2026 Microtonal Recording Retreat - June 6-14 in Virginia
SCHEDULE:
- Sat-Tues: mingling, jamming, trying out the submitted pieces, coming up with new pieces
- Wed-Fri: filming/recording sessions
- Fri night: dress rehearsal
- Sat night: house concert and group photo
- Sun morning: cleanup and goodbyes
Mark Johnson will be leading daily choir sessions. Mark is a lifelong ensemble musician with a keen ear for special tuning. He has sung in a cappella ensembles of every size and many styles. He played various woodwinds throughout school, and studied oboe and conducting at the Eastman School of Music in the 1980s. Mark met Toby Twining at a Bobby McFerrin workshop in 1988, and collaborated with him as music director, singer, producer, and mix engineer for Chrysalid Requiem (2002) and Eurydice (2011). He also worked for many years with The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, as producer for their recordings and ensemble coach at their workshops. Some of his favorite musics are The Hi-Lo’s, Pat Metheny and Mahler symphonies.
While there may be a few solo performances, the focus is on playing music together, because it's the one thing we can't do online. The focus is also on recording, so that we have something to share with the world after the fact. Attendees should have significant previous experience performing microtonal music. Attendees will be able to connect with each other beforehand in a google group, to share ideas.
CALL FOR SCORES ETC. The deadline for submission is May 1st. The material can range from improvised to composed, from classical to modern, and from instrumental to singer-songwriter. For composed pieces, we suggest sheet music plus midi demos. For improvised material, we suggest lead sheets, example recordings, etc. Needn't be new material. Needn't be your own material. Can even be simple sketches which other attendees help flesh out, a pre-retreat group collab which comes to life when we get together in person! The choice of which material to use is entirely up to the attendees. To encourage uninhibited music-making, all attendees will have veto rights over any video they appear in. Anything not vetoed will be published CC-BY as a youtube playlist and as a free bandcamp album. Select scores will be published after the retreat in a free songbook on the UnTwelve website.
Before May 1st: $400-500 to attend for all 9 days, covers food and lodging. $300 if sleeping off-site (food only). Partial stay: $60-75/day if sleeping over (food and lodging), $45/day if not (food only).
On or after May 1st: full stay: $500-600 with lodging, $400 without. Partial stay: $75-90/day with lodging, $60/day without.
Midmountain Riverside Arts Retreat is just outside of Natural Bridge Station, Virginia (2 hours west of Richmond). It features 2 outbuildings and 400 feet of private frontage on the James River. For more photos, see their airBnB site.
Lodging: sleeping options range from the farmhouse ($500/person before May 1st) to the outbuildings, large unfurnished indoor spaces with cement floors with electricity but without AC or plumbing ($400/person before May 1st, mattress provided) to camping on the riverfront ($400/person before May 1st, tent and sleeping pad provided). All options include linens. Camping in your own vehicle is encouraged. There are only 4 bedrooms in the farmhouse, so getting a private room is unlikely.
Meals: There will be continental breakfasts and DIY lunches. Full dinners will be cooked on-site by the MidMountain staff. Attendees will have input ahead of time on dietary restrictions, favorite foods, etc.
Travel: The nearest airport is 45 minutes away in Roanoke VA. The nearest Amtrak stations are in Roanoke and Lynchburg (also 45 minutes away). Shuttle service will be provided. People with a long travel day are welcome to arrive Friday night the 5th.
To inquire, contact Kite at untwelve dot org. To register, fill out this google form.
