read closed with his beautiful and exceeding talented partner, both in voice and fiddle playing. Their rendition of "Maggie" was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.

Back to get some Internet time, send some messages, and play three or four songs with Michael Poole and Holly. But it got too wet for me, and I went to bed just after midnight. Have to be early in the queue for the Open Stage tomorrow, to sign Heather in! Then a day of practice, and attend at least one workshop - Kathy Wieland on songwriting. I have also offered a soapbox workshop on English Dance Tunes, 3.30 Saturday, so must prepare for that.

Day five - MLAG Registration day

Really good nights sleep, quite cool and nice. Final three hours with Carey, and some excellent tunes learned. Then a salad lunch with the lovely Holly which I needed to set me up for a hard workout in the afternoon, helping to set the stage up. I read through the Autoharp Hall of Fame boards and had a real lump in my throat. I need to take some pics, will try to do that now.

OK, some snapshots taken. Pete has arrived with my new harp, but has not unpacked yet. I am trying very hard to be patient! Coleen was very taken with her print - she chose the onions, which means the Bee is in the silent auction, priced at $50. Now for the first catered meal, I have signed up to be a server.

Well that was fun! One shell or two , Sir? Pasta shells - but not as we know them! About four inches long, stuffed with cheese and herbs. With a salad and veg. Fine. Then the introduction, the Peacock Princess bringing on the peacock and enshrining her. Don't ask.

Then the concert of the Board members, compered throughout hilariously by Ivan Stiles. Such a wonderful sense of humour. Neal and Coleen, Gregg Schreiber, Maggie Dodd, Mike Herr, Rick Fitzgerald - a wonderful evenings entertainment. Now ready for jamming.

The good news is Pete thinks he has fixed both harps. Lots of tweaks on the GD but nothing major, he just got it ready for the contest - which I have signed up for. He will think about replacing the top later maybe. So I can go jamming now. I also have what I think of as my Mums last gift to me, along with this trip. My new single key E harp. D'Aigle Cascade in Bubinga and Alaskan Cedar with gorgeous mother of pearl lines. It is just beautiful and already sounds good. When it is played in, it will sound even better. But when I heard the low E and the pentatonic bar I fell in love. I can't jam with it of course, so it will sit patiently until I can spend some time with it. Walking up the hill tonight, the skies were clear and the stars were out. Almost Heaven, Pennsylvania.

Day four - first workshop with Carey Dubbert

So when all the birds in the forest decide they want to sing, there is no point shouting "Shut up!". Even to the one who goes "honk honk" - there is one in every choir. But I slept, about six hours I think, which is fine. It was even cold in the night - which was lovely! Mastered the mysteries of the shower block, had a coffee brought to me by Mommy Holly, even had some cornflakes, and am ready to face the day.

Which has so far been interesting. I got to the hall at nine, planning to be in plenty of time for a ten start - except it started at nine! Carey Dubbert is a charming gentleman who gave us some really interesting and useful exercises - playing melody with each finger in turn, including the little finger, was particularly revealing, in that a) I can do it and b) it actually sounds good and accurate with the ring finger especially. And coming after Karens workshop - two fingers only - this was a bit disconcerting! Do I need to change what I am doing for the contest? No way now. Unfortunately, Carey did not take us today as far as I would personally have hoped. I know how I play Fanny Powers and am probably not going to change now. It was interesting that, like Karen, he too stressed the importance of playing closed chording before moving to open.

A huge thunderstorm had me scurrying back to my popup to close all the windows before it hit at about 3.30. Fortunately it does seem waterproof, and the air has cleared a bit. But I will have to sleep zipped up maybe, as if it rains when I am unzipped, I will be flooded. Still seeing amazing wildlife - a huge yellow and pink moth, a hornets nest, several really pretty birds - but the most interesting one is probably the stink bug! Why did nobody warn me of these?

Out for a good Chinese meal. Can't believe I was sat at a table with George Orthey, Neal and Coleen Walters, John and Heidi Cerrigione, Gregg Averett, Carey Dubbert and Rick Fitzgerald. Now 8.30 - after a long chat with Nadine and Ian, and meeting Lucille Reilly again, we have just had another thunderstorm warning, so have had to get in the popup and zip everything up tight. Maybe read a book, play a little harp, and get an early night.

Day three - MLAG AT LAST

Great breakfast of sausage and egg from Neils, then we packed Holly's RV and car. Cathy drove Heather and myself in the car while Holly drove the RV, about four hours North to Newport PA. passing Gettysburg, Three Mile Island and Allentown - everywhere you look in America there is a song. Beautiful country. We stopped on the way for a steak sub and fries - healthy food is not really an option, see what I had for dinner later.

Then I arrived at the Mountain Laurel campsite to find my popup. More of a let down really. I have a bed, a roof over me and a light that works. Nothing else. No sink, no water, no fridge, no aircon. And it is HOT! Boy is it hot! I am running with sweat and have to drink gallons. And it is a humid heat, not dry like in France. Neal and Coleen found me a fan, then Holly drove us into town to buy ice and a cool box, and gave me water, lots of it! On the way back we stopped for two of the most enormous and delicious pizzas I have ever seen, then we made a pilgrimage to holy ground. The site of the first workshop making autoharps. The original site of Mountain Laurel. The home of George Orthey. And I met him, and he punched me! There was a mozzy on my shoulder, so he said! I went into the bunkhouse where Heather was sleeping, and saw the pictures of the Carters and Stonemans and Mike Fenton on the walls. And I saw fireflies, loads of them in the woods! Add these to the red cardinals, humming bird, huge butterflies, wild swathes of day lilies, deer and chipmunks I have already seen - what a wonderful land.

Back to the popup, try to make some sense of it. Apart from anything else, it seems to be unstable - if I move to one end it rocks alarmingly. And the ice in the cool box melts and runs all over the floor because of the way it is tilted. But I am so chuffed to be here, nothing matters. Some jamming, I got to play a tune to Cindy Harris, Cathy and Nadine, and then joined a group who had a book of about 300 songs that they were working from - all in G apparently! Now 11pm, and in bed. Sweating. No way will I sleep. At least tomorrow I will be in the hall with air conditioning.

Sunday, 23 June 2013

Workshop and Concert (contd)

Apparently there is post length limit?

Anyway, the highlight of the evening was definitely Heathers duet with Cathy. Heather played Hawkers Dream and Greensleeves as beautifully as she always does. She then duetted with Cathy on Fanny Powers, with Neils on bass. Heather had confided in me that she was nervous, was not prepared, and doesn't do duets. Well she certainly did this one. The three of them absolutely nailed it, it should have been recorded for posterity. They were bouncing off each other, with Cathy improvising around Heathers graceful playing, with both players listening to each other and reacting together almost telepathically, with Neils steady bass holding it all together. I have not heard such superb musicianship from two players for a long time. Then after, Heather says "Was it alright?"

Cathy closed with her usual Harpers Blessing, and not for the first time, had me in tears again.

A bit of playing afterwards, some more excellent singing and several new friends made. Clearing up, bed, and off to MLAG tomorrow. Exciting times.

Workshop and concert

This is Buddy. Buddy is 14 but doesn't know it and is lucky enough to live with Holly and Neils. He is also quite deaf, so puts up with musicians. Which is good because Holly's house was full of music today.

A quiet morning after about six hours much needed sleep last night, spent doing a bit of practice and setting up for the day. Which was to feature a workshop from Cathy Britell, followed by a meal, a concert and jamming. Great workshop, with some lovely songs, almost spoiled by Cathy calling me out to sing Scarborough Fair because I was probably the only person who had actually been there! It was in a very low key for me but I managed. Learned a lovely song on the friends theme that seems to run through a lot of Cathys choices, and her humour and ability shone though everything she did. Then a bring it yourself meal, for which Neils had prepared about a ton of pulled pork. I have never tried pulling pork. I have never pushed it either. But however it is prepared, it was delicious as were all the dips, biscuits, salads and sauces that went with it. During this interlude Cathy collared Heather and myself and told us what we would be doing in the concert - which was news to us! We also spent some time jamming, and I quickly formed a good relationship with an excellent guitarist, and several good players and singers, and we had a good half hour session, with some particularly beautiful harmony singing.

Then came the concert. Cathy was very ably supported by Neils bass throughout, and gave us a virtuosic performance of many highlights. I particularly enjoyed Vincent with an amplified Autoharp and quite a naughty song by the guy who wrote The Scotsman - which continues to feature on Cyberpluckers I see! Holly was given several opportunities to feature her wonderful singing, and I was so glad. I can never get enough of her singing. I have now heard her Summertime with three different accompanists - it really says something when so many world class musicians want to work with a particular singer.

My bit was part embarrassment, part delight. I was asked to do one song, so I chose Autoharp Blues - and proceeded to forget the words to the first verse! Which I wrote myself!! But the audience still seemed to appreciate it. Then Cathy asked me to sing Dance to the St Anne's Reel in a duet with her, me taking lead. We had a partial run through in the afternoon, which went badly. The performance was quite good, with me just strumming on the fast bit while Cathy did the fancy bits. But we had good contact through it, and I enjoyed it very much.

(Contd)

Flight or fright!

I had very little sleep last night, woke at 5 and couldn't get off again. Breakfast, quick check of emails and taxi to the station with Gill. Nice kiss goodbye. The train journey then went quite smoothly and sort of restored my faith in Britain a bit. Every train - I had three to catch, plus a tube - was clean, on time and well signposted. There was some stupid behaviour from some yobs on the London train, where one dropped his trousers, that upset me quite a bit. But generally fine, the suitcase was no problem, the wheels made moving it easy, and I got to Heathrow early. Also very impressed with all ticket collectors and staff that I came into contact with, all cheerful and helpful.

Heathrow was just mind blowing. HUGE! 66 gates! Huge shopping centres. I had to wait an hour before I could check in, and then again a very helpful lady let me off paying XS as she said I could have put it into two bags and not been overweight. I had a coffee at one of the several Starbucks and then sailed through security - to find even more shops and Starbucks. I had to get an underground train to get to my departure gate!

The flight - I am about three hours in at present - is fine. I am really glad I paid for the extra space, and booked a seat on the aisle, must do so on the way back too. It is now very warm, but I was cold at first. I have watched "Jack Reacher" - no way Tom Cruise could ever play that part - had a not bad at all meal of braised steak, tried to watch "Lincoln" but given up, and may try to get some sleep now. I still find it amazing that a thing this size stays in the air, but I can see clouds below me, so it must be working.

No sleep. Flight largely uneventful, I had a computer nerd next to me, a real fidget but totally uncommunicative. The landing was bumpy - three overhead lockers came open near me. I note that it was a lady pilot but make no comment. The worst bit of the flight though was that it took 1 1/2 hours to clear customs at Washington Dulles! If you have 50 exit gates, why would you only man five of them? So I was very glad of the enormous welcome hugs I got from Cathy, Holly and Heather when I finally got through. We went home to pick up Neils - and what a home! - and then went for a meal. By now it was 4am for me and I had been travelling since 9.30 the previous day, so I was slightly hysterical. And not really hungry. Bed when I got in was very welcome.