Re: [Harp-L] solo harmonica competition

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"chris o'sullivan" wrote:
<"I just wonder if disallowing accompaniment would bring out the real virtuosos?"
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I probably have more experience performing solo harmonica pieces than most of the people on this list; from 1995-2001 almost all my performances fit in that category.  I think a very big issue here is that most players don't have an extensive solo performance repertoire if "solo performance" is tightly defined as one person+one harmonica+nothing else, meaning that a competition along those lines is likely to be short and poorly attended.  There is also no established scene for solo harmonica in the wider world, meaning few venues that are really appropriate, so general audiences are unlikely to know what to make of it.  After 2+ years of playing my solo repertoire, I started performing with guitarists and keyboardists, and giving the audience about a 1/3 solo and 2/3 accompanied mix of stuff, specifically so the audience would have a familiar reference point.

So I think a big question to be answered is: What does "solo" include? Is it anything the player can do without other players being involved, such as looping phrases electronically for self-accompaniment, singing, playing other instruments as well as harp, and so on? Allowing those things would expand the field and make the music potentially more interesting to more people.  Not allowing those things would focus all attention on harmonica playing skill, which only harmonica players really care about, and would eliminate a Brandon Bailey and a Son of Dave (and wouldn't that be sad?).

Perhaps what's needed for such a competition is different classes of solo performance, e.g. solo harmonica without electronics, solo harmonica with electronics, solo harmonica and vocal, solo multi-instrumental (with or without electronics) and vocal, and maybe others. That would widen the field of performers and provide reference points for the audience(s).

Regards, Richard Hunter



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