[Harp-L] Entertainment

["Dave Murray" <dlmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Chris Michalek"
<< I'll never forget the time John Kally sat in on one of my shows. 
Technically, I'm way ahead of him but he won the crowd with his energy and 
emotion. That's what people hear not the virtuosity. Despite my skill John 
Kally was the better musician because he moved the audience and THAT my 
friends, is what entertaining is about.>>

A related tale from my past with a few sour grapes. I was a close-up 
magician. My act was highly technical (thousands of hours in the woodshed) 
and had evolved over years into a coherent and entertaining act. I performed 
in the lobby of a venue for people coming in to see a group of stage 
magicians.

One of them lost his assistant and a few days before the show, asked my wife 
to be his assistant. Good idea, she was a stunningly beautiful, Thai (exotic 
back in those days and parts) who looked quite magical. His act was not at 
all technically difficult, but he had a fine stage presence, big effects, 
good props/equipment, and my svelte and agile wife who hauled the freight.

Here's the sad truth, and the sour grapes. Which were people talking about 
when they left the show? You know the answer. Since the audience didn't know 
how any of it was done, they had no way of knowing who's act took the most 
skill, and work. Entertainment is king.

If you get up in front of an audience and play some complex jazz or 
classical music, it is a given that they expect you to be able to play it 
well. The fact that it isn't supposed to be possible to play it on a 
diatonic harp and took you years in the woodshed to accomplish it means 
nothing to all but a few of them. If they come back to hear you a second 
time, or tell their friends that "you've just got to go hear ...", they were 
moved and entertained, not just impressed.

Peace and music,
Dave