This year, there were two main instructors, Daniel Schell and myself (Frank Jolliffe), and two assistant teachers, Kuno Wagner and Wolfgang Daiss. Classes were divided into three levels with approximately 5 students per class. Morning classes were taught by Daniel and Frank, afternoon classes by Kuno and Wolfgang. Also in the afternoon were private lessons with Frank, the "Harmony Club" with Daniel and Frank, and a Master class with Daniel. Below is a description of the course program as presented to the students.

Classes with Daniel
Daniel covered position playing, sight-reading, scales, hand position, rhythm and songs.

Class A (Marc Bolly, Antoinette Francotte, Vincent Wobbe, Frank Salama, Hubert Camus):

• Students learned scales, C major in position 2, F major in position 4, plus related exercises.
• They studied the piece "Laterne", which is a German children's song in "My Space" (Volume 2).
• Basic improvisation on this piece was also covered. Students did sight-reading exercises 1 to 4 in "The Path to My Space" (the companion sight-reading book to "My Space").

Class B (Marc Voets, Paolo Vallebona, Michael Byers, Ola Rinta-Koski, Grobi):

• Students learned scales, C major to Ab major in positions 1 to 4, plus related exercises.
• Various ornaments, such as glissandi were covered.
• Sight reading through exercises 1 to 3 in "The Path to My Space."
• Students learned the piece "Francesca da Rimini Salvata," which is in 5/8.

Class C (Yoshitaka Koyabu, Akira Moriguchi, Gerald Woltran, Myron Edwards):

• Students had the same program as class B, except they studied in depth Daniel Schell's composition "Remi face au lacis doré," with more exercises on 5/8 meters and rhythms. They also studied the harmony of "Remi."

Daniel gave a Master Class on his opera "Hygiène de l'Assassin." The tiptar part (Daniel uses this name to designate a tap guitar), as played by Wolfgang Daiss, was analysed using the score along with the live recording of the opera made by Radio 3, the classical music program of Belgium.

Classes with Frank
I presented two songs to each class and used these compositions as vehicles to explore song forms, rhythm, right-hand chords, melody, left-hand chords, bass lines and improvisation. Also discussed were performance guidelines, fingering, expressive techniques, tuning, set-up, equipment, theory, harmony and notation.

Class A (Marc Bolly, Antoinette Francotte, Vincent Wobbe, Frank Salama, Hubert Camus):

• Learned two songs, "When the Saints Come Marchin' In" (traditional New Orleans Jazz) and "Amazing Grace" (traditional American Folk song). These songs were arranged with right-hand melody and easy left-hand bass lines. Chords for both left and right hands were learned on "Amazing Grace".

Class B (Marc Voets, Paolo Vallebona, Michael Byers, Ola Rinta-Koski, Grobi):

• Learned "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington classic) and "Blue Train" (John Coltrane blues). These songs were arranged with right-hand melody with medium to difficult left-hand bass lines. The group learned alternative left-hand accompaniment styles for each song. Improvisation was discussed and practiced on each song with two different approaches, chord scales and arpeggios. Students learned simple walking bass lines for each song.

Class C (Yoshitaka Koyabu, Akira Moriguchi, Gerald Woltran, Myron Edwards):

• Also learned "Satin Doll." The song was studied in depth as it was to be performed by members of this group at the student concert. A complete arrangement was taught, including an intro and ending. Right-hand chords, left-hand walking bass, melody, improvisation, how to practice with a metronome, playing in an ensemble and performance guidlines were covered.

I gave a half-hour private lesson to each student. These lessons addressed each student's special interests and needs.

Classes with Kuno
As Kuno only taught for four days, he presented four different topics to each class this year.

1. The "Kuno Chord Concept", a system for using both hands on the melody strings to play four note chords. Playing in this fashion the touchstylist functions as a rhythm guitarist (article appeared in the "TouchStyle Quarterly" Vol 3, No 1). Students learned exercises 1 through 4, including the "Police Picking" exercise.
2. Kuno gave a detailed description of his effects rack, the effects and his concept of playing with loops. The main instrument in the rack is the Paradise Loopdelay along with a very old delay by Electro Harmonix. He also discussed the Roland VG-8.
3. He presented a linear drumming concept for string instruments, which is tapping repeating patterns of 8th and 16th notes with both hands, on your instrument, in various time signatures. Students then played different notes in the right and left hands and added bass notes, loops, soundscapes and solos on the top of the pattern(s).
4. On the last day students worked on funky bass lines as played on the 5ths tuning. One source used was "Funky Finger" by Robert Lindmaier (Voggenreiter). Students learned to play with their ears and not with their fingers. Also covered was two-handed bass lines; specifically, using your right hand to add ghost notes to bass lines played with your left hand.

Classes with Wolfgang
As Wolfgang only taught for four days, he presented four different topics to each class this year.

1. Tunings: Wolfgang explored the advantages and disadvantages of different tunings for different styles of music (for example; walking bass, close and open voicings, reading music, etc). Tunings covered were the 4ths/4ths (Schell, Rockwell), 4ths/5ths (standard) and 5ths/5ths (Crafty). He also discussed "crossed hands", "uncrossed hands", "symmetric" and "parallel tunings."
2. Phrasing: Students worked on controlling dynamics and note length.
3. Repertorie: Students looked at important music to study, such as bass transcriptions, piano music and guitar music.
4. Two-handed melody: Students worked on music by Jennifer Batten, the "Crafty" school and Wolfgang's original composition, "Mr. Sechters Fruhsport."

The "Harmony Club"
The "Harmony Club" met each afternoon with either Daniel or Frank. This is an one-hour practice session designed to teach students practical harmony in both jazz and classical traditions.

With Daniel, students learned accompaniment with the left hand for the bass in fourths and fifths, using only the root, third, and seventh of the three basic chord families: Major 7th, dominant 7th, and minor 7th.

With Frank, students learned three different progressions, 1-4-5-1; 1-6-2-5-1 and the blues. Students also explored basic blues progression with harmonic variations using thirds and sevenths only in the right-hand with root in the bass.

Body Rhythm with Marc Decrollier
Each day at 5pm, students were invited to participate in a body rhythm class with dance instructor Marc Decrollier. Emphasis is on body movement as exercise, mediation and relaxation. This class is a favorite every year with the students.

Highlights of the Week
One topic under much discussion was the "uncrossed hands" tuning. First seen last year being used by Wolfgang Daiss, it is now being used by Daniel Schell and Mark Voets. (Other touchstyle musicians, like Thierry Carpentier, have been using this tuning for some time.) The tuning reverses the bass and melody strings, allowing easier access to both sets of strings. Advantages of this tuning are less stretching to reach left-hand bass notes and chords with no chance of the hands colliding and more natural hand positions. (An article on "uncrossed hands" and tunings by Daniel Schell will appear in the October 97 issue of the "TouchStyle Quarterly.")

Gerald Woltran spent most of the week speaking with instructors at length about tunings and reached a decision: He will use a 4th's/4th's tuning with crossed hands.

Nashville Fiddle tunes played by Yoshitaka Koyabu were a huge hit with everyone. This is excellent music to play.

Kuno's new effects rack was awesome. He's getting terrific sounds from it.

Wolfgang playing great walking bass lines at the bar jam. The 4ths bass tuning certainly lends itself to this.

Vincent Wobbe (who, at 11 years old, may be the youngest Stick player in the world) learned his first blues, "C Jam Blues", by Duke Ellington.

Ola, un-official seminar photo-journalist, playing a variety of movie themes.

Hubert Camus performing gymnastics while soloing on "Lover Man" at the bar jam (you had to be there).

Grobi, the pillar of the seminar, arrived mid-week and surprised us with copies of his new CD "Watering Eye."

An impromtu performance by string players, outside the concert hall, tearing through European folk tunes with a passion. Steve Houben and myself were transfixed by this music.

Michael and Juliet Byers returned this year with their four-month old daughter, Michela. They camped by the lakeside and enjoyed nice weather most of the week.

Speaking of the weather, it was glorious! With sun and clear skies almost every day, Neufchateau was a resort.

The beer club, meeting after dinner, enjoyed an occasional Kwak or Hoegarden. Orval, Ciney, Rochefort, Chimay, Kriek and others were also sampled. Maitrank and Pastis apertiffs were available at the school cafe before dinner.

The reading club, alas, consisted only of Daniel and myself this year. We plowed through Bach, new Schell compositions and accordian dance tunes with joy!

Daniel, Claudia and myself enjoyed some Belgian pastries and a wonderful French cider one night back at home. I took daily walks through the fields and woods of Gasbeek, while finding time to practice every day, which is a luxury. And I read John Irvings latest book, "Trying to Save Piggy Snead" on the flight over and back.

Costs
The seminar is relatively inexpensive with tuition being 7,000. BEF (approximately 200. US) and room and board being 6,000. BEF (approximately 170. US) per person. That's for seven days and six nights! If you wish to camp, there are nice camping grounds nearby. Students said they would be willing to pay a little more to have a third master instructor, Jim Lampi, come next year.

For plane flights from the USA, try CityBird. They only fly out of a couple of main cities with a limited schedule, but their prices are unbeatable. Call 1-888-CityBird.

Registration
To register for the 1998 European "Tap" Seminar, July 4 - 11, contact: Clic Music, Groenstraat 51, B-1750 Lennik, Belgium, phone (011-322) 532-48-94, fax (011-322) 532-43-42, clic.music@skynet.be

Thanks
Thanks to Daniel and Claudia Schell, Jan-Pierre Van Hess, Kuno Wagner, Wolfgang Daiss, the staff of the Academie d'ete, the village of Neufchateau and all who attended.

European Concerts 1997