Marimba Camp in Healesville, Victoria. Candlebark Farm

Friday, August 6: My musical journey in Australia continues...

 I was picked up at my hotel in Healesville around 8:30 and driven to Candlebark Farm for the 18th annual family Marimba Camp. Heather McGlaughlin and Jon Madin are the primary reasons I was invited. Jon was a presenter in Charlotte at the '08 AOSA conference and my assignment was to help him in his sessions, handing out materials and carrying marimbas from one session to the next. Heather is a good friend of Jon's and both have been involved with the marimba camp for many years.

Andy Rigby, Jon Madin, Phil Melgaard

Upon arrival, I found Jon, several campers, and the other two presenters for the weekend, Phil Melgaard and Andy Rigby. We spent an hour jamming on the marimbas trading tunes and telling stories. Cooking Light anyone?

Audrey and Phil in Jon's Session

Saturday, August 7:

A good nights sleep, an nutritious breakfast of muesli, coffee, and bread got us all ready for some rousing sessions with the presenters. My first session went very well as the folks learned to play Jewe from my book Wood Songs. They had lots of questions about technique and presentation. Some of the participants were teachers who attended for service credit. The rest of the folks were campers. We worked for an hour and a half.

Morning tea, some good conversation and we were off to session two. I traveled up the hill to a nice spot outside in the sun on a beautiful, sunny, brisk day.  I taught the children campers a tune from Wood Songs as well, The Hey, Hey Jam.  The kids and I worked for about an hour or so and had a nice, spirited arrangement when we finished.

Musical Exercise Bikes

After afternoon tea, Jon's Session was was a lively presentation featuring his new invention, the musical exercise bikes. He also had his Echocellos as well as a raft of Marimbas. When his session was finished several of us gathered to jam and share music and stories.  Adult camper, Audrey and I found out that we had met in Chicago at the 1987 AOSA Conference.  She was a presenter with the musical group, Shenanigans, with Jon and Gary King.  I remembered her performance on the Quena, a South American flute and Gary's unforgettable tune on the didjeridu. She and I jammed on a few tunes and we ended up collaborating on a tune or two for dinner music that evening.  Great fun!

The traditional Saturday evening sharing session featured campers, both children and adults sharing songs and talents.  Several of the pieces that were played during sessions that day were presented while I offered up the Shen Fine song, Along the Valley Road from the CD, The Songs, with Audrey on Flute.  Heather played a beautiful version of Greensleeves with Jon and I on Echo Chello in true renaissance style.

Sunday, August 8:


After another good night's sleep and a good camp breakfast, I was off to Phil's "life changing" session.  He taught the adults to juggle hankys!  Learning to "let go," to keep more things going that you thought possible, to do something seemingly difficult by simply relaxing and letting it happen.... all great life lessons.  Phil then taught us a new tune that dovetailed nicely with Jon's session with the children, who came marching up the hill playing wacky instruments in a special version of Mary Had a Little Lamb.  Fantastic!

I then led a session for the children, first teaching them to do the Hambone, then a version of See Dees from my book, Ensemble.  Little did I know that several of the children were "Pro" body instrumentalists.  It was great fun and I had the pleasure of teaching Phil a new trick!

Jon and I playing EchoChellos.

Travel mate and colleague, Michael Nichols and my lovely wife Karen joined us for lunch and the final session of the camp.  I walked into the meeting hall to find two of the campers composing a fun sounding tune.  We collaborated and pretty soon we had a very cool Rondo with a Refrain played on Marimbas in four parts with a B section on EchoChellos, a C section on Musical Exercise bikes, and a grand finale with all the instruments playing.  For me, it was the highlight of the entire weekend.  Well done Stace and Talitha!

Campers and Teachers

All of the clinicians shared a final piece as the camp came to a close.  I was privileged to lead the final song, so I chose the beautiful canon with movement, Oh How Lovely is the Evening.  What a wonderful event and as far as I know, it will go on year after year.  Perhaps I will have the good fortune to attend again!

Enjoy this Video of the weekend's activities.