World Music Workshop in Dali
Dates: August 17-22, 2015
Location: Dali - Yunnan Province, China
Application deadline: July 25, 2015
Program fee: $1000 / 6200 RMB
Program:
Over the course of 6 days, students study a selection of world music and arts through daily workshops, master classes and group rehearsals. Evenings are filled with faculty performances and open jams, and interaction with the local community is encouraged through special events, lectures, and outings. In addition, students can take part in guided physical exercise (yoga, taichi, etc.), nature walks, and hikes. Free time is built into the program, during which students may explore the town, visit cafes and restaurants, shop, or simply reflect and practice. The camp culminates in a program-wide performance for students and faculty. Students and teachers live and learn together in close proximity, encouraging a greater depth of exchange and promoting long-lasting friendships.
Daily Schedule:
Sunday, August 16th:
Arrive Anytime
Dinner and Meet & Greet 7:00-8:00
Monday, August 17th:
8:00 - 9:30 Breakfast
10:00 - 10:30 Orientation
10:45 - 11:45 Arabic Music Workshop
12:00 - 1:00 American Music Workshop
1:00 - 2:00 Lunch
2:00 - 3:30 Ensemble rehearsal (Arabic repertoire 1)
4:00 - 5:30 Ensemble rehearsal (American repertoire 1)
5:30 - 6:30 Personal/Practice Time
6:30 - 7:30 Meeting the faculty (Hadi Eldebek and Kirk Kenney)
7:30 - 8:30 Dinner
10:00 Jamming and socializing
Tuesday, August 18th:
8:00 - 9:30 Breakfast
10:00 - 10:30 Stretching and meditation
10:45 - 11:45 Chinese Music Workshop
12:00 - 1:00 Arabic Rhythm Circle and Dance Workshop
1:00 - 2:00 Lunch
2:00 - 3:30 Ensemble rehearsal (Chinese repertoire 1)
4:00 - 5:30 Ensemble rehearsal (Arabic rhythm circle 1)
5:30 - 6:30 Personal/Practice Time
6:30 - 7:30 Meeting the faculty (Kate Smith and Caojing Wang)
7:30 - 8:30 Dinner
10:00 Jamming and socializing
Wednesday, August 19th:
8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 - 1:00 Outdoor hike and mountain swim
1:00 - 2:00 Picnic Lunch
2:30 - 3:30 Personal/Practice Time
3:30 - 5:00 Ensemble rehearsal (American repertoire 2)
5:00 - 6:30 Ensemble rehearsal (Arabic rhythm circle 2)
6:30 - 7:30 Meeting the faculty (Ramzi Edlibi and Mohamad Eldebek)
7:30 - 8:30 Dinner
10:00 Jamming and socializing
Thursday, August 20th:
8:00 - 9:30 Breakfast
10:00 - 10:30 Stretching and meditation
10:45 - 11:45 Ensemble rehearsal (Chinese repertoire 2)
11:45 - 1:00 Ensemble rehearsal (Arabic repertoire 2)
1:00 - 2:00 Lunch
2:15 - 6:00 Field trip to DongJing – Bai minority music and dance workshop
6:00 - 7:00 Dinner with Bai minority musicians
10:00 Jamming and socializing
Friday, August 21st:
8:00 - 9:30 Breakfast
10:00 - 10:30 Stretching and meditation
10:45 - 12:30 Evaluation and survey
12:30 - 1:00 Camp photo
1:00 - 2:00 Lunch
2:30 - 4:00 Dress Rehearsal (Arabic and American)
4:30 - 6:00 Dress Rehearsal (Chinese and Rhythm Circle)
6:00 - 7:00 Dinner
7:00 - 8:00 Sound checks
8:30 Concert
Saturday, August 22nd:
8:00-9:30 Breakfast
Departure
Eligibility:
Compass World Arts is open to participants over the age of 18, from any musical background, amateur or professional. We encourage applicants to have some demonstrated exposure to music and a strong interest in learning and exploration.
Tuition, financial assistance and application process:
Deadline: July 25th, 2015 - Rolling Admissions
Application fee: $40 / 250 RMB (non-refundable)
Program fee: $1000 / 6200 RMB
A small amount of financial assistance may be available for students with demonstrated need. If your ability to attend the program is dependent on aid, please describe your circumstances in the Additional Comments section of the application.
Program fees cover tuition, evening performances, special outings, lodging, breakfast and lunch, and transportation from Dali train station or Dali airport to the camp site. Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their visas and transportation to Dali. Accommodation will consist of two-bed and three-bed shared rooms. Depending on room availability, it may be possible to stay in a single room, with extra charge. Please ask organizers for details.
News of acceptance will be sent within two weeks of receipt of your application. The program fee is due within 15 days of acceptance. Registration is only complete upon receipt of the program fee.
The Linden Center:
At Compass World Arts, we place an emphasis on building community amongst participants, faculty and the locals. We therefore arrange for faculty and students to live together and share meals. This year, we are pleased to announce that our living and learning spaces will be provided by the beautiful Linden Centre, in Xizhou village.
The Linden Centre offers a series of unique boutique hotels that present a new model of travel in China, with a focus on cultural sustainability and heritage preservation. Their facilities are hosted in nationally protected heritage sites that have been professionally restored; in many ways, their hotels are living museums. Furthermore, the Linden Centre is based on a philosophy of intercultural exchange; their goal is to serve as rural havens for deeper interaction with the Dali community and structured explorations of China’s past.
For more information about the Linden Centre, visit their website here.
Note: Accommodation will consist of two-bed to four-bed shared rooms. Depending on room availability, it may be possible to stay in a single room, with extra charge. Please ask organizers for details.
About Dali:
Located in the heart of Yunnan Province, Dali is a unique town in China. For a country renowned for its rapid pace of industrialization and competitive workplace, Dali is a natural refuge, blessed with clean air, pristine water, and a laid-back hippy culture. Though with each year its picturesque old town draws more and more tourists, both Chinese and international, it has managed to retain a certain lack of pretension as well as a tight-knit community of artists and musicians.
Located beside the picturesque Erhai Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China, and the CangShan Mountain Range, Dali is about 350km west of Kunming, and 150km south of Lijiang. Historically the town was an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road, a network of paths that connected the mountains of Sichuan with Yunnan and Guizhou. Yunnan Province is known for its diverse array of minority groups; Dali is located in a primarily Bai minority region. Walking down the streets of the old town you will encounter many old women in blue outfits selling traditional Bai jewelry, clothing, fabrics and crafts.
The town is mostly broken into two sections, the old and the new, with small villages spotted around the town outskirts. While the new town resembles much of the newer development seen throughout China, the old town is charmingly composed of old Bai-style architecture and cobblestone. In addition to providing a host of restaurants, knick-knack shops and bars that cater to tourists, there are a range of music venues, tea-houses and crafts shops. For those craving Western fare, there are also several foreign offerings, including a German bakery, American diner, and Belgian ice cream parlour.
Getting There:
* information courtesy of www.ClimbDali.com
FLIGHTS
As Dali’s status as a tourist town grows, it is becoming easier to reach. China Eastern now has direct flights from Beijing to Dali. Flights to Dali can also be purchased from Changsha, Chengdu, Kunming and Guangzhou. Flights from Kunming operate daily and often offer heavily discounted rates. Check Qunar.com, Elong.com or Ctrip.com for the best deals.
BUS
Taking a bus from Kunming takes about five hours depending on traffic and costs between ￥87 and￥130, depending on the quality of the bus, and will bring you to Dali new town (Xiaguan). Overnight buses exist, but are an uncomfortable and less safe option, especially compared to the overnight train. Buses from Lijiang cost about ￥50 and usually stop outside the old town, on the way to XiaGuan. There is now also a train connecting Lijiang and Dali, which is faster than the bus.
TRAIN
There are several night trains from Kunming to Dali Train Station (in Xiaguan) leaving between 8PM and 11PM, and arriving six to eight hours later. The cost is ￥86 for a night train sleeper bunk. There is also a day train that costs ￥40 for a hard seat, but it’s slow and unreliable, sometimes taking more than 12 hours to cover the short distance from Kunming to Dali.
BUS WITHIN DALI
From New Dali, your best bet is to take advantage of one of the local bus services that run to Old Dali. You can board the No.8 bus (￥1.5 & 40 minutes) directly at the train station or on Tai'An Lu, about five minutes walk from the bus station. The bus terminates at the West Gate, but you can get off at any of the preceding stops. You can also take the No. 4 bus for the same price, or a taxi for ￥35.