Getting ready for Croatia

I've been working quite hard recently, mainly getting ready to go to Croatia. I am really, really looking forward to going and I'll be pleased when we get there. It's probably the most challenging teaching situations you can imagine - hence it takes me ages to prepare the work.

Until I arrive, I never know exactly who will be on the course. I know the British people who are coming and I obviously know quite a lot of Croatian flute players now as I've been doing this for so many years. The Croatian flute players can't always come of course as they can be busy doing other things. Each year I tend to get 5 or 6 absolute beginners who start to learn to play the fife on the course. There will be 3 or 4 from the previous year who started fife and want to continue and then there are the people who play flute and they range from beginners to very proficient players. Oh yes, I nearly forgot - a trumpet player and a violinist were amongst the mix last year. The challenge is great - keeping people with that range of abilities happy and busy for 3 hours each morning all in the same room. I usually get about 25 people in all.

It is quite interesting finding music that stretches everyone. The last few years I've had a theme, but I couldn't come up with a theme this year that I could find enough music to fit. Maybe as the course develops I'll find a theme. I've spent hours preparing the music and I know that I'll only use about 25% of it - but I don't know which 25% until I'm there. I was really happy with my choice of ensemble and solo pieces and songs and games I've planned, we are even going to learn the ukulele. I say I was. This morning I had an email that has really mucked up my meticulous planning. I'm not having 5 or 6 beginners but 20+! I'm pleased I know today because I really do need to do another work sheet with some backing tracks for them. I had to frantically contact Just Flutes this morning to get them to send me a load more fifes by special delivery. Fingers crossed they arrive in the morning.

I'm not moaning because I love the challenge. If you aren't coming, I bet you wish you were.