| Cape Breton 2003 |
| Went to Kimberly's class next but found Andi in tears at the Hall. Turns out she had a horrendous class experience in the Beginner's Class. It was so bad she walked out. That's not good. This is why she came up here - to learn Cape Breton fiddle and she is totally bummed out. She talked about leaving and going home. I didn’t even want to entertain that possibility but my brain began working on a contingency plan. Andi is pretty hard-headed once she gets an idea in her head. And she was made to feel stupid in class by the teacher - that is just not acceptable. She sat forlornly on the sofa next to Kimberly's space and waited for me. I started Kimberly's class confused and worried but she put my fears at ease and I felt like I belonged in this Advanced Beginners class. We have quite a contingent of people - Jim from Ireland who learns totally by ear, Dean and I from last year, and 4 others new this year but at my level. I am not the worst nor the best and that's a good place to be. Kimberly is patient and kind, willing to go the extra mile. She slows it down if you need it and then speeds up gradually. I am very pleased to see Dean again. What a great guy he is and he always puts me at ease. I left Kimberly and after talking a bit to Andi and figuring she'd be OK, I went over to Allie Bennett's class in the Great Hall. Oh my - it was like last year all over again! I was so outpaced it wasn't funny. I should have known this would be way over my head when I walked in and saw Claire from last year. Even Dean seemed to be having trouble. There is this guy in Allie's class who looks like Elvis. Honest to God, he looks just like Elvis. He is just learning to play the fiddle and is sooooo good already. I was getting close to tears but if the class had been 30 minutes longer I probably would have been a blubbering idiot. Allie was great but the level of the class is just way too tough for me. I refuse to go to Andi's awful Beginner's class but I don't belong here in this one. *sigh* Back to square one. Lunch was testy with Andi still entertaining the thought to go home. First day at the Gaelic College is not the wonderful one we were expecting. I went to Sandy MacIntyre's class after lunch and Andi went to weaving. I was very nervous about being in Sandy's class but I needn't have worried. Dean was there, the gang from Kimberly's, and Elaine from last year was there . She has Sandy for a teacher in Toronto. Lucky lady. He marks up her music for her with the fingerings so she can play easier. That's what Andi needs. I needed that last year but now I can read more easily and haven't used the finger markings in quite a while. Sandy was great - he didn't coddle us but pushed us a little further than we felt comfortable, which is good. I told him that Jim Fidler sent his regards and he was happy to hear about Jim's continuing musical adventures. After class, Andi and I spoke with Sandy about Andi's horrible morning experience with the Beginners' Class. He was shocked and appalled that anyone would be made to feel stupid in a fiddle class. I think things will be different tomorrow. He is the head of the Fiddle section at teh College and has the "power" to do something about it. Andi felt a little better then and we went into Baddeck to the bank. Came back, practiced a bit and went to dinner in the Hall. Dinner conversation was wonderful. Jean MacNeil sat at our table at the invitation of Andi. (Will wonders never cease? Andi actually TALKED to her!!) Jean, as you might know, is the mother of the Barra MacNeils and a contingent of Slainte Mhath. As with most of the instructors and the musicians we’ve met from Cape Breton and Newfoundland, no airs were put on and she came off as “regular” people. We talked grandchildren and swapped stories about our families and holiday celebrations. What a wonderful person! We also found out she's made a video for step-dancing! When we went to bed that night I was glad we had a corner room because it was sooooooooo hot. Not many air conditioners on this Isle of Cape Breton. But as the night wore on, I got hotter and hotter. So hot that I had trouble staying asleep. I must have woken up about 5 times in the night. When I awoke in the morning, I discovered that Andi had gotten up when I was asleep and closed the windows! She had been bothered by the noise of the session over in the cafeteria and had closed the windows. Talk about the urge to kill. I was only half kidding when I told her I’d trip her if she closed my window tonight! Tuesday, August 12th A much better day for Andi today. Things were different for her in class this morning. So this was good – Andi was feeling she could stay the week. I had really been afraid she was going to leave due to yesterday’s fiasco with her beginners’ class. Other than problems with the instructor, there is a problem with one of the students - D. He makes people feel very uncomfortable. You can’t put your finger on why, but there’s something not right there. He doesn’t seem to know how to talk to people. He CAN play some violin and does know a lot of things in general, but he hangs on the fringes and only talks to certain people. And he doesn’t seem to have a regard for one’s “personal space.” I did get the opportunity to do some laundry before class. Now I have stuff to wear, thank God. You have to be up early enough to grab the washer first. Kimberly did a jig and a reel with us and at the end of the class, she played the piano accompaniment to our fiddles. It was a blast playing along with the piano. I used to think that piano accompaniment to the fiddle was extraneous. But I am changing my mind. The piano adds a certain something to the tunes. Now I appreciate the comment Minnie MacMaster made last year about the need for pianos with fiddles. I am struggling a bit with the pace of the tunes, but I can hold my own without getting really frustrated. And Kimberly is very patient. She starts out slow and ups the ante a bit each time we play to get us up to speed. I decided not to go to Allie’s class mainly because Dean said it was way to much for him this morning and he is my fiddle buddy – I trust his judgment. He is also way more patient (tolerant) than I am. I could not bear to be in there with those 5 or 6 really good players. It irked me that they were taking over “my” advanced beginner class. It also irked me that I wasn’t good enough to participate. So I sat outside, next to the Great Hall and practiced the jig and reel from Kimberly’s class in the morning. I also tried the piece from Sandy’s class but it sounded awful! I couldn’t remember the rhythm for beans and the fingers just wouldn’t work right. I was frustrated beyond belief, thinking it was one more proof that I was still a beginner and not an advanced beginner. Lunch came too soon because I had Sandy’s class afterwards and I sucked. Conversation with Andi at lunch about what went on in the beginner’s class made me feel I DID belong to the Advanced Beginners. When I went to Sandy’s class after lunch, Dean once again made me feel good about being there despite my suckiness. He is a genuinely nice guy. After class I thanked Sandy for whatever he did to make things better for Andi and help her have a good experience. He smiled and told me he absolutely KNEW it’d be better for her today. He wants everyone to be able to learn and not feel stupid. It was a good session for me. I ALMOST have the strathspey “Lime Hill” down and at the end of the class, Sandy threw in a jig that I was baffled by. I definitely need to practice Sandy’s pieces, I can’t coast by here. He is confident we can do these. I do not share his confidence yet. I had trouble all day with notes on the D string. I am not used to reading notes down there. Plus my second finger on any string was not going where I needed it to either. * sigh* Didn’t stick around the College for dinner. We ate at Lick-a-Chic near Big Bras d’Or and attended the Men of the Deeps concert in Glace Bay at the Miners’ Museum. We had tried to see them last year but they were sold out the whole time we were there. We ordered our tickets far enough in advance this time to see them, but I sort of had to drag Andi there. She didn't know who they were and really only went to keep me company. The full moon looked gorgeous over the water and the Men of the Deeps hypnotized Andi with their wonderful harmonies and heartfelt singing and storytelling |
| Monday August 11th Monday dawned with the perfect Cape Breton breakfast - porridge. After breakfast, it was D-Day for the two of us. Last year I had enrolled as an Advanced Beginner Fiddler but found out pretty rapidly that I was a Beginner. This year I registered for Advanced Beginner once more, hoping that a year more under my belt would really mean I fit. But Michelle's Bodhran class was first. What a joy to attend! She eased us right in just like we had left off last year. She and her hubby are gearing up for making tunable bodhrans over in Scotland. She brought a prototype with her. It is sweet. I like how she throws a CD on after you've been taught a technique. We just play along. It's fun! She explained different kinds of holds on the beater. She called one the "Newfoundland Style or the Sean McCann style." |
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| On the way back “home” we got lost once again, and I wasn’t even driving! We ended up at the Newfoundland Ferry AGAIN. Every time we’ve been to Sydney or GIace Bay this trip, we have ended up at the NFLD ferry. Newfoundland vibes are very strong apparently. We made another wrong turn and toured lovely downtown Sydney Mines, home of the Barra MacNeils. Called Karen when we got back. She is NOT having a good time at home. There is a virus running rampant on the net and she felt the need to shut down the computer. The car isn’t working. It’s the first time we have left her alone for a long length of time and she is finding out that freedom from parents is not all it’s cracked up to be. And everything I own is breaking down. First the computer, then the camera, now the car. Good thing I didn’t take Ira to Cape Breton after all. When we returned to MacLeod Hall we found out the Session was on our floor. Good thing we had been out. There would have been no early sleeping tonight. When we got there, the party was just breaking up. I tried to call Vic but couldn’t get him. I wonder how’s he’s doing on St. Pierre, not speaking any French? And did Séan go with them? I am anxious to know. |
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| Glace Bay from the Miners' Museum |
| Michelle Stewart |
| Mac Morin |
| Kimberly Fraser |
| Sign at the restaurant |