Re: [Harp-L] spah.org Content - don't be intimidated, it's all about sharing

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Elizabeth - 

One thing SPAH is NOT about is gunslinging or a competitive mentality.

SPAH excludes competitions deliberately from its schedule - never had them, never will (I hope). This disappoints some who want to show up, show off and collect a trophy and the bragging rights that go with it. (Oddly, with all the vaunted American competitive spirit, neither SPAH, the preeminent American harmonica gathering, nor its largely American participants place any value on competing.)

SPAH is about sharing a mutual enthusiasm for the harmonica and the music you can make with it. That sharing is almost always generous and without any sort of hierarchical boundaries. Anybody can talk to anybody. Are there showoffs and big egos? Does the sun rise? Fortunately, they do not make a significant dent in the sharing, camaraderie, and fund that are central to SPAH.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Mon, 12/14/09, Elizabeth Hess <TinLizzie2009@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Elizabeth Hess <TinLizzie2009@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] spah.org Content
To: "Bob Cohen" <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Monday, December 14, 2009, 7:09 PM

Bob,

I took a look through the web site, and it's already quite good!

One idea:  I am thinking about attending the SPAH convention this year (i.e. 2010), but feeling a little intimidated by all these heavy hitters on Harp-L, and the vigor of their exchanges, especially a recent thread about "these" players being better than "those" players, etc.

I am not a complete beginner, but I've only been playing for about 18 months.  Clearly, if I go to SPAH, I will expect to listen way more than play.  But a squib about why a non-expert player would still enjoy the SPAH convention -- and what he or she ought to expect from the experience -- would be a welcome addition.

Elizabeth


On Dec 14, 2009, at 8:05 PM, Bob Cohen wrote:

> Quick poll: what kind of content would you like to see on spah.org?
> 
> Bob
> 
> Bob Cohen
> Principal, MojoTools Interactive Media and Marketing
> Publisher, spah.org
> Chairman, Wrentham Board of Selectmen
> W:  www.mojotools.com
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
> 

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