Experience Mindfulness
- Central Pyrenees
Enhance your creativity and music skills through Handpan in Nature
- Description
Release your creativity fully in our week-long music retreat for all levels of artists, led by the handpan artist Daniel von Borries and held in a unique accommodation made for the purpose of exploring art and nature. Completed with a recording session at Lacasia de La Musica studios (The House of Music) managed by the music producer Sergio Lacasia, this retreat seeks to create the perfect conditions to help every participant get the most of their creative skills in a relaxed and amusing manner. With soul-inspiring views of the valley and the ideal isolation conditions, this is the music lovers’ haven in the middle of the Pre-Pyrenean nature.
The goal is to help you move your music skills forward and deepen your creative self and its ability to be expressed without the need for great musical knowledge or theoretical studies. With both 1-on-1 approach and group workshops, this is an opportunity to improve and enjoy your musicality. You will also have the chance to experience the local culture and heritage as you soak up the warm lifestyle and delicious traditional cuisine of this part of Spain.
- Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival at Casa Ger, Yeste
Reception at Casa Ger in Yeste, Huesca. Rest and group meeting before in-house dinner.
Day 2. Ice-breaking session and introduction to Handpan and
- Overview:
Our first day in Yeste will be an introductory warm-up session to Handpan music to have a first taste of the instruments and a chance to get to know each other. Dividing the day into two halves, The objective of this workshop is that by the end, the student has acquired a basic knowledge of the Handpan, theoretical, contextual and historical, but mainly practical so to be able to enjoy while playing it. Everything to get you immersed in an easy-going atmosphere where to experiencing the pleasure of learning how to easily create harmonic and pacifying music in a natural way.
Day 3. A walk to the beat of nature.
Today will be a great opportunity of exploring the beauty around us as we experience the sounds of nature and music in the wilderness. This guided circular route will take us to some of the most remarkable landmarks in terms of landscape of this region.
We will have the chance to enjoy the bird’s eye views from the top of the stone giant “Los Mallos de Riglos” and traverse through the giant dent in the mountain “La Foz de Escalete”.
Still, the climax of today’s experience will be reached at the Drum Circle that we will be forming before heading back to Yeste. A unique moment to lose ourselves in the sound of percussion while only surrounded by the untamed nature of these mountains.
Day 4. Creativity and composition workshop
- Overview:
A whole journey session held in the tranquillity of the premises of Casa Ger that aims at creativity and composition through different games and group dynamics. Today’s group session seeks to create the perfect conditions to develop new musical themes by leaving aside the scenic fear.
A collective harmonic and melodic exploration is the most relaxed way to help everyone express themselves from their hearts. By the end of the day, we will have managed to put together not only whole new songs but great memories to take back home with our luggage.
Day 5. Day out kayaking and recording session planning
- Overview:
Our fifth day of experience commences with a short walk to the nearby reservoir of “La Peña”. It is an idyllic place perfect for spending the day resting up and having fun in its refreshing waters. The introductory guided practice of kayak planned in the morning will be perfect to open our appetites before enjoying our picnic lunch.
After this short break, the second part of the day will take us back to Yeste, where we will have our first visit to the recording studio. Once there, Sergio will help us schedule tomorrow’s lineup to make the most of the recording session, where we will have the chance to jump into the studio and have a track professionally recorded!
Day 6. Recording session at The House of La Musica
- Overview:
One of the most exciting activities of this retreat finally happens today as a whole journey of recording at the professional studio of The House of Music is waiting for us.
During the day, we will have the chance to experience the recording process from both sides of the studio, just a few steps away from our lodge. The long experienced professional music producer Sergio Lacasia will be assessing each of us while performing any material we would like to and at the same time showing the rest of us how to handle the mixing controls and later on the post-production peculiarities.
By the end of the day, we will have created a genuine memory in both audio and video, as the whole experience gets caught on camera in a compilation that will be shared at the end of the retreat.
Day 7. Final jam session
- Overview
There is no better way of finishing our “soundcations” than being part of a live concert held in the comforts of Casa Ger. We will have the chance to participate in a whole day jam session in which we can all put into practice everything we have learned during the week, including the one composed during the workshop.
Since morning, we will be preparing the stage and sound equipment for a party where the live performance will be the icing on the cake. We will enjoy a memorable traditional lunch made on premises that will lead to an afternoon where celebrate the luck of having shared these moments surrounded by good music, delicious food, drink, and, above all, good friendships.
Day 8. Final day
After a relaxed breakfast, we start the journey to our next destination. Please let us know if you need help arranging the commute to any other city, either you are on your way back home or heading to your next adventure.
- Leader of the experience
Daniel von Borries
Raised in Madrid, he is an independent performer and composer of different styles and instruments such as percussion, guitar and electronic composition. Focused on styles such as Downtempo, in the last nine years, he has dedicated full time to research, exploration and interpretation of one of the most modern instruments, the Handpan.
Proficient English and German speaker, since the early days, his musical interest led him to study music theory, harmony and classical guitar. An irresistible attraction to pure percussion was building up aside, as he played in more relaxed environments, such as African percussion workshops with Djembe or learning from other percussionists in endless jams.
As soon as he had a Handpan in his hands, Daniel embarked on a musical adventure that started from touring the streets and halls of Madrid to participating in numerous musical projects and initiatives. Like the recording of different albums or the creation of the first national collective of handpan culture in Spain, bringing the sound of this beautiful instrument to the ears of a whole new public.
- Accommodation
Casa Ger resurged after a renovation project of a historic fortified house dated on the 15th century in the small town of Yeste, Huesca. It can accommodate up to 14 guests between its beautiful shared room and two double private bedrooms with three comfortable shared bathrooms.
The in-house living hosts Oroel and Beatriz will make sure that visitors are indeed delighted with their homemade food served at the built-in tavern, and the privileged views of the lush green valley and mountains around the premises will make the rest. Casa Ger was built to become a reference among art and music lovers.
The spacious, newly refurbished chambers and the conditioned open-air spaces guarantee a completely comfortable stay to enjoy music in the peacefulness of the Pre-Pyrenean countryside.
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Whats included
- Welcome pack: Bento Box to pack your lunch before heading the adventure and refillable aluminium bottle of water.
- Accommodation and all meals included. Lunches are prepared in house to be taken away during the walks as picnics when needed.
- Instruments and sound system equipment.
- Introductory kayak course in “La Peña” Reservoir.
- Guided Hiking through "Los Mallos de Riglos".
- 1-day recording session at the House of Music studio hosted by Sergio Lacasia.
- Services of the tour leaders.
- Whats not included
- International flights
- Travel insourance
- Additional drinks, tips, and any other personal expenses
- Transfer from/to Zaragoza airport and in-trip transportation with minibus and dedicated driver. (Optional)
- Packing list
- Personal First Aid Supplies: Sunscreen/Lipbalm, painkillers, blisterkit, clearly labelled prescribed medicines, spare contact lenses or glasses.
- Documentation: Passport, additional ID, Cash
- Clothing guideline: Lightweight jacket, long & short-sleeve tops, shorts and bib shorts with a chamois pad, waterproof trousers, sport shoes and change of footwear, good breathable long socks and quick-drying sports clothes. Warm or waterproof clothing depending on season and weather conditions.
- Equipment: Sunglasses, sports gloves with grip and knuckle protection, knee pads and other protection if needed, small backpack and sports towel.
- Additional equipment: AC adaptor, camera, hand-washing soap (laundry available at 5€ per use)
- Gallery
- How to get there
Transfer from/to Zaragoza airport and Zaragoza Delicias Train Station with minibus and dedicated driver is included on the tour price.
Ryanair operates flights between Zaragoza and London among many other European cities on a regular basis.
- Comments
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