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Genealogy for Beginners, Peter Fletcher at Watauga Public Library August 9

Story by Celeste von Mangan

Two special events are happening at the Watauga Public Library on Saturday, August 9. The first program is Beginning Genealogy, a workshop conducted by Ray Larson from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Then, a solo concert performed by classical guitarist Peter Fletcher begins at 2:00 p.m.

Both programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 828-264-8784.

Genealogy Workshop with Ray Larson

Ray Larson will guide novice genealogists through the first steps of recording family histories.

“I think family history is of a greater concern than genealogy, though we are calling it genealogy because that is the more readily recognized term,” said Larson. “What I am going to do is teach people what to collect, how to collect it, how to interview people to get them to share their stories and then, if people are interested, how to write it.”

After teaching workshop participants these basic steps, Larson will also discuss family reunions and how to turn them into family history. A questions and answer period will end the program.

“I am particularly interested in young people—middle and high school students—learning what grandma and grandpa did,” said Larson. “This age group spends a lot of time emailing and text messaging, but sadly, grandma and grandpa may be around right now, but that will not always be the case.”

Larson brings first-hand experience to the art of family history and has been involved in genealogy for 40 years.

For the first 18 years of his life, Larson lived on a farm in Washington State with his parents and older brother. His uncles, aunts and cousins lived within 50 miles of one another and he knew his family members well, as everyone visited one another on a regular basis. Today, Larson’s family is scattered around the country, with family members living throughout Washington, Idaho, California, Nebraska and North Carolina. Some of his family members have lived in Arizona, Texas and New Hampshire.

“Although we can maintain contact via phone and Internet, it is not the same as living nearby and visiting frequently,” said Larson. “We are losing our sense of family, and participation is what makes families what they are. One way to overcome this is to begin researching our family’s history.”

Later in August, Larson will hold a second workshop on family history/genealogy with the emphasis on the use of Ancestry.com, the largest family history site online, containing more than 4 billion names in worldwide historical records.

“The library has Ancestry.com and after getting through the first steps offered on the website, there are a lot of additional things you can do,” said Larson. “If you do not know those things, you can get frustrated rather quickly.”

The library may not be able to offer the Ancestry.com service next year if more people do not use the program because of the cost to maintain it. Larson is hoping his workshops will generate some interest in Ancestry.com.

Participants only need to bring paper and pen to the workshop. Larson will have examples of family history work he has done.

“Y’all come!” he said.

Guitar Performance by Peter Fletcher

“He always comes to the library to perform on his way through North Carolina,” said Evelyn Johnson, adult services librarian, of classical guitarist Peter Fletcher.
On his one-man concert tour for 2008, Fletcher will have performed in more than 30 states by year’s end. He already has a Carnegie Hall appearance under his belt, having performed at the prestigious New York City venue in April. Fletcher made his debut Carnegie appearance in February 2007.

Fletcher began lessons on guitar at age seven and started classical guitar lessons two years later. After hearing recordings by Christopher Parkening, Fletcher decided to make music—and classical guitar—his career.

“Those early years of discovering the guitar were some of the best days of my life,” said Fletcher.

John Sutherland was his first teacher of classical style and he continued studying with him through college. While still in his teens, Fletcher practiced guitar for three and four hours each day, and at the Eastman School of Music, he practiced for six hours daily to earn his master of music degree.
Classical guitar, developed by Andrés Segovia, differs from other styles in several ways. The guitar has nylon strings, and players use the combination of both flesh and fingernails with the right hand to produce the unique sound. The classical guitarist also elevates his/her left leg on a footstool and holds the palm of the left hand parallel to the fret-board.

“Classical guitar is by far the most challenging, but it is also the most rewarding,” said Fletcher.

To stay at the top of his game, Fletcher still practices six hours a day as he did at Eastman and also does a lot of abstract memorization work when he is away from his instrument. His instrument—his partner in practice and performance—is a 1987 Robert Mattingly guitar built in Long Beach, Calif. The guitar has a cedar top although it possesses all of the characteristics of a spruce guitar: clarity and a velvety mid and upper register. His diverse repertoire includes works from the Renaissance period through the 20th century. Fletcher’s ambition is to produce a CD every year to reach more audiences—he has released a number of recordings already—and to touch the lives of children and teenagers.

“I have always hoped that classical guitar might inspire young people to become more interested in classical music,” he said.

Want To Go?

What: Genealogy Workshop
Date: Saturday, August 9
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Watauga Public Library
Cost: Free

Want To Go?

What: Peter Fletcher Concert
Date: Saturday, August 9
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Watauga Public Library
Cost: Free