Casa Stella Maris Caorle Italy
11.29
Casa Stella Maris, Caorle, Italy.
Rising at 06.10.
Into the Chapel to introduce a morning exercise to members of the Staff and Intermediates.
Breakfast at 08.00.
Silence visited, following which comments were invited from the Beginners of their performance yesterday evening (one left this morning at 05.00) with coffee and fresh air breaks at c. 08.55 and 09.45.
Very good comments and observations from both performers and audients, and Brother Frank.
The Beginners are presenting a second Performance, at 17.45.
A Voice Of Experience suggested the Team appoint another leader, perhaps even an unlikely leader, of which two sprung immediately to mind.
Performance is a microcosm: if we understand performance, we can see how the world works. Perhaps even the Universe.
15.25 Personal meeting at c. 11.45 with Alain.
At noon, a personal meeting with Jacopo. This was my second guitar lesson of the week, the first from Christian.
Jacopo began with a Point Of Seeing into two finger combinations. In a sense, this may be viewed as part of the series of extrapolation, variation and development from both the First Primary and First Secondary exercises (addressing the left hand). Jacopo has moved the First Secondary into vertical and lateral fields.
Moving from the left hand to the right hand, and Jacopo’s conversations with Christian. Alternate picking, the focus of the Second Primary Exercise, is a superb and comprehensive approach to presenting and establishing an ordered, reliable system of striking the strings. But it doesn’t answer all the questions and challenges of using a pick to make music. Perhaps, alternate picking goes 85% of the way.
The Second Secondary, drawing on the insights of both Christian and Jacopo, is that of Double Picking. Applying the Principle of Graduating Extension, double picking moves to triple picking and further; but is not sweep-picking as such. Double and Triple picking better answers some of the musical requirements of the guitarist.
Music leads the way, and technique appears to better enable us to follow. Double Picking is another way of following where our Friend leads.
15.25 Lunch at 13.00.
A superb septet performance of Neal And Jack And Me, Absent Lovers with solo dance.
The only member of the Beginners who has not yet commented did so, one of our six Russian visitors, and it was a good comment.
What is the name of the Beginners Performance Team? The importance of naming was noted.
Another of the Beginners has left.
At 15.00 Christian’s Crazy Notion met with volunteers from the Intermediates in the Ballroom at 15.00. Some of this is strong and part of the future; part is backwards-looking and can be simply dropped; leaving a core notion that is worth taking further, IMO.
17.08 Tea at 16.00. A tea-length conversation with John H.
20.17 A personal meeting, translated by Director Nunez, at 17.15; followed by a catching up with Hernan.
To the second Beginners’ Performance at 17.45.
The space was reconfigured and a new leader appointed, one of Viciousness and Ferocious Regality. The small groups were held within the horseshoe of the entire Performance Team; the sound much better in this configuration, performance and performers contained. The audience were well-behaved (at least, mostly so) and demanded an encore. The Team returned and delivered several pieces before leaving for a second and final time, to considerable applause.
Dinner at 19.00.
Epicycle played the Prayer Of Gratitude, as at the first meal.
Comments from performers and audients on the second Performance. In general, these were positive and approving. The name of the performance group may have been The Waves.
Final Meeting called for 21.15.
20.45 Practising.
21.42 Final Meeting in the ballroom with 35 seated around the Circle.
Firstly, those who have been participating AAD, or have already left the course, were spoken for.
Secondly, thanks were given to all those who made our course possible: Director Nunez, Big Al (our Representative in Italy), Roberto and Robertino the House Persons, Fernando for the kitchen, Buddies Martin and Mikael, Alexandrians Mariela and Pia, Christan and Jacopo for sharing their insights into the Secondaries with me.
My sense was that all the valuable comments on the Performances and our week have already been made, so proposed moving on unless there was an incendiary issue. John felt, yes, there was one comment: that there were positive repercussions from the Crazy Notion presented at 15.00.
Then, Director Nunez was called upon to present information on upcoming GC events. There is a lot of action this year.
Director Nunez was thanked for this, and the course declared completed at 21.45 and 15 seconds.
Announcements of practicalities, such as shop, transportation and cleaning, were set to follow immediately afterwards.
Here, a little cleaning in Room 28.
