Tis the season to be grateful! On that note (pun intended), I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks for the Black Forrest Guitar Camp that has come to Skalitude the past two years. This is an amazing group of high school students – I hesitate to use the word ‘kids’ as their maturity and poise frankly blows me away. I wish I had half of their confidence when I was their age, or even now for that matter!
Guitar practice on the roof of the bermhouse!
They come as a group of about 12 students and three grown-ups and play music for a week. They are given challenges by teacher Eric Branner, founder of Black Forrest Music School, based in Seattle. Some days they write their own songs, other days they learn cover versions of popular tunes both old and new. They work as teams or on their own. By the end of the week, they had recorded a whole album! You can listen to it here:
https://soundcloud.com/pchyz/
Eric and his partner Alyson also bring their two children, Edie and Huck. Edie wrote us a wonderful note this year:
Dear Skalitude,
I love this place so much. This scene is awesome! Kids including me Edie have fun here. There is no place like Skalitude. I have never been here when its snowy but its probably beautiful. I hope to come here every year. Thank you for letting us land here. You are
awesome.
love Edie Branner
Playing together around the campfire is the highlight of every day
I am so grateful to have experienced this fine group of people, to know that kids and programs like this exist in this crazy mixed-up world!