Why THIS Masterclass?
Would you like to overcome lingering performance fears, be more confident in your performance skills, and learn to exercise positive feedback in the messages that play through your head while you practice or perform? Or perhaps you feel like you are doing everything right, but could use some professional feedback to fine-tune your performance effectiveness? THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU!

Rhonda conducts her masterclasses in an honest, positive, uplifting, and self-empowering manner. She will teach you from where you ARE, helping you move forward to a new place outwardly and inwardly. Rhonda will help you find your Best Self, and guide you in how to perform from THERE. Given this expansive teaching stance, she is less concerned with your current level of flute playing. She is more concerned that you are open, willing, eager, and in love with making music. As Rhonda puts it, "We play music and the flute because we LOVE it, and it first feeds our own souls before we ever give it away to the public. How we work with music carries over into our daily lives in how to live, so we must foster this joy and love! Ultimately, what I teach is how to play the flute boldly, deeply, thoughtfully, and freely!"

Too many people overvalue what they are not,
and undervalue what they are.
----Malcolm Forbes


Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our
most secret self.
----Jean-Luc Godard


Like an ability or a muscle,
hearing your inner wisdom
is strengthened
by doing it.
----Robbie Gass

Why this location?

To read the finer details about how my husband Lee deLisle and I came to know Casperia and have subsequently chosen it for the masterclass, please refer to my website article "Bella Italia" at Bellaitalia.htm

Here are the highlights: several years ago, we decided to buy a home in Italy. After looking at 30 houses from the ocean to the mountains, we found what we were looking for in the very last house we viewed. It is located in the village nearest Casperia, called Roccantica. When we stepped out onto the terrace, the beauty of the view made me start to cry, and I knew we had found what we were looking for: an experience, not just a 'house'. From the vantage point of this mountain-town terrace, the view is as from the top of the world. Below us, the town's terracotta rooftops cascade downward, street after ancient street, following the slope of the mountain they are built upon. And since there are only 500 residents to this town, we feel privileged to be here, as if we are permitted to take part in a secret. The town turned out to be far more than the initial indications, as every year Roccantica presents a great Medieval Festival, which we now participate in. Additionally, the town is full of wonderful musicians!

Nearby in Casperia, many people from Great Britain own homes. This offers socializing with other English-speaking people if you are not fluent in Italian (as I am not... yet).

I hope you will join us for this very unique opportunity to enjoy music and life in a very special place!
---- Rhondaa_________________

Live, Learn, Practice, and Make Music
...in the ancient village of
Casperia, Italy

Casperia is conveniently located one hour Northwest of Rome, in the region of Lazio. Step into this enchanting ancient era and experience a more reflective and conscious way of living. You will enjoy the quietness of Casperia from its mountain-top location, making it a vehicle-free village of narrow, winding streets.

There are many activities to enjoy in the surrounding area each day during siesta (free time after lunch): practice; visit surrounding unspoiled hill towns including Roccantica and Cantalupo; stroll in the country-side; climb the Sabina mountains; relax at the local swim and tennis club, or simply enjoy the Italian life style, absorbing the sights and sounds in a leisurely manner.

Classes and Activities
Each morning will begin with full group participation, performers and auditors alike, with flutes and without. This will include some gentle physical stretching/warm-up led by Rhonda. Emphasis here will be on the use of the body in playing flute, exercises for rhythm, and guided playing by ear (Rhonda's Rubrics), while also offering method-styles of how to practice. All of this is a spontaneous listening and playing exercise of 'alertness'!

This will be followed by the standard masterclass format of listening to individual performers. Besides the philosophical approach previously mentioned (Why THIS masterclass?), emphasis will be on the Art of Performance, in all its many aspects, including stage presence, breathing, and freeing your playing.

We are happy to have the use of the most elegant La Tacita club, nestled between Casperia and Roccantica. This stunning estate offers us their magnificent and expansive grounds where over 4,500 varieties of roses are grown. Indoors, we will be provided with a complete air-conditioned environment for our week of masterclass work---a real bonus in the late July heat! We will also dine at their Ristorante Naturale for lunch (pranzo) four of the seven days.

Talent develops in quiet places,
character in the full current of human life.
---Johann W. von Goethe

Repertoire
All repertoire is welcome except avant-garde music. If you are applying as a Performer, we ask that you consider choosing music for the final public performance night that is pleasing and generally accessible to a local Italian audience. Besides your performance piece, you will be playing a minimum of one other selection for masterclass work. Come with three pieces prepared. A list of suggested repertoire will be available soon (but feel free to choose from your own repertoire ideas!).

What does coming prepared mean?
We want you to have the highest opportunity to work on the deepest levels during this week in Italy. Therefore, arrive knowing your music completely, from the piano part to the flute part, and how they weave together. The masterclass is not the place to learn your piece, or to play your piece with piano for the first time.

We are fortunate to have pianist Deborah Gross accompany us once again. Deborah attended the Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, PA, USA), and is not only a marvelous player, but a beautiful human being. In your work with her, you will benefit from her vast experience from a pianist's perspective, as well as her musical instinct which has its basis in "music for the love of music". We are grateful to have her as part of our foundation of this class.

Practicing
There will be several different locations in the village in which to do some private practicing. Imagine yourself playing in either of the two Renaissance churches in the town, having it all to your self while your notes waft up to the vaulted ceiling and become a part of this ongoing history! (You can see one of the churches at the very bottom of the town in the picture of Casperia at top of page (from Casperia's Entrance---this is where we usually hold our final group concert).

Transportation
Purchase of plane tickets should be made to arrive into either Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, or Ciampino airport. Let us know where you are coming from, and we can help you choose the best airport.

Additional Activities and Electives
--Your week begins with a welcoming reception dinner at La Torretta. This 16th century palazzo B & B will be your home for the week. (Visit La Torretta website)

--Daily classes will take place at La Tacita.

--An evening with Rhonda Larson In Concert.

--Enjoy an optional one day trip to ROME to experience the sights and sounds of the major outdoor sites with a guided tour from Lee deLisle.

--Experience a unique olive oil and wine tasting event with the world famous Sabina oils and Italian wines.

--Play in the PERFORMANCE NIGHT for the whole community, as a gift to them.

--Enjoy a Farewell Dinner.

World-wide Participants
Performers and auditors from all over the world are encouraged to attend. Since this masterclass will take place in English, we will do our best to find you a translator for your particular language, if necessary. Preferably, we will make special arrangements for you if you are able to bring along your own translator.

The reward of a thing well done
is to have done it!
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuition We are listing our tuition for participation in US Dollars, to 'freeze' the price, since this seems to be the most beneficial for everyone in our current day and age. It means this price is not subject to the constant changing (often rising) Euro.
Performers: $550 USDOLLAR
Auditors: $420 USDOLLAR

Room, with Perks (as listed below)
We must list the lodging and accompanying meals and activities in Euro's since we cannot guess the exchange price ahead of time...

Double Room: 710 euro. (Shared bathrooms) Includes breakfasts, Welcome reception dinner, Farewell dinner, and four lunches at La Tacita.

Single Room: 990 euro (very few available). Includes breakfasts, Welcome reception dinner, Farewell dinner, and four lunches at La Tacita.

Please note: not all rooms will be located in La Torretta. As registration fills, guests will be placed in other local accomodations.

In order to keep the class intimate and allow performers to play at least twice in masterclass, we are limited to 10 performers. Auditor numbers are not limited.

Application deadline is April 25, 2009. Currency rate exchanges determined on day of application submission. Click HERE for exchange rates.

Final payment will be due upon notification of participation. There will be no refunds of tuition after June 1, 2009. However, if we do not meet our minimum number of participants for the masterclass, your application money and entire fees applied at time of payment will be fully refunded.

Please note: Early application is strongly advised:
1. Preference will be given on a first-reserved basis;
2. Currency exchange rates fluctuate daily, and it is advisable to
lock it in earlier rather than later...

2009 Larson Italy Masterclass Application Form available soon!

_________CContact us if you have any questions! We are
happy to hear from you.
info@rhondalarson.com

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