Roberto Dalla Vecchia
Acoustic Guitar Workshop 5
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The Acoustic Guitar Workshop is an intensive musical study program where participants
come from all over the world to create an international community of musicians, all
living together and sharing the learning experience.
The non-competitive atmosphere and well-balanced program provide students with the
perfect setting for learning flatpicking style, taking chances, and interacting
with other musicians.
Whether you just started playing acoustic guitar this year and want to get going in the right direction, or you’ve been playing for many years and want to further develop your craft, you will find what you’re looking for at Acoustic Guitar Workshop.
We want to help you become the best acoustic guitarists you can be!
When:
May 30th - June 2nd, 2009
Where:
Recoaro 1000 Resort
36076 Recoaro Terme (Vicenza) ITALY
Who:
All acoustic guitar enthusiasts:
all levels: beginners, intermediates, advanced.
Assistant:
Paride Fioretti, long time guitar player friend.
Schedule:
There will be guitar classes in the morning and in the afternoon.
Each night will be a different experience: Song Circle Night on Saturday,
Musical Bingo on Sunday, Never-ending Concert on Monday with all
participants to the workshop and musician friends.
There are no scheduled instructional classes on Saturday morning and on Tuesday afternoon.
All the exercises and pieces are supported by a book printed in both standard and
tablature notation and by a CD.
The remaining time may be spent as desired: to practice, for jam sessions, trips,
relaxing, eating and so on.
Costs:
Option A: Workshop (with book and CD) + Board and lodging (3 nights - meals, beverages included)
- € 305,00
Opzione B: Board and lodging (3 nights - meals, beverages included)
- € 145,00
Partners and family members are welcome (special rates for kids).
Register On-Line:
Please register as early as possible, there are only 16 slots available.
A deposit is required to hold your space.
You can register online, or call us or send us a fax.
Contacts:
Roberto Dalla Vecchia
Phone / Fax +39 0444 505 183
Email: send a message
Don't hesitate to call us for details or suggestions.
Download:
Download a
brochure with all the details and registration form.
Thanks to all the participants!
2006 Pictures
2007 Pictures
myspace page
Acoustic Guitar Workshop with Italian Gusto
By Marco Cavina, with Jeannette Law
For a great Italian recipe, mix together: the green hills of Northern Italy,
creamy mushroom risotto and fresh faraona, ten talented guys with acoustic guitars,
a dash of humor, and maestro flatpicker, Roberto Dalla Vecchia. Simmer for four days at the
Laita Agriturismo in Altissimo, Italy, and you will have a taste of musical heaven.
Roberto Dalla Vecchia’s first "Acoustic Guitar Workshop," held this past June (
2nd through 5th) near Vicenza, Italy, was a musically delicious, well-organized event from
start to finish. A gracious host and experienced teacher, Roberto was ready to help all of
us participants with our musical questions. Since the seminar was in Italy, I thought it
would draw an all-Italian crowd, but in fact, there were a couple from Slovenia and a doctor
from Germany who "spiced up" this international seminar.
Upon arrival, all of us received a "goodies bag" with a booklet written by Roberto
especially for the seminar, including lead sheets, technical exercises, and a CD with Roberto's
arrangements of all the tunes. Even better, we all got a free issue of Flatpicking Guitar
Magazine (after that day, I became a faithful subscriber!), plus a variety of guitar picks and
a First Quality catalogue. For me, just the "goodies bag" and three tasty meals a day with
guitarist friends in the foothills of Veneto was worth the money before the seminar even started!
The seminar concentrated on flatpicking technique, but we played different types of
tunes-from fiddle tunes to Carter family style, from open tunings to swing, and of course,
there were many handy speed drills! For the next four mornings and afternoons, we attended
two classes a day with five students each, in beginning or advanced levels. In the advanced
class, we started playing from the get-go. Roberto called a tune, and each of us took a swing
at our own rendition. I thought for a moment that I had been teleported to Nashville, the
Station Inn! Roberto stressed the importance of playing by ear before seeing the tablature,
and one of the lessons focused on using a metronome in 2 and 4 to get the feeling of a fiddle
player. A special treat was a lesson about guitar set-up live on site, and a free "guitar
check-up" by local Italian luthier Manne.
So during the day, it was play, eat, study, play, eat, study, and in the evenings, we had
special after-dinner activities. On the first night, Roberto organized a song circle around
a campfire, so we could all get acquainted musically. As we took turns playing and singing
traditional bluegrass tunes,
others in the circle joined in, embellishing with second-voice harmonies or mandolin.
The singing and playing went on, with folks grabbing sweaters and jackets to keep playing
in the crisp mountain air. Next morning at breakfast, enjoying fresh-baked bread and fruit
jellies, my wife asked the guitarist from Slovenia if he had tried the homemade jam.
His reply: "Oh, yes, it was great-we played into the wee hours of the morning!" I guess when
it comes to flatpicking guitarists, there's only one type of jam!
The second night, we played "Musical Bingo." In Roberto's creative variation of this familiar
game, musical notes were called instead of numbers. To get "Bingo!," players had to form
correctly spelled major or minor triads, seventh chords, and even the scary dimished 7th chord.
To make the game completely musical, each group of players had a mandolinist who had to signal
"Bingo!" by playing a G-run as fast as his fingers would go! I'm proud to say that my love for
music theory finally paid off-I got the diminished 7th chord right and won a green D'Addario
baseball cap!
For the final evening's concert, affectionately called the "Never-Ending Concert," Roberto
arranged a two-part harmony and accompaniment of "Cynthia's Dance," by Curtis Jones, to be
played by all seminar participants. After this group opening, Roberto and special guests
entertained us with beautiful music.
As we flatpickers know, it's easy to make friends while playing guitar, so it was difficult
to say good-bye on the last day of the seminar. Roberto demonstrated to all of us what it
means to be a professional musician with a down-to-earth approach. At Roberto Dalla Vecchia's
Acoustic Guitar Workshop 2005, I learned one important thing in the end: to become a great
guitar player, you must study, listen and play. There's just no other way.