So, the second predawn travel day in a row. I’d hate to get used to this. This trip was surprisingly a mere 3+ hours away in Leesburg, VA at the National Conference Center, an incredible site for conferences like this one. All activities in one central building, on one floor with single rooms adjoining, and with an incredible buffet food system for our group and others (Toys for Tots were there, too. Lots of Marines…)
After a longer trip down below the Mason Dixon Line (I didn’t trust my GPS, though the trip through rural PA was wonderful), I made it in time for the first workshop, Songs of our Elders, dedicated to Pete, Woodie, Faith Petric and others. I piped in with Woody’s Put Your Finger in the Air early on (I was guitarless) and got some nice additions from some other folks. Woody’s Car, Car was another brought up – one I should work up, especially with the fun additions supplied by the other participants.
As the workshop filled up, folks brought up Where Have All the Flowers Gone and several others, so the opportunities to do my Skip to My Lou faded as the room filled. Some folks seemed (to me) not get the message and did one of their own songs. There was an ounce of frustration developing that I didn’t get a chance to play more than one song, something I would deal with later.
The Keynote session followed with a panel on the future of children’s music, including topics the effect of new technology, children’s music on the web and on Sirius radio. A term ‘meeting the kids where they are’ surfaced, meaning we have to step away from ‘teaching moments’ (this is your adult speaking) and go to new paradigms like iPods, downloads, etc. with kids’ accessible music, something I’m quite aware of and what I’ve been trying to do. One great term was ‘bridging between Barney and Bieber.’ That was spot on.
Off to lunch.