Excellent points, all. Eugene
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Friday, August 09, 2013 2:43 PM To: Braig, Eugene; [email protected]; Christopher Wilke Subject: [LUTE] Re: general public Lute awareness Yes - unfortunately, "Renaissance Faires" have been rife with guys in running shoes and a smock playing Stan Rogers songs on Guild guitars. But this does not mean that things can't change. My son worked Ren Faires for awhile, and there was quite a lot of interest amongst the participants in Paul Odette's CDs. I think the Ren Faire folks would actually love to have some real lute players, but Ren Faires don't pay anything. Most entertainers who work them make their income selling CDs and DVDs. Back to the part about interest: the interest is there. I'm not suggesting that anybody on this list would want to try playing at a Ren Faire. I AM suggesting that there are potential audience members and recorded music consumers in this crowd. Personally, it doesn't matter to me if my audience members like to hurl large weapons at each other in their spare time, as long as they aren't hurling them at me. I would rather have a large audience full of prople who simply think that what I do is cool, than to have a miniscule audience of highly opinionated academics waiting to pounce on my first mistake and tear me apart in a bad review. "Riverdance" brought attention to Celtic music. And many celtic bands capitalized on riding that wave of success. "O Brother Where Art Thou" brought attention to Appalachian Traditional music, and ultimately resulted in success for musicians like Alison Krauss, who, even though they are great musicians, might be unheard of today if not for that movie. Similarly, those who love movies like Robin Hood and Lord of the Rings, or Sting's Dowland project, I think, are potential audience for lute recordings and concerts. How to get the word out to them that these recordings and concerts exist is an issue. Also, how to make an Early Music concert an occasion that's not dry, pedantic and stuffy might be another issue. One VERY good way of increasing awareness is school outreach. Any time you are performing in a community see if the presenters can partner with the school system. Kids will be impressed by the instruments, and it will leave a good lasting impression. I was able to get Jacques Ogg and members of Lyra Baroque into our elementary school. How cool is that! Tom I must extend my sincerest thanks to ye olde SCA. I once went to a Renaissance "Faire" with a fellow modern musician (it was his suggestion). He said, "I'll bet you're happy. This is one place you'll see plenty of lutes in action." I wagered him a very hefty sum that we would not see or hear any lutes there. It was a most profitable day for me. Thanks again, SCA! Chris Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A. Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer www.christopherwilke.com ____________________________________________________________ _____ _ From: "Braig, Eugene" <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, August 8, 2013 6:12 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: general public Lute awareness . . . Many (certainly not all) somehow believing that assuming a bad cockney accent; whacking each other with wooden weapons while feigning the inability to use struck limbs; and listening to modern Irish, Scottish, or English folk songs strummed by steel-strung acoustic instruments somehow relates to late-medieval/early-renaissance life. If that's your thing, go for it. Myself, I kinda prefer music. -----Original Message----- From: [1][email protected] [mailto:[2][email protected]] On Behalf Of [3][email protected] Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2013 5:37 PM To: Stephen Fryer Cc: [4][email protected]; Nancy Carlin; [5][email protected]; R. Mattes; [6][email protected] Subject: [LUTE] Re: general public Lute awareness For those who don't speak American, and don't know American mores: SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism, and it has nothing to do with NYSCA, which is the New York State Council on the Arts. The latter is a venerable institution that funds arts here, and the former is group of uncultured boors in silly costumes who managed to completely destroy the NY Medieval Festival at Cloisters. RT On 8/8/2013 5:25 PM, [7][email protected] wrote: > No, it's just the stench that is insufferable. > RT > > > On 8/8/2013 5:23 PM, Stephen Fryer wrote: >> Well if you're afraid to get that close, you must be pretty scared of >> them. >> Stephen Fryer >> >> On 08/08/2013 2:00 PM, [8][email protected] wrote: >>> It doesn't, >>> but I don't have any poles over 10' here. >>> RT >>> >>> On 8/8/2013 4:55 PM, Stephen Fryer wrote: >>>> Why does it frighten you? >>>> Stephen Fryer >>>> >>>> On 07/08/2013 11:15 PM, [9][email protected] wrote: >>>>> That's one scary thought. >>>>> RT >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 8/7/2013 10:28 PM, [10][email protected] wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Why not lutes? Get the SCA involved! >>>>> >> >> > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > [11]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. mailto:[email protected] 2. mailto:[email protected] 3. mailto:[email protected] 4. mailto:[email protected] 5. mailto:[email protected] 6. mailto:[email protected] 7. mailto:[email protected] 8. mailto:[email protected] 9. mailto:[email protected] 10. mailto:[email protected] 11. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Tom Draughon Heartistry Music http://www.heartistrymusic.com/artists/tom.html 714 9th Avenue West Ashland, WI 54806 715-682-9362 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
