To what lengths will you go to shut out the "old pharts"?
I was at a party Saturday, had the great hono(u)r of meeting our fiddlekit and korin. Lovely and talented, fine fiddlers, the both of them. The music started about an hour before sundown (local time) and we played in the backyard 'til after dark and moved to the patio. Then, in a bit, the music started up again and was coming from the roof. I walked out in the yard and saw the youth movement had moved up there to get away from us baldy old g1ts. It didn't work, The Music was coming down so divine-ly that I levitated up. Some others found other routes.
I came down eventually due to thirst and saw a lovely young lass taking pictures. She said she was going to put them on her web page:
No that's not me. That's what she told me her website was.
That co.uk seemed kinda strange, but she did have a cute accent.
Phone number was some Vietnamese Pizza Joint.
Owell,
It may be scary to others but I prefer to jam with older musicians. Probably because that describes a good eighty percent of the dulcimer movement. Besides I know the older folks better and they tend to be a bit more relaxed. Also, most of the time there aren't enough interested young folks where I am to jam with, so I'm not exclusionary as far as age goes.
At one of the sessions I go to, the publican only allows five musicians to play at any one time, which cramps our style considerably. But it is his establishment, so we play by his rules (although we do bend the limit sometimes when he is out or not watching closely). And sometimes, after playing a few tunes at their speed, we do encourage some newcomers to listen a while longer before rejoining us to play. But other than that, most sessions have an open door policy. I only know of one session in the state that operates on an invitation-only basis. And the older folks are treated with reverence, as they are the ones passing the tradition to us. (although I am sure a few players in the state look upon ME as one of those oldsters!).
The average age at my session is well over 50... so on the topic of old and ugly, further deponent sayeth not! (I at 44 am one of the junior members.)
The clueless are usually treated with a fair amount of gentleness, and taken aside by one of the "old boys" to be told the facts of life.
But then ours is a house session, and although fairly open to newcomers is not held in a place where any passerby can walk in and sit down. So we can afford to be nice; it's not a case of folks' patience being tried too often.
musicfan, I completely agree with you. There aren't any young musicians in my area either and the one festival I attend the young people around there... aren't there for the music! I'm actually more comfortable with the older folks, anyway. They know more, are kinder, and more welcoming.
The festivals that I'm going too are seeing an increase of younger musicians, but it isn't real common and they don't play Irish music anyways. I know lots of really good classical musicians my age, but once again they don't play the music I like to play, I'm trying to convert them, but it's a slow process. I agree that the older folks are more kind and welcoming. Typically I think the ones I know are delighted to see younger folks getting into it.
Oh, yeah it was fun, fiddlekit, and what a gorgeous view of the railyard !!!!! Kinda like ....early Christmas.
It's more fun playing on a low-pitched roof like that than a flat roof or an A-frame. The really exciting part was climbing down in trifocals.
Probably just as well you missed it , musicfan. Neither of the 2 (count 'em 2) HD players or the harper went up.
But seriously: I have seen a lot of young whippersnappers impose age barriers for their "Trad" projects, and it's pretty *snort*able. I could understand it if it was a Brittany Spears session, but to have a Trad session for people under (I.E.) 18 is about the same as having a library and not allowing books.
Ok, climbing down off my soapbox (trifocals, again, might take awhile. Y'all talk amongst yrselfs).
How exclusionary are your Sessions?
How exclusionary are your Sessions?
To what lengths will you go to shut out the "old pharts"?
I was at a party Saturday, had the great hono(u)r of meeting our fiddlekit and korin. Lovely and talented, fine fiddlers, the both of them. The music started about an hour before sundown (local time) and we played in the backyard 'til after dark and moved to the patio. Then, in a bit, the music started up again and was coming from the roof. I walked out in the yard and saw the youth movement had moved up there to get away from us baldy old g1ts. It didn't work, The Music was coming down so divine-ly that I levitated up. Some others found other routes.
I came down eventually due to thirst and saw a lovely young lass taking pictures. She said she was going to put them on her web page:
http://www.cardmine.co.uk/list24/a240600.jpg
and played the same stunt with her phone number.
SO, how far have you gone to rake off the old, ugly, or just plain daft museos from your session?
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Hey Owell, if that 'is' you on the back of that Tandem, with that cheeky grin, then what I want to know is - what were you doing with your right hand?
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Can't really contribute any other way to this Owell, as I'm one of the "old, ugly, (&) just plain daft museos" brigade!
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
No that's not me. That's what she told me her website was.
That co.uk seemed kinda strange, but she did have a cute accent.
Phone number was some Vietnamese Pizza Joint.
How's yr flu?
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
It flew, thankfully! But I really shouldn't be joking about Flu like that - not with this 'Avian Flu' scare that's on just now, over here!
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
So where is Avian anyway, don't they name these flus after cities and such?
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Oh yeah forgot the
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Aye, it's these beggars who are spreading this virus!
http://www.hanggliding.co.uk/
I'm just thankfull it's not this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_herpes
or worse, this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genital_Herpes
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Hey, if you think this thread is weird, things could be worse - they're talking about 'Cillit Bang' on another thread?
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Owell,
It may be scary to others but I prefer to jam with older musicians. Probably because that describes a good eighty percent of the dulcimer movement. Besides I know the older folks better and they tend to be a bit more relaxed. Also, most of the time there aren't enough interested young folks where I am to jam with, so I'm not exclusionary as far as age goes.
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by musicfan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
At one of the sessions I go to, the publican only allows five musicians to play at any one time, which cramps our style considerably. But it is his establishment, so we play by his rules (although we do bend the limit sometimes when he is out or not watching closely). And sometimes, after playing a few tunes at their speed, we do encourage some newcomers to listen a while longer before rejoining us to play. But other than that, most sessions have an open door policy. I only know of one session in the state that operates on an invitation-only basis. And the older folks are treated with reverence, as they are the ones passing the tradition to us. (although I am sure a few players in the state look upon ME as one of those oldsters!).
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by AlBrown
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Now, Owell, that's not what happened at all!!! We merely thought the roof would be a fun place for a session, and you have to admit that it was!
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Fiddlekit
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
The average age at my session is well over 50... so on the topic of old and ugly, further deponent sayeth not!
(I at 44 am one of the junior members.)
The clueless are usually treated with a fair amount of gentleness, and taken aside by one of the "old boys" to be told the facts of life.
But then ours is a house session, and although fairly open to newcomers is not held in a place where any passerby can walk in and sit down. So we can afford to be nice; it's not a case of folks' patience being tried too often.
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by sara g
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
musicfan, I completely agree with you. There aren't any young musicians in my area either and the one festival I attend the young people around there... aren't there for the music! I'm actually more comfortable with the older folks, anyway. They know more, are kinder, and more welcoming.
# Posted on October 26th 2005 by TJ
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
The festivals that I'm going too are seeing an increase of younger musicians, but it isn't real common and they don't play Irish music anyways. I know lots of really good classical musicians my age, but once again they don't play the music I like to play, I'm trying to convert them, but it's a slow process. I agree that the older folks are more kind and welcoming. Typically I think the ones I know are delighted to see younger folks getting into it.
# Posted on October 26th 2005 by musicfan
Re: How exclusionary are your Sessions?
Oh, yeah it was fun, fiddlekit, and what a gorgeous view of the railyard !!!!! Kinda like ....early Christmas.
It's more fun playing on a low-pitched roof like that than a flat roof or an A-frame. The really exciting part was climbing down in trifocals.
Probably just as well you missed it , musicfan. Neither of the 2 (count 'em 2) HD players or the harper went up.
But seriously: I have seen a lot of young whippersnappers impose age barriers for their "Trad" projects, and it's pretty *snort*able. I could understand it if it was a Brittany Spears session, but to have a Trad session for people under (I.E.) 18 is about the same as having a library and not allowing books.
Ok, climbing down off my soapbox (trifocals, again, might take awhile. Y'all talk amongst yrselfs).
# Posted on October 26th 2005 by Owell Mabee