Harp Guitar Gathering III, Salem, Or 2005: Schedule of Events

Prelude Event - Friday, September 2nd

Portland State University 75 Lincoln Hall

6:45PM to 7:15 PM		Instrument Show: "Beyond Six Strings" - The Instruments and Makers
Gregg Miner, noted historian and collector will discuss the history of the instruments on display, and Mike Doolin will give an overview of the latest creations luthiers have presented to players of this remarkable instrument.
A crash-course in HG history by Gregg Miner	Mike Doolin introduces his own instrument, then some other makers and their creations...		Steve Sedgwick from England
	William Eaton and his Lyre Harp Guitar	Jeff Elliott and John Doan's harp guitar...where it all began.	Fred Carlson (with Jeff Titus)

7:30 PM Portland Concert Hall		Harp Guitar Concert: "Beyond Six Strings" - The Players
Andy Wahlberg	Dan LaVoie	John Doan	Tom Shinness
Muriel Anderson	Gregg Miner	Bill Dutcher	Stephen Bennett
Jeff Titus	Andy McKee	Stacy Hobbs	The Water is Wide finale

Harp Guitar Gathering III: Saturday, September 3rd

The Harp Guitar's History, Players, and Makers

Hudson Hall, Willamette University, Salem

8:00 - 8:50 AM				Coffee and registration
8:50 AM				Welcome and overview of "Beyond Six Strings"
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM				Instrument Show: "Harp guitars - Then"
Gregg Miner will discuss and demonstrate the harp guitars of The Miner Museum of Vintage, Exotic & Just Plain Unusual Musical Instruments. He will also briefly discuss the history pertaining to other instruments on display from the collections of John Doan, Steve Bissell, Brent Bunker and Kerry Char.

Mine are on the black backdrop, plus a couple others on the left. I had to leave several at home!

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM				Performers workshop: "Composing for the Harp Guitar" (Take One)
Players present a cross section of approaches to composing music for the instrument that is unique to the harp guitar. Performers to include: Muriel Andersen, Stephen Bennett, Larry Berwald, Bill Dutcher, John Doan. William Eaton.
Larry Berwald was unable to attend. We missed him!

11:00 AM - 11:50 AM				Luthier's Forum: "Harp Guitars - Now"
Mike Doolin discusses overview of new instruments on display by leading makers of harp guitars today to include Mike Doolin, John Sullivan, Jeffrey Elliott, Kerry Char, Stephen Sedgwick, Benoît Meulle-Stef, William Eaton, Fred Carlson and Michael Dunn. Mike will then moderate a discussion among a panel of harp guitar luthiers who will discuss the latest designs in harp guitars today followed by questions from the audience.



12:00 PM				Lunch - Goudy Hall on the campus of Willamette University.

			Stephanie Sedgwick (Steve's mother) and Linda Morgan		College dropouts, every one...

2:00 PM - 2 :50 PM				Performers workshop: "Composing for the Harp Guitar" (Take Two)
Players continue to present a cross section of approaches to composing music for the instrument that is unique to the harp guitar. Performers to include: Stacy Hobbs, Dan LaVoie, Andy McKee, Tom Shinness, Jeff Titus, Andy Wahlberg.
Watch and listen to Stacy's portion of the HGG3 Composing Clinic - introducing the CAGED system to the harp guitar.

3:00 PM - 4:45 PM				"In Search of the Harp Guitar"
Debut Video showing of the new DVD.

5:00 PM - 5:30 PM				Rehearsal of "The Water is Wide"
- by all harp guitarists for evening concert finale. Maestro Stephen Bennett will conduct the International Harp Guitar Orchestra.


5:30 PM - 7:30 PM		Dinner - Goudy Hall
6:00 PM - 7:20 PM		Instrument Show Open to Public - "Beyond Six Strings" - The Instruments
6:45 PM - 7:15 PM		Gregg Miner and Mike Doolin trade off speaking to the public about the display. *See and hear Gregg:* Pre-Show Talk, Little Martha (short excerpts)



7:30 PM				Harp Guitar Concert - "Beyond Six Strings" - The Players
Featuring the world's finest players of the instrument and filling the stage with more harp guitars than have ever been assembled in one place before (breaking the previous night's record!)
Andy McKee	Dan LaVoie			Stacy Hobbs See and hear Stacy perform: Scarborough Fair Dust in the Wind	Bill Dutcher	Kip Martin
Andy Wahlberg See and hear Andy perform: You Call It Joggin'	Stephen Bennett See and hear Stephen perform: Tenochtitlan What a Wonderful World			Tom Shinness	Jeff Titus	Muriel Anderson
	William Eaton			Gregg Miner *See and hear Gregg* Pre-Show Talk, Little Martha (short excerpts)	John Doan
				...and our favorite closer - the Water is Wide group finale. Oh, the fun we are having!

11:00 PM - 1:00 AM Conference Room				After hours at Comfort Inn
Nancy Conescu (Mike Doolin's fiancé) surreptitiously snuck in with her Doolin 6-string disguised as a harp guitar....

Harp Guitar Gathering III: Sunday, September 4th

The Harp Guitar's History, Players, and Makers

Hudson Hall, Willamette University, Salem

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM	Player's Spotlight: Round Robin
This is an open mic opportunity for harp guitarists not already featured elsewhere in the schedule to come forward and be heard.


10:00 AM - 10:50 AM	Harp Guitar Notation: "Harp Guitar Music in Print: In Search of a Standard"
Sheet music of specific harp guitar pieces are handed out and discussed among players and participants. Various players/composers demonstrate select passages while participants attempt to play the music on their instruments. See our results so far: Harp Guitar Tablature: In Search of A Standard by Nate Blaustein and Gregg Miner


11:00 AM - 11:50 AM	Players Workshop: "Playing the Harp Guitar"
Techniques unique to playing the harp guitar will be discussed and demonstrated. This session will be moderated by Stephen Bennett and John Doan who will touch upon various techniques for playing basses with chords and melody and incorporating super-treble strings with sub-basses.


12:00 PM	Lunch - Goudy Hall
1:45 PM - 2:50 PM	Luthier's Spotlight: "Harp Guitar Inspirations - A look into future designs for the harp guitar"
William Eaton and Fred Carlson, wood working virtuosos, think outside of the box when it comes to designing and building instruments. They draw upon decades of experience to discuss various harp guitar-like instruments that they have designed and built. Sculpture and music come together to provide a feast for both the eyes and ears.


3:00 PM - 3:50 PM	Historians Spotlight: "Harp Guitar Books in Print"
Authors Bob Hartman and Tom Noe discuss their books highlighting their continued work of researching, compiling, publishing and updating information about the Larson Brothers and Chris Knutsen who were early pioneers of the harp guitar in America.
Bob Hartman			George T. (Tom) Noe		Tom spoke of his friendship and partnership with the late Dan Most.
	Bob's display included some of the Larson's original tools.

4:00 PM - 4:50 PM	Players Workshop: "Harp Guitar on Hormones"
Secrets revealed to tapping, hitting, and other shameless fingerstyle techniques that will amaze and dazzle the uninitiated. Special Presentation by Mr. Hormone himself - Jeff Titus. Other performers to include: Stacy Hobbs, Dan LaVoie, Andy McKee, Tom Shinness, and Andy Wahlberg.


5:00 PM	Dinner - Goudy Hall
7:00 PM	Farewell Reception at the home of John and Deirdra Doan
Informal gathering of participants with breathtaking sunset views from atop an extinct volcanic plug 700 feet above the valley floor. Take time to finish those dangling conversations, debrief, and perhaps make plans for next year's event. Warning: a dance floor will be cleared for those who still have the energy to boogie!
John and Deirdra
John's Music Room	Elegance at every turn	Stacy Hobbs enjoying the ambience and instruments		Clearly we've discovered Stacy's secret fantasy: owning more harp guitars and living in surroundings where he can get more in touch with his feminine side.
A handy Japanese shamisen allowed Fred and I to create a multi-cultural Dueling Banjos.	William Eaton joins in on John's new mandolin from Denmark, while John tickles his baby ivories.	With Andy playing the chords on Swedish lute.		I don't know who my wife Jaci is staring adoringly at, but it's not me! Fred and I were having a blast (honest!) - we were just so exhausted!
Nancy Conescu and Laura Lind on Autoharp round out the session.	My version of Stacy's "CAGED" system.			Every sunset is spectacular from the Doan's balcony.