In Their Own Words

These letters were sent to the organisers by students after their sessions, and were published on the site while it was running. They are reproduced here as they appeared, with surnames reduced to an initial — the writers were private individuals, and the substance is in what they say rather than in who they were.

The first year, 1999

Dear Friends at IGS,

Just a note to let you know how pleased I was with your seminar. I was hoping to get a little bit of attention from the instructors, instead I feel I received their complete attention whenever I was in need of it. My guitar strings were set ablaze by the instructors; they have given me years worth of musical bits and pieces that I will be able to incorporate into my own music. This is an event of uncommon merit. Your seminar far exceeded my expectations! Save a spot for me next year!

— Bill K., New York 1999

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the first annual IGS. I wasn't in any of your classes (Bob in the morning, Martin in the afternoon) but I still wanted to tell you what a fantastic job you guys did. All of the staff were absolutely 100 percent excellent. From the moment I saw the sign on the front gate directing me to the registration desk to the time I left, every detail was of the highest quality. If you guys keep this up you are going to give musicians a bad name. Next thing you know drummers will start showing up at rehearsals on time, and you will have to ask them to play a little louder. Seriously, you guys did a first class job — it was all I could have hoped it would be and more.

— Tim M., New York 1999

When I read the brochure's promise of a "life changing experience" I was a little skeptical. But the seminar actually met and exceeded everything it claimed to be. I have never been so inspired to write and play my music! The seminar made me realize that we can all continually reach higher and higher musical ground if we just keep climbing. And the atmosphere was really special — everyone, including the teachers, ate, slept and drank music twenty hours a day for a week.

— Paul H., New York 1999

I am still getting value from the seminar almost three months later. I've improved more since June than I have in the last five years. You guys are doing a good thing. Thanks.

— Paul H., New York 1999

Later years

Just a quick note to thank you all once again for a spectacular week. I feel that I got more out of this past week than in my entire last year of playing. Your complete dedication to making sure that each student gets the maximum out of the IGS week is truly amazing. After the IGS week it's a damn good thing that I can't even pretend that I could make a living playing guitar, because mentally I would be the first to bail out on the regular nine-to-five job. This reassimilation into society thing is a nightmare... I've got my deposit ready for next year.

— James A.

I've just returned from my east coast adventure following my extraordinary experience with you, Bob and the rest of the IGS staff and community. I've had some amazing experiences in my life. The camp was without a doubt one of the most wonderful learning adventures I've ever had.

The generosity of spirit, kindness and overall nurturing environment shared and cultivated by you and the IGS team was inspiring, uplifting and even healing. Thank you for your patience, and your gentle manner of encouraging. I had been a little bit anxious about my relative inexperience with the guitar, but from the moment I arrived I felt welcomed, reassured, and supported.

As I said at the meeting, Trevor was extremely gracious and helpful answering questions in the months preceding the seminar. He also gave me a good idea of what classes would be most appropriate for me.

— Gregory V.

Just a note to thank you guys once again for the incredible time at Santa Cruz. As a beginner I wasn't sure where — or if — I would fit in, but all your claims about catering to people of all levels were very true. I came away not only with renewed inspiration to practise but also with more than enough material to keep me busy till next year.

— Tom D.

Well, I've been back at the daily grind for a bit, but I still wanted to take a second and thank each and every one of you for the tremendous week in Santa Cruz. I learned a great deal, made some fine new friends and was able to connect back into what makes music such a special magic.

— Dennis R.

What the letters have in common

Read together, they are strikingly consistent about which parts of the week mattered — and it is not the parts a prospectus would lead with. Almost none of them names a technique. What recurs instead is the atmosphere, the access to the teachers outside class, the absence of competition, and the discovery that a beginner was not out of place. Several writers single out Trevor Laurence for the correspondence before they arrived. Several mention the student concert. More than one describes the difficulty of going back to ordinary life the following Monday.

That is the clearest available evidence of what the founders were aiming at when they wrote about creating a "safe" place — the word they put in quotation marks on the About page. The programme shows what was scheduled; these letters show what people took home.