Welcome Back

Stævneugen 9. – 13. Oktober 2006 havde arbejdstitlen ”Welcome Back” og var en slags stævnernes stævne. Det skulle markere konservatoriets 20 års jubilæum og formede sig som et gensyn med en række musikerpersonligheder fra tidligere stævner. Dem der overværede koncerterne med studerende og gæstelærere kunne mærke, at stemningen var helt i top. Det var et af de helt store stævner.

Efterfølgende fik Ellis W Johansen, der selv deltog i planlægningen sammen med Flemming Ostermann og Peter Danstrup, en række begejstrede kommentarer fra en række af de medvirkende.
Læs dem herunder:

Studiehold 1: Paul Worley and Mike Poole

Dear Ellis,
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write this letter. I can't really express in words what it has meant to me to participate in the school's special music week. The kids in my class were wonderful to work with, and very gifted musically.
As you know, teaching is learning. I learned a lot during this week, and I only hope that I taught a little, too.  

It was incredibly inspiring to watch all of the other teachers work. And the student concerts on Friday night left me completely overcome with emotion. I can think of no better life than the life you have teaching at the conservatory. In fact, one day I would very much love to come to Copenhagen with my family and teach there full time.  Of course, I doubt that I am qualified, but one can dream.  The spirit of the school and of the bids is truly unique and healing to someone like me who has been beat up by the music "business."  Music truly lives in Copenhagen!!!!
Sincerely, Paul Worley

Studiehold 2: Johnny Kalsi and Sunil Kalyana, from London

Hello Ellis.
I would like to take this time to say a Big Thank you to all at the Conservatory on behalf on Sunil Kalyana and myself.
We both agree that it was an amazing experience and all the enthusiasm shown by the students was so overwhelming.

Not only was it great to have them with us on our team but also it was great to direct them and watch them soak up every ounce of material like it was a breeze.
The only problem was that it was too short! Friday was a fabulous release of energy and amazing work by all and to have them perform it. Together with the teachers from all over was truly wonderful to share our cultures and traditions not to mention how fabulous it was to collaborate with them.
It was fantastic and may we once again congratulate you all for putting on a fantastic event.

Also I would like to add that if and whenever you decide to call us again we will again bring more interesting projects for the students to enjoy and take on. My doors are always open for you.
Lots of love and respect, Johnny Kalsi & The Dhol Foundation and Sunil Kalyana from 3Man Combo Productions.

Choir: Tzvetanka and Ivan Varimezova

Dear Ellis, Flemming and Peter,
We had a great time during the music week at the RMC. We are really happy to have been chosen by you to teach at the workshop and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the RMC.
For us, it was a great honor to meet the students once again and to be happy at their achievements, especially at the students’ concerts. They showed incredible talent in interpreting the music from different countries. Music flowed from one culture to another and there were no bounderies. We became one big family. The organization and enthusiasm of the people are responible for all of this incredible experience that we made happen. We are grateful for this enriching week. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
With best regards, Tzvetanka and Ivan

Band 4: James Singleton, bass, from Los Angeles

It is difficult for me to know where to begin in thanking you, praising you, and congratulating you. The week was bound to be good, but it exceeded any expectations I had by miles. It obviously was an artistic triumph, an organizational MIRACLE, and for me an educational wonder. I don't know how most of the students felt about its value (mine seemed very happy), but I know the professional musicians and public were blown away!

Every time I go to Denmark I feel that I have entered some musical wonderland. This time I felt a sense of reverse paranoia. It was as if the world was conspiring to make me feel good. In collaborating with everyone from kim to  judy to carlos to dizu to the cubans, indians...the informal lessons with Enrique Pla, the constant discussions between such disparate cultural influences, and the really great concerts that I heard. I felt like I was uniquely positioned to take advantage of this great event.
My students were an amazing group of musicians, and an amazing group of people. I would love to concertize with them anywhere in the world, and the sooner the better. As good as the students were during New Orleans week, these guys were much better. FINALLY on the last day of teaching I managed to really stump them, but not for long. With my encouragement and patience I saw them master the more difficult parts.
Finally, I must say that twice now your school has been a direct catalyst for my own personal and musical growth.

You are running the best musical institution that I have ever witnessed.
I would be honored and thrilled to work with any of you in the future. I would be happy to reccomend any of you to anyone else if you ever need.  
deepest respect, admiration, and love, James Singleton

Band 5: Arild Andersen, bass, from Norway

Hei Ellis , Peter og Flemming.
Jeg hadde en fin uke på  RMC. Studentene var veldig dyktige. Opplegget og teknisk utstyr var utmerket.
Kanskje man kunne vurdere å la lyd studentene være med i timene mot slutten av uken og lære seg litt av låtene som skal spilles på fredagskonserten. Litt mere likt et band som kommer med egen lydmann. Lydstudentene øver vel også på å bli Tonmeister dvs. at de leser noter og vet hva som skjer i arrangementene. Hver student burde jo klare 2-4 band.
Jeg syntes også at det var litt merkelig at noen av lærerne faktisk spillte mer enn studentene på fredagskonserten...

...Hjertelig takk for denne gang, Arild

Band 7: Luis Abreu Hernandez, perc, from Cuba

Dear Ellis,
First of all I want to thank you, Flemming and Peter for the wonderful week I spent teaching at your Conservatory.

About my thoughts on that beautiful week.
Really, I felt great. I appreciate the hospitality of all your staff very much.
The students were marvellous. They learn fast and well. Because of that I was able to teach them 14 different Cuban musical genres. I would have prefer to have more students, so in that way I would have worked also with the voices in the typical way it is done in Cuban music. Just like I did the first time I worked with you.
The planning was really amazing. Everything worked out in a perfect way. I must really congratulate you all for that. (Especially you Ellis).
Since the end of the year is almost here, I want to wish you all the best many profesionall success and a good health for the rest of this year and the coming one.
Please, don’t forget me.
Your friend, Luis.

PS! Olavo Alèn is helping me with this letter and translation and he sends you all many, many greetings.

Band 8: Per Jørgensen, trp/voc, from Norway

hei
selv takk for en fin uke. Bra organisert og mange interessante og koselige lærere. Som jeg sa tidligere, jeg synes jeg var den heldigste læreren på hele kurset! Studentene jeg hadde var SÅ fine. Dyktige og topp motiverte for å gå inn i det musikalske konseptet som jeg hadde å tilby...

At vi kunne arbeide med improvisasjon i bokstavelig forstand, og igjen og igjen skape musikk på høyt kunstnerisk nivå, gledet meg mer og mer utover i uka. Vet ikke om jeg fikk formidlet det tydelig nok til dem,- det ber jeg dere gjøre nå i etterkant IHVERTFALL...

Så alt var bare positivt mht. det rent musikalske...

...Men alt ialt en kjempefin uke. Kom hjem helt utladet...men lykkelig!

Band 9: Judy Niemack, voc, from New York

Dear Ellis,
I found it a truly magical week. The ambiance created by you, Peter and Flemming really set the stage for a musical meeting of minds. From the welcome dinner (with even a sandwich for later)! To the final Paella and wine feast, I as a teacher felt very well taken care of. The idea of having a band leader who organizes the group and helps the teacher to communicate worked well, especially for those who didn't speak Danish or English. The classrooms are well-equipped and class times were clear, and we had enough time to prepare together a short program and for them to learn about Miles Davis' modal jazz and blues period.  I enjoyed my group very much; the students were interested and enthusiastic and I had fun teaching them.
On a professional level, meeting the other teachers, hearing them in concert and then hearing the results of their work with the groups was inspiring. My duo set with James (with Bernardo helping) was a high point for me; we hope to do it again someday.

And I finally had a chance to take a canal tour for the first time on my 4th visit to Copenhagen; that was beautiful.
I think that the school's openness to world music, pop, country, folk, jazz, etc., and the fact that you create a time and place in the school schedule for this kind of unstructured teaching and learning where the only goal is music-making , is a great gift for the students.
Thanks again for the invitation and all the best in the next year,
Judy Niemack

Band 10: Carlos Malta from Brasil

The week of our dreams:
Answering Peter's question, what is focus?
We all can see after this week , that the world needs to start to feel and think musically...Music is a labour of dedication from the soul to the body , and when the focus bring one  sound to a macro view , an entire and singular universe is shown, where each tradition, from each country , from each one of us, representants of an ancient ,present and future art, by using the same elements , 7 notes , (and around,ok ), explored in different rithms, melodies, harmonies, senses, colours, touches, toques , sotaques, accents, beats, basses, klakas, wispers, attacks, slaps, fortissimos, pianissimos, blowing, stringing, percuting, shaking, druming, singing, dancing and bringing the world to the stage at RMC , everyone of us saying at the same time the same word through our musical souls: LOVE!

Thank you RMC to put together this Dream Team!

Band 11: David Olney, voc/gui, from Nashville

Dear Ellis and Peter and Flemming
I thoroughly enjoyed my week at the school. To be around that much creativity and energy is exhilerating (and exhausting). It reminds me of why I became involved in music in the first place. Whatever I may have managed to impart to the students about songwriting can't be any more than what I received from them. Songwriting presents a particular problem in that situation. It is not something one can teach as one would teach a musical instrument. I did not feel like I could walk in and simply say, Okay, let's write a song. The way I learned to write was to learn other people's songs.
By learning them I got inside them and experienced what made them work as songs. I hope my students had that kind of experience. In the end, it was not their musical ability that stays in my mind (although their ability was very high). It was their maturity both as musicians and humans. They were so thoughtful and supportive to each other, as well as to me. I am very grateful for the chance to spend time with them.
Best to you all, David

Band 13: Enrique Plá, perc, from Cuba

Dear Ellis,
I'm writing to you on behalf of my father Enrique Pla.
He is very pleased with all the work done there. He had a really good time. He was very excited of teaching his students and knowing musicians from other countries.

He think that networking all together, students and teachers, something brilliant could come up, mixing the rythms and cultures.
He did apprecite also all the organization of the concerts and event through the week and wants to congratulate you for all your hard work.
He thinks that it is indeed very important for your students to be part of these concerts for their future and their preparation as proffesional musicians. On the other hand these events are very good for teachers too, my dad said. They learnt from student too.

He is really looking forward to carry on colaborating with you in all these events, classes or anything you might think he will be useful in.
Many thanks, Best Regards, Monica Pla and Enrique Pla

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