Registration: Registration begins at 2:30PM on Saturday, June 22nd at the Wildacres Retreat near Little Switzerland, North Carolina. The first event is dinner at 6:30 followed by a brief general meeting at 7:30 and the first set of masterclasses. On this first evening Stephen Preston will lead a Baroque dancing session and Göran Marcusson will be teaching his masterclass. The evening will close with a get-acquainted party.
Leaving Wildacres: The course ends with breakfast on Saturday, June 29th. There is another group coming in that same day, so we need to be out of the rooms by 10 AM. Please don’t book flights out of Asheville before noon so that everyone can have breakfast and say their goodbyes before leaving.
Saxophones: We share the Wildacres Retreat with the James Houlik Saxophone Retreat, which also features the New Century Sax Quartet. If you have friends who would enjoy attending this course while you are fluting, we can arrange it so you can be roommates. Inquiries about the saxophone course should be made to Stephen Pollock at anvilhd@aol.com.
Gala Concert: On Friday evening, June 28th, we will have our Gala Concert where the artist teachers of both the flute and saxophone courses will play solos. This concert usually begins with the entire saxophone group playing a piece and ends with the entire flute group playing a work led by Amy Blumenthal. If you are being picked up, you could invite your family or friends to attend this free concert, stay the night at a local motel (sorry, we don’t have any extra accommodation at Wiildacres) and leave with you the next morning. Here is a list of local motels:
Alpine Inn: (828) 765-5380 (the closest and my favorite)
Big Lynn Lodge: (828)
765-4247 (800-654-5232)
Switzerland Inn: (828) 765-2153
Afternoon Recitals: If you are registered as a performer, performer-participant, or participant, you are invited to play in one of our afternoon recitals. We are looking for unusual repertoire - absolutely nothing from the masterclass repertoire lists - and there is a time limit of 5 minutes. If the piece you would like to play has a piano accompaniment, it should be something that can be put together in one rehearsal. Please email me with your choices. In case of duplication, it’s first come, first serve.
Contact information: The mailing address at the Wildacres Retreat is PO Box 280, Little Switzerland, NC 28749-0280. The physical address for UPS or FedEx is 1565 Wildacres Road, Little Switzerland, NC 28749 in case you need to receive letters or packages there. Please ask anyone sending you anything to specify after your name that it is the “Flute Retreat.”
The telephone number at the Wildacres Retreat is (828) 756-4573. Anyone calling you at this number should be prepared to leave a message, as it would be most likely they could not speak to you directly. There is a public telephone at Wildacres, which uses telephone calling cards exclusively. It does not take incoming calls. Mobile phones work at Wildacres, but in very strange places. The FAX number at Wildacres is (828) 756-4586.
Attending the Masterclasses: Göran Marcusson’s and Stephen Preston’s masterclasses meet simultaneously. No matter which one you are registered for, you are free to go between them as you wish. You will be given a schedule at registration which will indicate which performers play what and when, so you can choose between them.
Flute World: will be in residence the entire week and will have music to be played in the masterclasses and recital concerts, plus much more. If you would like to order music from them and have it sent to Wildacres so you pick it up there, you can save the shipping fees. They will need your order by June 15th. Their telephone is (248) 855-0410.
Other daily visitors: We will also have visitors such as the Chris Abell Flute Company, known for their fine wooden flutes, and JL Smith and Co.
Food: If you are staying on-site at Wildacres, you will be served three delicious meals each day. Please let me know if you are a vegetarian or vegan, or have any food allergies. The kitchen is extremely accommodating to special food needs, but they need to know in advance.
Accommodation: There are two people to a room and each room has a private bath. All linens are provided. You might want to bring a towel if you plan to go swimming. (The swimmin’ hole is 10 miles away from Wildacres so you need a car to get there.)
Extra meals: If you have elected to stay off-site, meals may be purchased, but we need 24 hours notice. The prices have always been reasonable in the past and will be posted when they are set.
Clothes: Wildacres is a casual place. We’re on a mountain by ourselves in the middle of a wilderness. It usually gets chilly at night and can get quite warm during the day. Dress is casual and layers seem to work best. You might want to bring something a little nicer for the Gala Concert, but nothing too fancy, mind you. Sun block and bug spray are a very good idea. Bring a portable music stand for practicing in your room.
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