Artist in Residence at LYDC

Alphonse Ciaccio was an artist in residence at the LYDC during May 2007. He has a report of his experience at http://www.guitarsessions.com/jun07/tales.asp The following are the result of a reflective writing assignment given to the youth after Alphonse completed his residency.


My positives are that I appreciate him coming to LYDC. To try to be a positive role model and to teach me and my fellow peers about music. Also how to play the guitar and about its history. He also talks about his life and how he grew up and where he was raised. He also gave us some pointers how not to give up on our future and goals. The main thing he talk about how to commutate with others and to ever hold any things back from any body and it don’t matter how long something take just keep going to you accomplish your goal. I would like to thank the LYDC School for taking the time for searching for a positive role model for me and my peers. KB
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What I thought about bringing a Artist in music to L.Y.D C was a very interesting thing for the staff to bring a guy named Alfonse Ciaccio to come in and teach us a little about what he knows about music. And I think that the school brought him to us so we can have some fun with something that is positive and some of us might pick it up when we get out. When I heard that we were getting a person to come play some music for us I thought that the person would just play in front of us and leave and I liked the way how he sat down with some of us that were interested in it and taught some of us about it. Also I learned some new things that I could take home and teach my younger brother because he is into that type of things. And for once my mind wasn’t focused on negative things. ER
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I did not spend much time with Alfonse but I think it was very good to have him here because it gave some people a chance to learn how to play the guitar. I think he should be able to come back next year because a lot of people appreciated his work. JM
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They brought him here to show what kind of music or guitars are out there. He showed how to play them and what they look like and how to hit the keys and how to play a note.

What l wanted was to play the guitars and how to hold it and play the right note and be good but I did not.

What I thought about it was he is a good but bad teacher and he could be better by teaching the class and make sure people is paying attention. AW
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What was the reason for having an artist in residence?
I think the reason they had him come was to come show kids new thing and maybe spark some interest and show kids some hobbies for when they get out so they have something to do instead of getting into trouble all the time.

What did you expect?
Before the dude got here I honestly thought it would kind of be corny but I was wrong. When the guy got here I got to learn how to play the guitar a little bit and I learned something productive.

Did you feel it was a positive or negative experience?
I think it was a positive experience because I learned something and I have something to show to friends when I get home. And maybe even a new hobby. I would now like to continue learning how to play the guitar. DM
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I think we had this artist in residence to enlighten the students on different types of music. Also to work with the students who take interest in musical instruments and want to learn new notes and how to play them.

I expected for the man to not be as good as he really was with the guitar. He proved me wrong because he was good and played real well.

I felt it was a positive experience because he taught many new things about music that we never knew or thought about. NB
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I think some of the reasons why he came are to show us that if you set your mind on a couple of things in you life that one of the things you had in your mind you can be able to get. The way he was playing the guitar sounded very well and I liked how it sounded he also taught me that there was more than one type of way to play the guitar. When I heard that there was going to be a person come in and show use how to play the guitar it was going to be very boring to sit around and listen to a man playing the guitar and I have never meet him before in my life. But some of the good things that came out of having the guy come and show use how to play a guitar when some of use never even touched a guitar in our life time. He sat around and took some of his time away from his family to come and teach us something that he did not have to do for use out of the kindness of his heart. I had a little bit of a bad experience while playing the guitar because it hurt my fingers and it took some people more time than it did other kids to learn the music that he was showing us. But I had a lot of good experience while he was here with us showing and talking about the things that he has done in the forty years that he has been playing the guitar. I think it was a good experience for every body that tried to play the guitar and pay attention to what he was showing us and doing for the duration of the time he spent with us. I would be glad if he would come back and show other kids the same things he showed me and the other kids that participated in what he showed us. RM
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I appreciate the school and all but he could have spent more time teaching instead of yapping. I’m kind of glad he came to show us some of the basics put he could of put more effort into teaching me more. It was an experience that only probably only was a once a life time thing around here. But the only thing he had was good advice for me but no real guitar skills. I asked him to play a note for me from another artist and he was real disrespectful. If he could come back I would like to learn new things. I really can’t get mad because I’m locked up and he came all away out of his way. Taking time to try to teach my hard headed butt some thing. So you know I don’t have any hard feelings about it. So thank you for letting us meet artistic people who are doing some thing with them selves. DS
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I think the reasons for having this person is a guest in our school was to we have a different opportunity to see somebody different the can show us and we can learn some different stuff like is music the is part of Art class.

I was expect to happened that the guest show us different stuff like the guitar and how to used them. And make some song for us the we never listen before.

The positive response the I have for this experience was to see something different in all this time that I been in this place. And have new experience. SC
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I think to have an artist in the residence is to see what kids different interest’s are. It could also see what other kid’s can accomplish. What I was expecting from him was to be a rock star. After that I lost a lot of interest in him. I also expected him to rich and famous person but he wasn’t.

The positive response that I have from the experience. It was a different type of vibe to me because I'm not used to that type of stuff. DD
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The reason for having an artist Alfonse Ciaccio at Loysville so people could have a taste of what real music is. It was an exciting experience for having an artist that plays the guitar extremely well. And for taking his time to share it with the residence and Loysville.

I’m pretty sure that it was a great honor not just to me but from every residence for having an artist here. Sometimes it is cool for having a guitar player that probably knows where we are coming from. So I thank who this may concern to. AF
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In my story will be talking about the guitarist Alfonse Ciaccio an what my thoughts were about him when he came to lydc and showed my peers and I how to play an guitar.

I myself thought that Alfonse was a good guy, not only because he knows how to play and write music in which I love to do myself, but also cause he actually took his time to teach a couple of teenagers who are in fact locked up an he really doesn’t even know from Adam and eve.

I think that he also is a great musician who I have had the chance to talk to a get to know a little about him and his family. One of the most important things I have learned from him was that nothing in life comes easy an if you really wanted something in life you’ll really get up and do your best at achieving that goal instead of saying the same thing over and over again.

I would really like to think Alfonse for coming and taking his time out from his family to come and teach us new things, I really had fun.

In conclusion I’ve talked about what I thought about Mr. Alfonse and giving him my thinks for him showing. JJ
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I think the school invited him for us to learn that we can do anything if we put our mind to it. I expected the guitar player to actually show me how to play the instrument. I thought it was a positive experience because I never knew how to play a guitar and at least he showed me how to play a little. AV
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I think that Loysville brought Ciaccio to this particular placement to teach us that we can do anything any we set our minds to it. There are three facts that hold this conclusion and they are that the administration wants kids to find a good job, to influence people to get up and do something, and to describe how a productive member or society works. AD
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The positive response I got from the experience was that anybody can play guitar, you don’t have to be famous for people to like your music, and got to learn how to play.

Anybody can play guitar. I did not think that I would be able to play the song that he wanted us to play, when he played it for us. The tempo was slow at times but fast at other times. I kept at it and with a little practice I got it, and if I could do it so can anybody else.

You don’t have to be famous to have people to like your music. He plays gigs for people and he is not famous, and they like his music without even knowing him. He taught me some valuable things. You don’t need to live in a nice house to be liked.

I got to learn how to play the guitar. I never thought I would be able to play guitar. When I see people play, it looks like their hand is moving so fast but when I tried it, it was not so hard.

That is some of the positive things I learned from Alfonse, and it will be with me forever. CH
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What was the reason for having artist in residence? To show residents the talent and ability to do certain kinds of arts.

What did you expect to happen?
How to learn the arts of playing the guitar.

What positive or negative response, do you have from the experience?
I didn’t really listen because he was so annoying; he kept telling what to do in some kind of voice that made me feel like he was trying to act like my father or something. DJ

1. To show the residents we could be doing something positive
in our life he is a professional.
2. Play the guitar
3. Positive thing about him was he practiced a lot and a long time and came here to teach us residents how to play and he had time for us. DH
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What I liked about the Musician was that he knew how to play the guitar like me and he had some type of skill. I also liked that he took time off to come visit Loysville to teach our youth how to learn to play the guitar. I want to thanks Mr Ciaccio for coming by and teaching me about guitars. Thank You. ER
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I think that when the artist came we all got to know a little more about Spanish music than we already knew. Because he came down and told us about why he does what he does as a career. He brought in some guitars for those select few who wanted to learn it, so they can.

I think that Alfonse Ciaccio did a good thing for the residence of Loysville Youth Development Center because he took the time out of his life to come down here with us. He took the time from his life and his family to try to make our lives a little better. He tried to give us another door to open in life be cause he knew that the more opportunities you have the better off you are. So I just wanted to thank you and the school for allowing him to come down here even if I didn’t participate in the activities. HGB
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I really didn’t know what was reason for bringing the musician Alfonse Ciaccio. I expected someone that was famous and that knew what he was doing, and that knew how to play the guitar. I didn’t like him he was boring and he wasn’t interesting. I just wasn’t in to it. JC
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1. The guitar artist was trying to teach block 5 how to play guitar.
2. The artist was to teach block 5 how to play.
3. That he knows how to play with no problems. KJ
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I really wasn’t listening to him but people was playing music on the guitars. He was teaching them the notes on the guitar, they was playing music called flamingo music. It is some type of music people like to dance to. We had a choose if we wanted to listen to him and I choose not to because I had a project that needed to be completed for mothers day and it was soon.
I thought he was going to just play music to us just for the fun of it. If it was like that I would have paid more attention to him and watch him play some music. I think it was good that he was here because it was a good time it was a good vibe when he was here. I would have paid attention and I could have learned some more things about music and playing guitars, and writing some good music. KT
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I didn’t like what we have got in school because I thought it was boring. I didn’t like the way he was trying to be bossy. I didn’t like the way he played either or teach. I thought he wasn’t good at all the end. HG
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I believe that the reason for having Alfonse here is to show the residents a different field of work/career. I expected to have more fun than I did, don’t get me wrong I did have fun but not as much as I thought. Me personally I had a negative experience because I had quit because I thought he was getting annoying. MB
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I believe the reason for having an artist in residency was to possibly learn. We were to grasp his intriguing creativity he has invited us to learn from. Another possible reason maybe could have been to give us an insightful reference on what we plan on doing with ourselves once our time here is completed.

What I was prepared to obtain was maybe a light to the other side of this place we call life. I projected that Ciaccio exceedingly exquisite at his profession. I believe that my expectations were met and surpassed by the artist in residents and I would not mind having back again. MM
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First off I would just like to thank who ever made it possible for Mr. Ciaccio to come to Loysville, playing the guitar with him and having the opportunity to teach classes and assist him in teaching classes was one of the most enjoyable opportunities that I’ve been able to experience during my stay.

I didn’t really know what to expect when Ms. Berquist informed us that a professional musician would be coming to share his profession with us. I just knew that I was excited!

Music is a personal passion that I have carried my entire life and the opportunity to improve upon my guitar skills while also developing valuable teaching and socialization skills was a chance I am glad to have tripped upon on.

Honestly, when he first walked in I didn’t really know what expect, I mean no offense to Mr. Ciaccio, but he does look the part of a free spirited musician. I mean he came to work in sandals!

I am so happy I had a chance to learn The Flamenco style and I know it will help me personally in my own (hopefully) music career. JM
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Me personally, I think the reason for having an artist come to visit the facility was to have students who were interested in music to learn more about music. It was for young people such as myself to actually take part in something and feel good about what they learned. Another reason I think would be because residence could learn something new or share what they know from experience.

What I expected to learn from it was, honestly nothing because I wasn’t interested in learning how to play music with the guitar it’s really not my twist I’m more into beat machines, the piano, and the computer.

My response to the whole situation was a positive one due to the fact that, he actually took time out of his day and actually went out of his way to come here to teach other people what he knows about music. TM
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The reason way I think she had an artist come was to show people can experience how many kinds of instruments is used and how to use it on our own my be one day I can use them and show other people how to use instruments. TW
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The school wanted him to come to teach us about thing we can do when we get older. I think he came to show us that we can do something with our lives instead of being in the streets our whole life. I liked the fact that he wanted to come to the cottage and try to teach us about songs I thought that was good I just did not get him when he was trying to teach me the song he knew however he did ok I respect somebody that comes all the way down to Loysville to show us some things. AW
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Alfonse came to talk to us about the music he enjoyed and was interested in, the music he made a living from and took care of his family with. That music instrument was a guitar. He showed us the basics of playing the guitar. He played some different types of music and even allowed some kids to play his guitar. He was actually a professional musician. It was an ok experience to the class and I. I learned a lot about how the music industry works. He also taught a lot of other kids about the guitars. Even other different types of guitars, he took a lot of time to come here to Loysville to teach us kids about music instruments. He even clipped his nails and let his nails go all over the table. It was kind of gross. TM