Really? This could take some time.
Arrived Wednesday and even for the navigationally challenged very easy to find. Less than two miles from 65. The Scarritt Bennett Center is a beautiful, small old campus. The dining hall was thirty seconds from my room and the teaching/ jamming building was less than a two minute walk.
Check-in was as well organized as the Marine Corps Marathon. (Here's your goodie bag, your t-shirt, your nametag and lanyard, more free stuff over there, etc.)
As a novice at these things I spent a lot of time that first night staring at headstocks. Wow! Three Gilchrists, ooh an Ellis, you get the idea.
And then jam realization, almost all these people are better than me.
Thursday started with an excellent breakfast but as I found out the food was always great.
Spent all three sessions that day with Sharon Gilchrist. Each built upon the previous lesson. The patience of Sharon and all the instructors was amazing. More than once the class would slaughter something at 1/4 speed and they'd tell us "good, I think you've just about got it let's do it one more time.)
Some students were so impressed with the Gilchrist classes they stayed for Friday and Saturday as well. Thursday's class size was between 9 and 22.
Thursday jam realization almost all these people are better than me and I don't care. In my family room I can hear every mistake, with ten mandolins and assorted accompaniment no one will hear my mistakes.
Friday's classes started with Skip Gorman, Homemade Tunes in the Monroe Style. Beautiful wood paneled room, great acoustics, would've been happy to just listen to him play but he took us through several tunes a few measures at a time.
Played hooky for the 2nd session and went to Carter's. Wasn't the only one, Tom Ellis, Will Kimble and Paul Duff were also there. Paul Johnson from Carter's opened the display case and let me have a couple of minutes with one of the Loars. Wow.
After lunch, "Building a Monroe Style Solo Using Double Stops" with Mark Royal. Never heard of Mark before this but when I go back I hope he's there again. It was an honor and a pleasure.
Then a tour of the Vanderbilt campus to listen to an expert botanist/ environmental teacher from Boston explaining the various types of tone woods we were standing beneath. (Bill I'm sorry I don't remember your last name or your exact job description but you were an excellent mandolin player also.) To have Will Kimble and Tom Ellis both there to field questions as well was a bonus.
I'm rambling on but if you want to hear more about Saturday and Sunday's classes and concert, I'll oblige. No one at work could care less about all these details but I'm happy to share. Thanks for asking.
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