[Harp-L] Re: Harmonica Ensembles in America

[MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx]

Hello, Darren. This is a reply to your Taiwanese friend's questions about  
American Harmonica Ensembles.
 
1. Why are Harmonica Ensembles marginalized in the West? I  don't think they 
are marginalized, but growing in popularity.
 
In it's latest edition (Winter 2007) of it's newsletter, The Society for  the 
Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica (SPAH), a world-wide harmonica  
organization, lists over 110 affilliate harmonica clubs in the West, if you  
include North and South America, Europe and eastern Europe. Of those listed, 
93  are in the USA. The SPAH affilliates also include 11 harmonica clubs from 
the  East, including Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia and Australia together.
 
2. Is it possible or reasonable to promote Harmonica Ensembles in  the West 
(concerts, seminars, media coverage, etc.)? Yes, it's  possible, reasonable and 
is being done on a grand scale in the Western  countries. Dozens of 
conventions, contests, publications, hundreds of Harmonica  Ensemble recordings are 
produced annually in the West.
 
3. Is anyone in America promoting Harmonica Ensembles as an art  form? I 
wouldn't classify music groups as art forms. Music groups may  be classified by 
music styles,amount of players, instrument categories. To me,  music art forms 
would be used in the study of music chronology (historic time  periods), music 
compositional structure used. Harmonica Ensembles are certainly  being 
promoted, as in question #2.
 
4. Ensemble teaching, education and exposure to non-players,  promoting the 
music? All of these are being done in the West, as well  as in the Eastern 
countries.
 
John Broecker, founder,
former president, 
former music director,
The Milwaukee Harmonica Club
 



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