Botswana music camp is an annual event started in 1985 by a group of musicians including the famous South African trumpeter, Hugh Masekela. It is organised into seven groups: marimba, segaba (a Setswana violin type instrument), African drums, solo singing pop, solo singing classical, dance and instrumental.
I’m in instrumental. Our teacher for instrumental is the very talented Tsilo Baitsile, an exceptional saxophonist and singer. In our group we have a band made up of 12 people, drummers, keyboard players, guitarists and a trumpet player (me).
Each day we attend camp choir in the morning where we learn songs together. So far our repertoire includes a song in Sesotho, one in Setswana, and yesterday one in Italian. After camp choir we spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon in our main group. The last hour or so of the day, we attend one of the other groups that we didn’t choose so as to have exposure to it. Yesterday we did marimba. It is a bit more than exposure. In that hour, he taught our group a whole song (!) with all of the different parts. Amazing.
The people here are very talented and committed to music. I am severely impressed with the whole thing. I have never played in a band before; my trumpet playing has been confined to 30 minutes 2-3 times a week locked in my bedroom. Playing in a band is a completely different kettle of fish I can tell you. Also I am a musician who reads notes from a page. The other people in the band play by ear. It is astounding. Someone will play a song and then the teacher will say okay accompany him. Magically they find their parts and play! I am astounded. We are mostly playing jazz and every song has sections for improvisation. The teacher just points at someone and the person plays- on the spot made up in his head. He made the mistake of pointing at me the first day. I think he learned the futility in that. I will have learned an incredible amount if I can get through the six or so songs that we will be performing on Saturday, I think we’ll save any improvisation for next year’s camp.
4 comments:
You are a woman of many talents. I would find that camp a little daunting too, but I'm sure you'll come through it with flying colours. You never cease to inspire me!
What fun! I went to a music camp once in the Ozarks for 10 days. I was there to learn to teach preschoolers and I spent the whole time in AWE of how serious (and talented) everyone was about their music.
I can improvise fine vocally, but Mulletman has a tougher time with guitar. He also reads music and tablature, but isn't so gifted at "making things up".
What a wonderful opportunity for you!
If I don't have notes on a page I panic. I'm a bit nervous about performing but I'll get over it (I hope) A writing friend of mine is also here. She knows how nervous I get in public speaking and she keeps telling me 'how good this will be for me'. We'll see.
Thanks Selma. I tried to leave a note at your blog but it failed- Congrats on your liberation!!!! Fortune Teller Lauri predicts it will be the best move you ever made!
My daughter is here too. She's doing pop singing. I am always impressed with how comfortable she is on stage and even with crowds of people she's never met. Not her mother's daughter I can assure you.
oh, improv!!! I am so, so, so totally jealous. Once upon a time I played several instruments - sax was my primary love, and jazz my favorite style and now I haven't played in 30 years - don't even have a horn. Improvisation of any kind will set your muse free, just let go and let the universe sing through your horn, you will find it opens all sorts of new channels in your creativity. It is so cool that you are doing this!!
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