Participant Information

BOXWOOD CANADA 2010

Registration

Regular registration, Work-Study, Non-Participant friends & family:
Visit our registration page for complete details and payment options. To register for Boxwood Canada download a PDF form, to return via e.mail or regular mail. You may also register via phone by calling the Boxwood office at 902.553.0651 (in Nova Scotia) or 443.352.0502 (our Skype # in the USA).

Children's Program
Registration for the Children's Program requires a separate registration form. You may also register via phone at the above number. Enrollment is limited - please register early!
Download a registration form for the Children's Program.

Arrival, Check-ins and Departure

Arrival for the Boxwood week is recommended for the morning or early afternoon of Sunday July 25. 2010. Our opening dinner & and the V3/JC Maillard concert takes place on the evening of Sunday July 25. Check-in registration at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Hall (114 Fox St.) will take place between 1–5 PM, on Sunday July 25. The week officially ends after the morning church service at St. John's Anglican Church Sunday morning August 1, 2010.

Getting Here

Air Travel
Fly into Halifax International Airport (YHZ) if you're arriving by air. There's usually a sale on the major carriers in April/May. Thanks to an initiative of Canada Tourism and the Halifax International Airport, there will be direct service to YHZ from Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, DC in the Spring & Summer months which may result in lower fares than in recent years.

By Car
If you're driving, make note of the various ferry options available. Bay Ferries is NOT presently operating The Cat from Bar Harbor, ME and Portland, ME to Yarmouth, NS. There is a ferry from St, John NB to Digby, NS. This ferry is a particularly good value if you're budget minded.

Please note that we have nemerous participants driving up from Maine, New Hampshire, and other points South. If you're interested to share a ride please let us know and we'll put you directly in touch with those driving. It's possible that a combination of flying a low cost carrier such as JetBlue to Portland, ME, then catching a ride with another Boxwood participant could be a very cost effective option.

Carpool Service from YHZ to Lunenburg
Boxwood will again coordinate carpool runs between the Halifax airport and Lunenburg on Saturday 7/24, and Sunday 7/25 for a nominal charge. We'll be compiling a clearinghouse of everyone's transportation plans, therefore, make your plans early and contact us so that we may either assist you with a ride or may ask for your assistance with transportation if you have a car.

Lodging

Boxwood's activities are centrally located and within walking distance to most lodging options in Old Town Lunenburg including staying at one of the many beautiful and historic B&B's. Motels are located on the edge of town a short walk from town, Car & tent camping is centrally located in town, or you may billet with a local host family.

Boxwood has a limited number of B&B rooms reserved at a preferred rate - check with us if this is of interest.

Billeting is the most economical option and supports Boxwood's programming. Accommodations will be coordinated this year by our Boxwood Office - 902.553.0502 or e.mail. Billeting will be available from the evenings of Sunday July 25 - Saturday July 31 inclusive only. The cost is a flat $250 USD. The billeting fee will not be pro-rated for shorter stays. Some of our billeters are located outside of Old Town Lunenburg, and rides will be organized for those staying outside of town. For more information on Billeting accommodations, pricing and availability download a PDF form. Feel free to contact us via e.mail or telephone with specific questions about the billeting option. The check-in times for billeted lodging are: Sunday, July 25, 1–5 p.m. at the St. John's Parish Hall.

PLEASE NOTE: The number of billeting spots is limited and is allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Meals

We have changed the format of our catering plan for 2010. We will be offering a more robust snack between classes in the morning, however lunch will not be included. We encourage participants to make their own plans by bringing a lunch or by visiting one of the dozens of fine cafes in town. This new scheme has a variety of benefits including:

  • lowering the cost of registration.
  • bringing our participants into the Town thus fostering a stronger connection with the local community.
  • enables a more flexible schedule.
  • insuring that work-study students miss no classes
  • allowing us to put more time and energy into the preparations for our evening meals, which will be even more special.

Schedule

The following schedule is the framework for our activities and may be helpful as you make your plans:

SATURDAY JULY 24

  • Some afternoon & evening car pool availibilty.
  • Billeting not available.
  • An informal session is likely.

SUNDAY JULY 25

  • Work Study participants meeting at 1PM at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.
  • Billeting and registration check in from 1 PM – 5 PM at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.
  • Supper at 6 PM, at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.
  • JC Maillard/Vortex 3 Concert, 7:30 PM, St. John's Anglican Church
  • after hours session at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.

MONDAY - FRIDAY JULY 26-30

  • 8:30 AM - All students & teachers meet at the Academy for orientation & questions (Mon. only)
  • 9:00-10:15 AM - Classes at the Lunenburg Academy & St John's Parish Hall
  • 10:30-11:45 AM - Classes at the Lunenburg Academy & St John's Parish Hall
  • 12:00-1:00PM - lunch break;
  • 1:30-2:15 PM - Classes at the Lunenburg Academy & St John's Parish Hall
  • 2:30-4:30 PM free time - Academy open for practice, rehearsal, special classes TBA
  • 4:30-5:30 PM - afternoon lecture/demo at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall/Slow Session
  • 6:00 or 6:30 PM - Supper
  • 7:30 or 8:00 PM - Evening activity
  • after hours session at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.

SATURDAY JULY 31

  • Finale Concert @ 7:30PM - St. John's Anglican Church

EVENING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

  • SUNDAY - pre-concert dinner; 6 PM
    JC Maillard/Vortex 3 Concert at St. John's Anglican Church 7:30PM
  • MONDAY - Ceili dance for Boxwood particpants at the St. John's Parish Hall 8 PM
  • TUESDAY- early session at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall.
  • WEDNESDAY - Big Boxwood Ceili Dance at St John's Parish Hall 7:30PM
  • THURSDAY - Participants take the stage in Talent Night at the St. John's Parish Hall 8PM
  • FRIDAY - Ballad Opera: The Gentle Shepherd, location TBA 7:30 PM
  • SATURDAY - Finale Concert @ 7:30PM - St. John's Anglican Church

Notes on the format and schedule of the classes - from director Chris Norman:

A final schedule of classses will be given to you upon registration. A preliminary version will be available in PDF format in June from this page. You may be interested to have a look at last year's schedule: Download it here. Please read the section that follows carefully. Speak to me in-person at the festival if you have concerns or suggestions:

We'll meet in the 3rd floor of the Lunenburg Academyl at 8:30AM on Monday July 26 to provide more detail and clarify the schedule. Please set your alarm and be sure to attend this meeting so we can all get the most out of our week together.

Among the goals of Boxwood is expanding musical vocabulary. We encourage participants to take a variety of classes each day so that throughout the course of the week, you will have met with a variety of teachers, ideally across a number of disciplines. This year's schedule is specifically designed to faciltate cross-fertilization between musicians and dancers. As always, the flute and its musical traditions are front-and-center at Boxwood, however we're presenting classes in many styles, genres and disciplines. The two morning classes are typically taught by a single teacher, and these are the classes where you can hunker down and get intensive class-time in your specific area of interest. The afternoon classes are presented by one, two, or more teachers on special topics. A further goal is the development of an aural sense of musical traditions – learning and playing by heart and by ear as much as possible. This is encouraged by having participants divide themselves up in to four groups according to their ability to learn by ear. There is no audition for this; we'll typically have one slow, two medium groups moving at the same speed, but divided to keep the class-size down (medium and intermediate) and one fast group.

Which classes you attend is entirely up to you. The schedule is arranged so that you can follow-along with others of your playing level to a variety of teachers across various genres of music and disciplines. If the scope of your interest is narrower, you may choose to stay with the same teacher all day long. Either option is fine, however if you choose the latter course, it's likely that you'll cover the same material more than once as the teachers will be teaching to the specific levels.

Not all classes are listed on the schedule. It's expected that those interested in specialized instruction will work out times to meet directly with their teacher. Some of these very small, as yet unscheduled classes will include private voice lessons with Edmund Brownless, Quena & end blown flutes with Rod Garnett, Uillean pipes with Jerry O'Sullivan on Tuesday & Thursday, mandolin, banjo, or guitar with Eamon O'Leary, additional Cape Breton fiddle with David Greenberg etc. The Academy building will be open till 6PM each day, so there's time to organize additional classes & lessons according to your interests.

Baroque classes will a feature a morning master class format with continuo accompaniment available. This morning masterclass is open to all Boxwood particpants regardless of stylistic focus or the pitch of your instrument. If you wish to play with continuo accompaniment, the harpsichord switches easily from A=440 to A=415, but most of the masterclass will probably be at 440. The baroque masterclasses will be directed by JC Maillard, David Greenberg & David McGuinness. Bring your own music. This is a unique opportunity to get some pointers on your specific repertoire from world-class artists.

Those wishing to focus on dance during the week will have an option every class period including classes in classical dance, a variety of forms of step dancing and social dancing. I would encourage all musicians to do some dancing this year.

Additionally, if you have ensemble music that you would like to perform, bring it along with you. We'll be arranging for at least one class during the week to be for ensemble master class coaching in each level. Groups will be arranged by the individual at Boxwood.

Classes take place at the Historic Lunenburg Academy Building on the first and second floors (yes, there is an elevator). You can't miss it - atop the hill at the top of Kaulback St. (see map of Lunenburg). Some baroque, renaissance and dance classes will take place at the St. John's Parish Hall. A slow session will take place immediately preceding the supper hour so particpants and filter down and take part before dinner.

Contact info during the week

Boxwood's activities take place in several different locations. Phones will be available at the Lunenburg Academy, the St. John's Parish Hall, around town, and at your lodging.

  • BOXWOOD
    902.553.0651 (in Lunenburg)
    443.352.0502 (US tel.)

  • St John’s Anglican Parish Hall (some classes)
    64 Townsend St., Lunenburg

  • St. Andrew's Parish Hall
    114 Fox St., Lunenburg

  • Lunenburg Academy (most classes)
    101 Kaulbach St.

What to bring

All musical instruments are welcomed. Most of the classes will be at A=440, but some of the advanced baroque classes will be at A=415. If you have the opportunity to borrow a 415 flute, recorder or violin before arriving at Boxwood, please do so. Flutes may be available for loan on a limited basis. If you have extra instruments and would be willing to share them during class time, please bring them. Your fellow students will appreciate it!

. . .also tape recorder, pencil and paper, manuscript paper, tuner, and portable music stands may come in handy. Comfortable walking shoes are a MUST as Lunenburg is hilly, sweater, umbrella or rain coat, sunglasses, bug spray. Your billeters will be providing bedding.

Please bring a camera if you are photographically inclined. We look forward to sharing your pictures/videos.

Wine, Beer & Spirits

Wine & beer will be available at meals and at our evening sessions at the St. Andrew's Parish Hall. You must be 19 years of age or older to consume beer or wine. Donations will be encouraged to defray this cost.

Boxwood Boutique

The boutique will be open during the evening activities on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, as well as during meal times to sell recordings, books, etc. If you have items to sell, bring them along and submit them to the Boxwood Boutique Coordinator at registration or whenever the boutique is open. Boxwood retains 10% on the small stuff. No commission on instruments.

Refunds

Registration for Boxwood 2010 is limited and is filled on a first come first serve basis upon full payment of tuition. Places cannot be held with a deposit. No Refunds will be made after June 15, 2010. Refund requests made on or before June 15, 2010 will receive a refund within 30 days of receipt of the full amount paid minus a $50 administrative charge. There are no refunds for work study or Children's Program participants after May 1, 2010. Cancellations prior to this time will be subject to the above mentioned $50 administrative charge.

To be notified of updates and to be added to the Boxwood mailing list, please e-mail us your physical and e.mail coordinates.

Boxwood's activities are centrally located and within walking distance to most lodging options including staying at one the many beautiful and historic B&B's in historic Lunenburg.

© Boxwood, Ltd.