> :: Crisol Spirit

THE SPIRIT OF CRISOL

The spirit of Crisol is an embodiment of all the ideas and concepts that pushed us to organize a camp with the characteristics that follow. The first and most important is a passion for music.

To those not familiar with the term fiddle, what makes the fiddle different from the violin is not the shape of the instrument itself, but the musical language one chooses to speak with it. We will explore the possibilities of expression on the violin that are different from the typical ways in which we are used to hearing it (this philosophy can be applied to every instrument). The goal is not to play folk music on the violin, it is to speak the language of the soul with it, no matter what the musical style.

Our goal is to have a course in which everybody can delight in their mutual love for music and reject the implicit competitiveness that sometimes exists when learning an instrument.

We will have different levels of learning available, but everyone will interact, no matter whether they are a beginner or an advanced player – we don’t believe in boundaries!

Alasdair Fraser is the director of the course; he is one of the best fiddlers of today’s folk music scene and a motivating teacher who directs similar projects in Scotland (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig) and California (Valley of the Moon Fiddle Camp and Sierra Fiddle Camp). Our cello teacher is Natalie Haas, a young and vibrant cellist who has a great sense of creativity. Natalie has been touring with Alasdair for more than 3 years and she also teaches at the above-mentioned courses. Her lessons are more and more popular each time, and she is helping to release the cello from its classical structures and bring it to a new sphere, treating it as a principally chordal and rhythmic instrument.

Music transcends borders. We will invite musicians from different traditions to teach us about different languages and ways of playing so that we will have a full and complete learning experience by the end of the course. For that purpose, we will also have Juan Arriola on fiddle, who will teach us about the fiddle language from the North of the Iberian Peninsula, especially from the Basque country, and Carlos Beceiro on guitar and bouzouki, with whom we will cross borders from Castille to the Mediterranean. Thanks for both being a part of and for going along with this project.

LAS CLASES

Lessons will be held during the morning and afternoon. It is important to emphasize that tunes will be taught by ear and that levels are established according to that ability. No auditions are required.

Musicians will be free to change levels or to stay in the level they think is most appropriate for them.

In the evening, scheduled workshops will take place (dancing, instrument-making, etc. – attendance optional). After dinner, everybody is invited to a jam session. We will have a special space for that.
In short, we want to have a week in which participants are able to play, learn, freely express themselves, be creative through their instrument, forget their fears, and over all, have fun.

Note: the course will start on the 13th evening. There will be an informative session and after having dinner a jam session.

This will be an unforgettable experience.