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BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp
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BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp |
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Subject: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: mg Date: 08 Sep 02 - 10:04 PM I would like to hear from others who have been involved as organizers or participants what are some things you like and don't like about the music camps you have been to. Like food, shelter, workshops, nitpicking details perhaps. I'll offer some of my suggestions from both sides of the coin: 1. You absolutely must have food for vegetarians that doesn't have meat, lard etc. in it. We got in trouble in Rainycamp for serving refried beans, not thinking of the lard. 2. You also must have meat for meat-eaters. I usually bring my own to be on the safe side, because I get very low blood sugar without it. 3. If people have special food requirements, let them bring their own food and cook it and make sure the kitchen is open when they need it (I have been in situations where I had the food, but couldn't get to it...). If they are highly allergic, they should prepare their own meals. You just can't guarantee there won't be something in whatever... 4. Snorers' cabin is a good idea. 5. Scholarships for people who will clean up after, especially bathrooms, are good. I would also get new toilet brushes, sponges, potholders etc., as sometimes they can be awful. 6. My pet peeve is evening concerts that will not end...they can go on and on...I would suggest setting a time limit and that is that..encourage people to form small groups rather than solos. 7. Other pet peeve is those awful flourescent lights. Turn them off and use lamps; candles if they are allowed. Tell people who want to use blue books to bring a flashlight. 8. If you can bring a copy machine, that is great. Also a laptop or a way to download the DT and print off music on the spot. 9. Jean has done a great job at Rainycamp of having cassettes, flashlights, batteries etc. for sale...things we are always forgetting. People really like it when they don't have to get too caught up in chores, and don't seem to mind paying extra for a cook...there are some good cooks around. Some of the camp food is really quite good..can you say Dutch Babies at Rainycamp? If it is a singing camp, set up a separate area for instrumental jams... well, that is all for now. Any others.. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Bert Date: 08 Sep 02 - 10:40 PM OK, that all sounds really good. Now WHEN AND WHERE is it??? *grin* |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Sorcha Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:09 PM Bert, just look up Rainycamp on Google. Mostly Food Advice for Cooks: I have never cooked for a Music Camp, and haven't been to one since I was in high school, but I can literally cook for anybody.
Request all Special Food Problems on the registration form and then abide by those. Famliarize yourself with the different diet regs......Vegetarian, Vegan, Jewish, Muslim, etc. Keep a notebook if you have regulars.
ALWAYS RESPECT ALLERGY NOTIFICATIONS!!! I watched a guy nearly die from anaphylactic shock at an event once---he was allergic to fish and was told the meatballs were "meat". This means washing the cutting board after chopping things too.
Watch out for nitrates hidden in foods. We all know they are in bacon and cured meat, but look at the labels of everything. I once served Greek tomatoes stuffed with flavored feta cheese--turned out that 3 of the 4 flavors had nitrates and I had a nitrate allergist eating.
Many things are migraine triggers. Among them are raw onions, instant tea and garlic.
I once fed a 6 course feast to a lady who was allergic to litterally every spice on the planet and she was able to eat every course because I busted my butt to make sure there was nothing in anything that would cause her problems, but she did LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE. It is really the allergenic's problem to let the cook know.
Veg oil works just as well for refried beans as lard.....I never use lard anymore for anything, too many people are either veggies or have religious objections to pork.
Pet Peeves
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Bert Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:24 PM Hi Sorchie, ...I never use lard anymore for anything... Then just how in the hell do you make a Lardy Cake? *BSAG* |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:29 PM
MARY...you are a "member" and this is about MUSIC...it is so sad to see you label it B.S.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Bert Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:51 PM Aw, don't be too mad at her, Garg ol' buddy, perhaps she was thinking it's not about a particular song. |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: GUEST,andi Date: 09 Sep 02 - 12:20 AM Hi Mary, I don't know what you mean by a music camp, but I recently went to the Gaelic College in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. I have to say it exceeded my expectations. I can not even express how far it exceedthem. Why? because I walked in in Utter terror and walked out knowing I had found a home, a place where I could put foundations under my dreams. How did they accomplish this? by having teacher,staff and support personel who were the most patient peopel I ever met, who went out of their way to make it a great experiance , not just a pleasant one and who listened when folks expressed problems and had a solution for the problems. For instance: I had registered for Bodhran, and then found out I hated it....I just was ready to walk hom e out of sheer frustration after the first class. I had stopped into the office to get a copy of my schedule and the girl who got it for me told me just to switch into another weaving class! The applications clearly stated that this was not allowed. The exception made my life much easier and happier for the rest of that week. Another example: my first Fiddle teacher, not having taught there before started asking what I knew and since I knew nothign not even how to read music set about to teach me just that. He cared so much about my learning that he went home that night and found notes he had kept for 13 years, given to him by his teacher! He continued to many,many things to make thngs easier for me,In fact every problem I encontered, he had a solution for. From the strings not being set up right on my fiddle to the fiddle sliding around when I played he found away around it, including the biggesst barrier, my fear! He would not beleive it when I told him but he was a very gifted teacher. The support staff was just wonderful, no one I spoke was ever anything but encouraging and helpful and kind. I think what I am trying to say is that you cover all the bases with diets and bathroom and facilities but if you have the wrong people it won't be worth anythng. Focus on the people, both staff and students and the rest will be easier. andi |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: mg Date: 09 Sep 02 - 12:51 AM more on food especially.. I think it is absolutely essential to have food out at all times, because people come late, sleep in, miss meals etc., or have special needs of some sort. I suggest granola, fruit, teas, milk, bread, peanut butter, popcorn, maybe chips and salsa. That way they can at least eat something. I also think you can't get in the business, especially liability-wise, of cooking for people with severe allergies. Especially with non-professional cooks..you just don't know what is in stuff for starters, and there's potluck food etc...I think they just have to bring it and cook it themselves..with the food portion of the camp deducted. That means they need access to the kitchen. We had someone at a Canada camp get deathly ill from a peanut in something...it's not a risk I personally want to take. I also think you need to address the blue book issue square on. They're fine for workshops or anything official on the schedule I guess...They are music killers though in the spontaneous sessions. I think people need to discuss this ahead of time and at least let people know their feelings. I think there should be bbfreezones. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Bert Date: 09 Sep 02 - 01:29 AM Hi Mary, I think that the Blue Book issue should be left to the individual. Some people need the Blue Book crutch at first and if they are made to feel inferior about it they may never progress. And although I personally have a Blue Book allergy, it's not as bad as peanuts are for some people;-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Dead Horse Date: 09 Sep 02 - 04:15 PM Right.......... Put all the percussion at one end of the field. All the strings at the other end. Free reeds in the middle. Shanty singers to leeward, and traditional ballad singers upwind. No rules, survivors win. O.K.? |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: mg Date: 09 Sep 02 - 09:32 PM I thought of something. When we started Rainycamp, we had to guarantee $300...it actually was an environmental resource center near Olympia, Washington.....I got ten people up front to put up $30...I think that might ahve been all we charged for the camp..did our own cooking...anyway, it helps if you know up front that you have at least the minimum number of people to break even. Food actually isn't that big an expense. Go to Costco and get their spaghetti fixings. The only thing about spaghetti is it takes the water forever to boil the noodles....start it early. At Sunnycamp, assuming we have a fairly small initial turnout, I am just going to get breakfast fixings for omellettes etc. and tell people to either make their own or persuade a friend. These things can actually get way too complicated sometimes... Make sure you have insurance...mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Amergin Date: 09 Sep 02 - 10:35 PM ok....what's a blue book? |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Gypsy Date: 09 Sep 02 - 11:08 PM yeah, me too. whatizzat? |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Bobert Date: 09 Sep 02 - 11:36 PM Hey, food is...well,,, food. Not that it's not important because it is... But how about guitar strings and bug repellant and tee-shirts. And how about a way to sell folks CD's. And how about entertainment. Sure, ya got a lot of folks who can play. But when and where? Awhhh, nevermind. What the heck do I know. I thought I clicked on a thread about dogs or D Mode tuning and ended up here... Bobert |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: mg Date: 10 Sep 02 - 01:29 AM there are no bugs here that I know of. This is like the Garden of Eden. Bring your own guitar strings and t shirts. Blue book is Rise up singing. You can bring them but I'd rather people used them in a solitary fashion, and not make it a group thing. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: Willie-O Date: 10 Sep 02 - 08:40 AM I don't get the big "issue" attached to Rise Up Singing, as long as it's treated as just "a" book, not "the" book. It's got lots of good lyrics in it, but not ALL the lyrics. Hey guest Andi, did you meet my pals Carolyn Stewart and Cindy McCall at Gaelic College? Carolyn's a fiddle teacher but she told me she took weaving there too. Willie-O |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: John P Date: 10 Sep 02 - 08:54 AM I was involved in putting on a small music camp for several years. Lots of folks told us it was the best camp they had ever been to. Here's why, I think: We had a board of eight putting on the camp, and we divided up the tasks pretty evenly. None of us were overworked. We had five work study students doing the dishes and carrying heavy things when needed. No detail was too small to be planned in advance. Try to think of everything that could possibly happen and decide what to do if it does. We had a staff meeting every morning, and more often if needed. We gave the instructors separate housing. It kept them more cheerful. We cheerfully told campers "No" or "Stop that" if they were asking for or doing things that were unreasonable. We programmed in a half hour between classes, and plenty of "down time" in general. We made sure there were plenty of different spaces for evening jams. Most of the evening concerts were instructor shows, but one was an open mike followed by a rock and roll jam. We hired very good professional cooks. We held the camp in a very beautiful natural setting that didn't cost too much (Ft. Flagler on Marrowstone Island in the Puget Sound). While I was serving as camp director I tried to spend at least a few minutes chatting with every camper. One of the board broght a portable store with toothpaste, batteries, blank cassettes, umbrellas, pens, aspirin, and lots more. The coffee was the first thing that got turned on every morning. It was always going before anyone but me was up. The sleeping quarters were quiet space 24/7. John Peekstok |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: GUEST,andi from work Date: 10 Sep 02 - 09:19 AM Willie-O , No, I don't recall speaking to either. Perhaps they were at another session? My fiddle teachers were Ian MacDougall, Wendy MacIssac And Carl MAcKenzie. sorry, andi |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 10 Sep 02 - 10:08 AM You can see from these posts that some people expect every food preference they ever had and every allergy they thought they ever had to be catered to. I think there are only two ways to go: Low key: divide the campers into small groups and let each small group be responsible for feeding itself. Go professional: rent room at an organized camp or a college campus and let professionals do the cooking. I have gone to several week-long "camps" held on college campuses in the summer, and they are my idea of heaven. No cooking, no driving, just music,music,music! |
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Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for putting on a music camp From: MMario Date: 10 Sep 02 - 10:33 AM whatever way you go with the cooking (except possible cook your own) make sure that the forms include space for food allergies/requirements, etc! You might also want a discaimer that if not notified in advance the camp cannot be responsible for problems with food |