Hi all, I fear that Colin R has misunderstood what I was saying. When I said no criticism, I meant no criticism, whatsoever, at all. The meeting he has described was not what I intended at all. I am sorry if my remarks have led to a further deterioration of NPS meetings. This was not my intention. When I proposed an emphasis on solo playing I *specifically* wished to avoid those aspects of society meetings which long-standing society members recall with some angst.
The fact that there was a magnificent total of 9 at the Monday meeting is testament to those who, like myself, no longer go because, among other reasons, they do not want their playing criticised in public, nor do they wish to witness this happening to others.. I further believe that the role of an MC in NPS meetings should be to create a supportive atmosphere - and prevent any public criticism. So, Colin, it seems we are at odds here. I know of no other meeting where such criticism happens and I cannot see that the conduct of NPS meetings in Morpeth, in the last 17 years, has done very much to advance the standard of piping. Over that period, there cannot be more than a handful of pipers who have attended more meetings than I have. Throughout my time as a committee member and Vice-Chairman I sought to make the meetings enjoyable and relevant. If I did not criticise others it was because I was all to aware of my own limitations. I now believe that we (and I in particular) were all barking up the wrong tree. (is that an allusion?). If I wish for tuition, advice or criticism I will go to a piper I respect. As I wish to play solo, I will particularly seek out those who are successful solo players. I fully accept that there can be technically knowledgeable pipers who cannot or do not wish to perform in a solo capacity, but I believe that standing in front of an audience and entertaining them is a particular skill. It is closely related to singing and storytelling. It involves building a relationship with the audience and this requires that the performer respects the audience. It is about communication. Another place to get good criticism is in competition, but here the individual again has power. Once a piper has passed through the beginner/novice level and attempted a couple of intermediate competitions they will get a fair idea of the views and shortcomings of particular judges and can chose which competitions they enter. I believe that most pipers feel that their playing is not as good as it should be and do not need this fact pointed out to them. they can measure their playing against their peers, and if the playing of their peers attracts praise, then this gives them something to aim for. Barry On 7 Oct 2008 at 13:45, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > OK Barry, > > > At our regular Monday meeting last night in Morpeth at our temporary > venue in the Methodist Hall I thought I would try out the solo piping > idea with every one present and of the nine who were there only a > couple said they would rather not play solo. There was no crticism of > their individual playing unless they asked for it and as MC I > restricted my comments to remarking on the tone of the pipes and a > little bit about posture and bellows technique. After doing their solo > they chose a tune that we could all play together so they could relax. > > > With a lot of chat we had a good ' celidh ' in the original meaning of > the word that took us up to 10 o'clock when a few of us adjourned to > the pub to finish off the night. > > > The Monday meetings were started by myself when I was the original > curator of the Bagpipe Museum when it was in Newcastle with a view to > mixing social piping with advice and comments on playing from everyone > present so it would be an instructional as well as sociable occasion. > The mixing of the solo piping with group playing worked better that I > thought it would so we will be doing it again. Thanks for the > reminder. > > > Colin R > > To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
