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Much more than just a summer school
Intensive, fun and relaxing!

Intensive and relaxing? You wouldn't think this was possible, but it's exactly what 'Burwell' is. The timetable keeps you busy, but the classes are fun, and you learn a lot!

And there's lots of long, well-earned tea/coffee and cake breaks provide a chance to socialise, practise what you just learnt, or take part in the many informal activities!

Burwell has a reputation for having a friendly atmosphere among course members, an emphasis on having fun, excellent tuition and good food - all under one roof.

The atmosphere encourages much camaraderie, including spontaneous games such as Rounders and Musical Charades. 2002 was by far the best year yet, with hysterical games going on to 4am! (And sessions too!)

Welcome to the Zip-Bop Partayy!!!!!!

Lizzy Doe, aged 15, came to Burwell for the first time in 2002. She plays the fiddle, bodhran and the pipes. This extract is taken from her website

Where to start?!
Ok,
last week, I did a 5-day music course at Burwell House and it was quite possibly the best week EVER!!! Nancy Kerr was taking the fiddle group (!!! wow !!! in itself) and Brian Finnegan (WOW AGAIN!!)> of Flook fame was taking the whistle/flute group!!! AND also he was leading my mixed band, which was soooo cool!!!

Anyway!
Nancy and I got on pretty well in the 1st few days - I've always been a bit of a fan of hers, so it was kinda surreal!! especially when I had lunch with her on the 1st day!!! :¬) and then we got on better and better as the week went on, which was fantastic! I played her a few tunes and I overheard her say something rather complimentary about me to someone in the group (when i wasnt in the room) and I was like, *faints* Ahh...it was sooo cool,
NANCY KERR ROCKS!!!!
And Brian Finnegan, hooray!!! We got on really well as well ?! anyway, yes...hehehe

I took my pipes in to learn something from him for an arrangement, and ended up playing them in the competion concert thingy!? It was cool! We didn't win, but that wasnt much of a surprise, and no-one minded anyway ;¬) but THEN Brian stood up in front of a room full of people, and Nancy, and Sam (422) and said like, "I have a special prize for *shining star of the night*" and I was like, looking around to see who it was, and he walked up just past me when he was talking, and looked over the other side of the room, and then turned round and gave me the new Flook cd!!!! :¬o I was soooo shocked and happy!!! Everyone clapped, which was sooo embarrassing but then again, *Nancy Kerr* was clapping me ... how strange!!!

Anyway, then we had a session, and I was kinda embarassed by this point, as you can imagine, so I sat at the back of the room and played the fiddle..and then, Brian gestured for me to go over to where he and Nancy and Sam were sitting, like in this alcove thing in the wall (the famous musicians!!?!!) and I was like, me?! and he did it again, so I went and sat inbetween Nancy and Brian!!!!!

It was amazing, but I didnt know why he wanted me to sit there, until he stood up and asked the crowded room "who wants to hear some more on the pipes?!" and I was like noooooooo!!!!! lol! but I managed to pull it off, luckily ;¬) it went really well. Brian kept asking me if I wanted another drink as well, which was even more surreal! and when I played "the bank of ireland" into this other tune (no-one else knew the bank of ireland, dammit!) I heard Nancy whisper something rather complimentary *again* ;¬) :¬D which made my day life?!!!

The whole week was absolutely brilliant, and on the last day I got Brian to sign the cd he gave me, and he wrote the nicest message on it, saying stuff like "i'm going to be listening to your cd someday soon" (!!!) and then I went up to Nancy with my cd of hers and asked if she'd sign it....and she said "yes, of course!" and she sat down and started writing stuff, but the pen was running out, so it was all scribbley, lol but it worked in the end and she wrote "To Lizzy. great playing! See you soon...Nancy" and then drew some little musical notes at the bottom! :¬) so I was chuffed with that! and then I gave her a little thankyou letter that I had written on the back of one of this glittery card thing that I made...and she said thanks...and I really wanted to say bye and thanks and how much I enjoyed it and everything to her, but I was feeling really shy! But then she must have been thinking the same thing because she came over and gave me a big hug and said that she'd really enjoyed meeting me and that she hoped i'd got something out of it (and things like that), and I said something like "oh yes it was great, thankyou" :¬) and then she said "its been great playing with you, we have to do it again"

Brian also said "stay in touch" which was fab, and on the letter I gave Nancy I wrote my postal and email addresses (even though she lives on a narrowboat, so I doubt she has a computer!!!)

Then we all went out in the garden and Sam (INSANE MAN!!..in a good way ;¬) organised a game of "Zip-Bop" which basically involves pretending to shoot people while making silly noises, and it ended up with everyone in hysterics and sitting on the ground singing this ridiculous Zip-Bob song.......

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