Hanging out with her "tribe."

For the past nine years, Haley's favorite week of the year has been her week every July at Swannanoa Gathering Celtic Week. When she was little, she took a full load of classes during the day and player tunes in sessions all night. For the past few years, she has helped out by playing tunes for the beginner's accompaniment class and taken classes to fill up her schedule...and played tunes all night.

This year Haley decided to help out for Beginner Guitar Accompaniment plus Accompanying Tunes on the Fly and she also helped out at a few different instructors' potluck sessions. She spent her free times practicing her classical and fiddle music and working on a few projects from home. She hung out with the musicians during concerts and every night played tunes in amazing sessions until the wee hours. I don't think she went to bed before 3:30am the entire week of camp. According to Haley, "the musical magic happens after midnight." The sessions this year were legendary and she got up on her own without complaint every day for the next morning's classes.

As a mother, it was heartwarming to watch her in action with a group of people who love, know, and are passionate about the music she is passionate about...her "tribe." Even though most are more than twice her age, they "get" her on another level that even I am not on and I love them all for it and for encouraging her.  Haley had a gig with John Whelan and her brother, Dylan, the day before camp so John (and our friend, Kira) rode with us to North Carolina. Haley and John did live Facebook feeds in the car on the way there and with a few other musicians while at camp.

The thing I love the most about the musicians who teach at Swannanoa is the fun they have together. Here are a few videos demonstrating that fun...







Here are a just a few pics....

Haley with her "guitar master" Alan Murray.

John Whelan, Haley, and Kevin Crawford

Haley with her one of her favorite fiddlers to jam with, Colin Farrell.

Haley was also very lucky this week to get a chance to meet and spend hours talking to Janis Ian about her experiences as a talented, young musician, as an author, and about college options as Janis has been a guest lecturer at a number of schools Haley is considering.

Haley with Janis Ian.

We are always sad when the week is over and Haley has to wait another year to have this large a group of colleagues to make music with at one time.