Banda de Gaitas USA -- the initial emails

[Art]

ART

Hola, amigos,

I like the way we're moving ahead.

I'll respond to the numbered sections of Alberto's email, then to Tony and Bob's.

1. Practice recorders/flautas

What Alberto says sounds good to me.

How many should we order? Should we order more than we need now?

I think we should put a notice out through ASUSA and AsturianUS.org, at least, announcing our intentions. I don't think we'll get a lot of responses, but it would give others a chance to show their interest so we would know for sure how many flautas we need immediately.

Would it be okay with everyone if I announce the creation of the banda de gaites on AsturianUS.org? Would anyone else want to do it instead of me?

The cost is minimal, probably around $10 each plus shipping twice (once to the US and then to each person in the US.)

We could save time and money if Paul or Andres pick them up to bring them here). My experience is that Carlos works on whatever is the most pressing need. So having one of us pick them up would provide a deadline.

2. a. Si bemol (Bb) or Re (C)?
I'm fine with Bb. In fact, that would give us added flexibility since many of us will also have gaitas in Re.

2. b. Long-range vision for the group
I think we need to think more about our long-range goals. I like the idea (and motivator) of doing S. Patricio.

Given our group's size, we may want to plan to perform as regional groupings capable of recreating the traditional small group of a one or two gaitas y a tambor. We could do that for festivals, cultural presentations, weddings, funerals, etc.

It sounds like Alberto and I see the martial qualities differently. That's fine. In fact, differences in perception are something that we can use to strengthen the group because they get us out of doing robotic "group-think".

3. Support from the Principality
Yeah, this is tricky. We should probably be prepared to pay our own expenses in case it falls through.

I would love to take part in the Curso de Asturianía. I know Bob has said the same, too. That's probably the only way I and other American-born are going to learn the language, and it would really help us understand the traditions so we could become better cultural ambassadors.

Yeah, I've heard the same, that participation in the Curso de Asturianía and the Principality's support for cultural activities is tied to participation in the Centro Asturiano system. I don't know how rigid that is or whether it's really true.

It could be that having the support of the Centro Asturiano of Tampa would give us a way into the entire system.

We should talk with Manolo de la Cera and our supporters in the government about our options. If we really do have supporters in the government, maybe they'll find a way to fit us into the scheme.

Tony's
Your proposal to the CA board sounds well-thought out and politically savvy, Tony. It seems entirely justified to require your local gaiteros to join the CA, and it's not expensive at all.

Hmm. If I join the Tampa CA, could I take part in the Curso de Asturianía? That may be our ticket to a lot of opportunities.

Eventually, Tampa could eventually be come "America's CA" con y sin paredes. (Of course, I wouldn't pitch that angle yet, Tony!)

Bob's
Damn, Bob, with an offer of picking people up at the train station and serving fabada, you're going to be drawing folks away from Baltimore-Washington! I'd consider that offer!

I totally agree that the Centro Asturiano US sin paredes would be a good thing, although it's easier to step outside our box than to get someone else to step outside their box.

Conclusions & Questions
We seem to agree on:

• getting recorder/flautas
• getting Si bemol (Bb) gaitas if we can get the support of the government

We need to decide:

• whether to announce our group publicly
• how many recorders to buy.

We also need further discussion on:

• our long-ranged goals
• possibility of creating or affiliating with an Centro Asturiano, like Tampa's.

Do we want to open a section of the AsturianUS.org forum to continue this discussion? If you like, we could make it private, viewable by members only. It'd be easier to find the old messages there.

Abrazos,
Art

[Art]

ART

Hi,

Just to fill everyone in, Natalia reports that she has a gaita in Do in DC.

Better yet, she already knows how to play it! If willing, she could become our resident instructor.

Best wishes,
Art

[Art]

BOB

I'll take two flautas, one for me and one for Evelyn, who has also expressed interest. She was VERY impressed by the Corvera group and by the friendliness of everyone at the Pace conference. Maybe we could even get her to make some of her native WASP cuisine - bocadillos de berro y pan sin corteza - it should surprise the hell out of our visitors from Asturias. I'll stick to Asturian food, including the pixín I cooked last night.

I'll also find out if any of our kids are interested. Kat lives in Maryland and would be a natural for the DC group. Mike and Suz live near us in New Haven. Mike, by the way, is a very good drummer (mostly hard rock), who has organized and played in several rock bands, and would have no trouble making the transition.

Abrazos,
Bob

[Art]

PAUL / IS

Wow, Natalia, those are great connections you have. Quite a story. Valledor's letter about your thesis presentation is glowing too. The 'Ruxideru' (we call it 'Ruxidoiru' in Allande when people get together for a jam session), was that the name of your band at the CA in Mendoza?

-Paul

PS Sorry I'm behind on these mails, I was away this weekend...

[Art]

NATALIA

I would like to have a flauta de practica as well , apologise I had in my
mind recorder as afinador de gaites not as a flauta.

Natalia G. Montagna, AIA Assoc.

[Art]

PAUL / IS

Sounds good to me, Natalia. We could meet with Art at the New Carrolton metro station so he does not have to drive so far. That way we'd be going halfway. But next weekend is going to be difficult for me because I have a deadline for a big project coming up. I should be more relaxed in 2-weeks time. Best,

Paul

[Art]

BOB

Actually, make that three flautas for me. The cost is minimal and if one of the kids want to participate, I'll have an extra flauta on hand immediately. If they don't I'll have one to donate to someone else.

Assuming I can learn to play well enough, I would not mind purchasing my own gaita and traje if we get no support from the Asturian government.

By the way, concerning thekey of the gaites, the reed, etc., and the distance between the finger holes, My dimly remembered college physics tells me that the reed will provide the basic tone (and some overtones), which can best be heard if resonated through an appropriate length of tubing, and the finger holes not only change the effective length of the tubing, but also pick up some of the overtones and harmonics better than others, producing the various notes. I don't know about wind struments, but in some keyboard instruments there is more than one tuning, hence the "well tempered" in Bach's work.

Abrazos

[Art]

ALBERTO

Lo de despues de vieyu gaiteiru vien-nos al pelu a toos aquí...
Muy buenu. Just a quick note to tell all of you that Bras said
several times (the last one when I talked to him on Friday) that
he would love to have us join the parade next year. I add that if
we do, we would need to be able to play their marching songs (2-3
max.), walk 45 blocks and play at the same time, and use a Si
bemol (Bb) black gaita to match their sound. We would also need a
traxe asturianu too.

So, I am thinking: if we get the gaites from the Principau, then
it would make sense to have Si bemoles; Bras even mentioned that
we could use his builder to help speed up the process. If we
don't get any support, then I guess we 'd have to purchase our
own ones, and at that time we could decide if we as a group would
prefer Do's or Si's, taking into account that three of us already
have do's.

Bertu
Alberto Prieto Calixto

[Art]

NATALIA

Hola a todos,
please read below in RED.

Carin/os to all Natalia

Conclusions & Questions
We seem to agree on:
getting recorder/flautas. I agree with that and would like to get one
getting Si bemol (Bb) gaitas if we can get the support of the government. Agree as well
We need to decide:
whether to announce our group publicly. I'm pro to annouce in that way we'll get more people in but at the same time I belive that it has to be annouce when we decide the direction that we want to take and that probabbly leads to the long-range goals question.I definatly like the idea of CA withouth walls
how many recorders to buy. Well we have to see the locations, so far we have a few of us in Orlando - tampa area. DC Area and NY area , so probably 3. In that way we force to get together in subgroups and have regular practice.The key is every day by ourself and once a week with the rest. May be once a month all of us.
We also need further discussion on:
our long-ranged goals
possibility of creating or affiliating with an Centro Asturiano, like Tampa's.
Do we want to open a section of the AsturianUS.org forum to continue this discussion? If you like, we could make it private, viewable by members only. It'd be easier to find the old messages there.
good idea.I'm in.
Abrazos,
Art

Natalia G. Montagna, AIA Assoc.

[Art]

ALBERTO

OK;

yes, we should open up a private discussion on AsturianUS and
continue the conversation there. MUCH easier. I am going to
follow up with your Conclusions & Questions and comment on
CAPITAL LETTERS


We seem to agree on:
a.. getting recorder/flautas
b.. getting Si bemol (Bb) gaitas if we can get the support of
the government

We need to decide:
a.. whether to announce our group publicly. I WOULD SAY JUST
KEEP IT PRIVATE FOR NOW, THAT IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
THIS IDEA. I SEE THIS AS A "THINK TANK' TYPE OF MOMENT. WE COULD
INCLUDE OTHER SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS: ANDRES, CARLOS THE LUTHIER,
BUT NOT EVERYBODY AT THIS POINT, SO WE DON'T COMPLICATE THINGS.

b.. how many recorders to buy. EVERYBODY SHOULD SAY NOW HOW MANY
DO THEY NEED. I AM BUYING 2 OR 3 SO I CAN CIRCULATE THEM AROUND
WITH LOCAL PEOPLE IN CASE THERE ARE ANY. I'D SAY WE PAY $15 PER
RECORDER; THAT SHOULD INCLUDE MAILING AND EXCHANGE RATE. WE COULD
TELL ANDRES TO GET THEM, AS HE IS THE FIRST ONE TO GO TO ASTURIES
(NEXT WEEK I BELEIVE)


We also need further discussion on:
a.. our long-ranged goals
b.. possibility of creating or affiliating with an Centro
Asturiano, like Tampa's. NOW, BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO FIND
OUT IF INDEED IT IS NECESSARY TO BE PART OF AN ESTABLISHED
CENTRO ASTURIANO TO PARTICIPATE IN A CURSO DE ASTURIANIA. i SAID
THAT CONSEJO DE COMUNIDADES ONLY SUPPORTS TRADITIONAL CENTROS
(FOR EXAMPLE THEY NEVERE ENDORSED ASMA, IN SPITE OF THEIR 5,000
MEMBERS) BUT, AS AN INDIVIDUAL; ART, BOB, IF YOU WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS SUMMER COURSES THEN YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO
IT. YOU SHOULD CONTACT MANOLO DE LA CERA. HE REMEMBERS US FROM
THE SYMPOSIUM

ALBERTO

[Art]

PAUL / IS

Bonas xente! Eiqui van los mious “2 cents” no que cinca las gaitas.

(I’m guessing you all know this expression: ‘Depués de vieyu, gaiteiru!” Even though advanced in age, you went on to learn the bagpipe! My father cites it every time I take on a something new…)

Would it be okay with everyone if I announce the creation of the banda de gaites on AsturianUS.org? Would anyone else want to do it instead of me?

Agree with Alberto that we should transfer this thread to AsturianUS.org and make it accessible to those interested members only, at least until we’ve made a decision. When we have the punteiros, have worked out a schedule, are beginning to practice regularly, etc., then we can open it up for discussion/promotion.

1. Practice recorders/flautas

I like Natalia’s idea of getting together with other people (at least here in DC) to pass the recorder from user to user. That way we’re more aware of each other’s progress and can also pass on the ‘metodo de gaita’ and exchange impressions.

About the punteiros (bagpipe chanters), they are not easy for Carlos to make. As he points out, they cost 200 euros and are a true work of craftsmanship. He mentions the wood recorders made by someone called ‘Diogenes’ that can be ordered in the C (Do) key. If that is what we want, we should ask Carlos to give us Diogenes’ number and order by telephone. I can pick them up on my next trip to Asturias (May 23). The idea of getting regular store-bought Hohner recorders and having Carlos tinker with them to adapt them to C (Do) is also do-able. Whatever we decide on this is fine. But remember Carlos has a 4-month backlog and we don’t want to create a bottleneck in the world of piping…

2.a. Si bemol (Bb) or Re (C)?

Art, you say you’re fine with practicing on Si bemol (Bb), at least for the recorders. But isn’t Carlos saying that we already have at least 3 pipes tuned to C (Re) and that the Asturiania courses are taught in that key? Even though Corvera plays in Si bemol (Bb), I think it might be too ambitious to order punteiros or recorders in Bb. As a reminder, here is what Carlos says:

‘Eso va en gustos, aunque normalmente la gente siempre empieza con Do (C). Son gaitas más fáciles de manejar, los punteros no son tan largos y por tanto hay menos separación de los dedos. Eso las hace más apropiadas para alguien que empieza.’

2. a. Long-range vision for the group

I don’t know if playing with Corvera next year is a long-term goal. The idea of it being a short-term goal is daunting, though. Alberto—did you ask Bras about us ‘joining’ them next year?

On the sub-topic of marching bands, I think the Galicians had marching bands under Franco. I don’t know if it was a borrowing from the English/Scottish application of the bagpipe. I’ve never perceived the Asturian/Galician marching bands as particularly martial, though. That said, I know authenticity is an issue with musical instruments and that it generates huge debates…

3. Support from the Principality

I’m willing to pay out of my pocket because we’d be doing something new and interesting. The ‘cultural ambassador’ aspect would be great for Asturias here. But perhaps Carlos is right on this one—our project in the US is unique in many ways for the regional government. The regular person on the street thinks of South America or Europe when speaking about Asturians abroad. If we appear organized and committed, the Centro Asturianu with no bricks & mortar could fly. I’m certainly up for meeting with Manolo F. de la Cera, of the Consejo de Comunidades Asturianas, in May.

Here is a reminder of what Carlos says:

‘A esta gente podeis solicitarle el envío de profesores, y si constituís un Centro Asturiano específico ya teneis el cauce para relacionaros institucionalmente con ellos. No os van a exigir nada a cambio, podeis gestionar ese Centro como querais. Quería concertar una cita con Manuel Fernández de la Cera (ya hablé con su secretaria) para explicarle vuestro caso. Pienso que sería estupendo aprovechar el siguiente viaje de Paul en Mayo de modo que acudiéramos los dos a esa entrevista. Además, Manolo es de Tineu…’

Bob's

>Damn, Bob, with an offer of picking people up at the train station and >serving fabada, you're going to be drawing folks away from >Baltimore-Washington! I'd consider that offer!

Me too. It all boils down to fabada. Un saludín,

Paul