[Harp-L] shifting gears...Big vs Smal

[Ben Hewlett <ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ben Hewlett
ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.benhewlett.com
01454 881 089
07973 284 366


> However there may not be a generation of younger players taking our place.
> 
> Why? I thinkthe problem is partly the teaching material, which focuses 
> mostly on blues, particularly styles from the great 40's and 50's 
> pioneers. Anyone with teenage kids will know that blues doesn't register 
> with them.  Not surprising - I wasn't engaged with music from 50 years 
> ago when I was a teenager
> 
> To create the next generation of  harmonica players we have to look 
> beyond blues, partiuclarly with regard to teaching.  There is now a 
> great diversity in harmonica styles, some pushing boundaries with hip 
> hop and world music styles. The Internet brings it together. Our 
> teachers need to move with this, and present material attractive to 
> younger players instead of just the 40+ group.

I think you are right Tony, and Richard - I agree, we need a vision. Not only for SPAH but most festivals I've been to have a similar demographic. Or does it just die out as we do? 

I am teaching a lot of 4-11 year olds in UK schools and they get very excited and engaged with what we're doing starting the really young ones off with nursery rhymes with funky backing tracks, simple tunes, tv and film themes like The Simpsons, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Titanic etc.

We also do some blues in various formats starting with the Hoochie Coochie man and improvising, learning the 12 bar structure and playing horn parts along with pieces like William Clarke's Pawnshop bound and little Walter's Ahw Baby - all in G as they have only C harps.

For the last three weeks we've been teaching the scale of C - which they love playing! I get them to stand at the bottom of the staircase and move up or down a step as they play each degree of the scale. This was to prepare for playing the Can Can. Yesterday I used the scale of C as a basis for improvisation in Am with Autumn Leaves. We showed this to the parents at the end of the lesson and they couldn't believe 5 and 6 year olds could enjoy improvising on a jazz tune.

So my point is that I think our children are engaged up to the stage when they leave us and I don't know what happens to them because we loose contact when they leave their junior school. Occasionally one or two resurface playing brilliantly at 16 only to disappear again as they go to college.

We haven't yet found a way of working with the 11-18 year olds or 18 plus, and I suspect that is the missing link.

So the question in my mind is 'how to get the teens and 20 somethings engaged?' I may not know the answer but at least I know the question!

Ben
Ben Hewlett
ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.harmonicaworld.net
01454 881 089
07973 284 366