Re: [Harp-L] Re: SPAH award criteria

[The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>]

good point. I never thought of that.



-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, Aug 9, 2013 1:46 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: SPAH award criteria


The Iceman wrote:
<I only hope SPAH can get back on track with membership..at one time, the vibes 
were good and membership levels were reaching near <1300. Something changed and 
members "voted" by dropping out of SPAH. 

An alternative view is that nothing changed, demographics did their work, and 
much of the membership simply died. That wasn't a vote on SPAH; it was the 
natural consequence of an increasingly aged membership.  It would be a very 
interesting research project to take the 1998 membership list and see how many 
of those people are still alive.

Note also that the peak of membership in 1998 coincided with a big influx of 
diatonic harp players into SPAH, which at the time, in terms of demographics, 
meant a generation of 30- and 40-somethings entering the organization.  Most of 
those 30- and 40-somethings are now 50- and 60-somethings, meaning that the 
demographic boost SPAH got from that wave is coming to an end. 

Harmonica festivals in general seem to be in rough shape, at least in the USA. 
Buckeye is gone. The Garden State Festival, based on emails I've seen on this 
list, may be next.  I don't know what the answer is, but I know that it involves 
dramatically increasing participation of players in their 20s and 30s.

Thanks, Richard Hunter


author, "Jazz Harp" 
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