[Harp-L] RE: Contest? (S Barteau)

["Bill Otten" <harpman54@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Suzanne wrote and asked: 
"Hi.  I'm organizing a harmonica contest in New Mexico in October, and I
could use a little input.  We had one last year, and it was way cool, a few
local people showed up to play, and everyone had a blast. We want to do it
again, maybe just a little bigger and better. "

== Well Suzanne, part of your answer is right there -- bigger and better
means more of whatever it was that made last year's event a blast. To do
that may mean casting your net wider, get the word out earlier so people can
plan, ensure your contest doesn't conflict with any other major event(s) far
and wide. Use any means to get the word out too -- flyers, internet lists,
local music stores, radio, statewide music societies, yada yada. 

"It's part of a smallish music fest, 2 days, 2 outdoor stages, local bands,
a lot of variety, a couple of headliners from out of town, beer from the
local micro-brewery, pretty nice. Would anyone care to offer an opinion,
from a player's perspective, about what would make a player want to travel a
hundred or more miles to take part? (New Mexico's a big state.) I'm thinking
it's not just about the prize money, although I imagine that's part of it. "


== Prize money's big no doubt (I won $750 at Universal Studios here in
Florida a couple of years ago and it was the best 3 minute payday I ever
had, but knowing I was playing to an overflow crowd where the firemarshall
had closed the doors was pretty cool too) but the venue is a draw too, and
you've got a nice one in Socorro. Think about your headline acts too. Can
your budget support adding a headline act to draw even more people? Pair the
weekend contest with a workshop....workshops are big draws too because
everyone wants to expand their knowledge base. 

"Obviously it's not going to be Yellow Pines, or SPAH, but I'd still like it
to be something kind of special.  Any advice?"

== Make sure even the 'losers' in a contest take something home for their
efforts. Personally, I dig t-shirts that commemorate the event. I'd wear a
"I sucked at the Socorro Harmonica Contest" just for cool's sake, plus I'm
always looking for something to wear at the next gig and people ALWAYS ask
if the shirt catches their eye. The shirt I have from Norway with Muddy
Waters on it and Norwegian language never fails to generate a few questions.
Finally, split the contest into different groups so that a rank beginner
won't have to go against a travelling professional. I'm not a big fan of
further divisions, ie. a blues division, chromatic jazz division, etc.
because then I think it gets tedious. Let the music mix be and let the
players separate themselves by talent IMHO. 

Best of luck...hmmm, Socorro in October huh? Gosh, let me check my
calendar...

Bill Otten