"Specialized" audiences are often the best and I read stories here that the same is true for most of you too. Like Sorcha's post above you get some wonderful rewards. On this type of thing, over two years ago, I posted what follows below. I don't know if they were my best, but they were certainly my most exuberant and participatory!**********************************************************
.............Like many of you, I do school programs. Six years ago, I went to an elementary for the first time, where I did the program by classes. It works for me a lot better because more kids get to participate and are closer to the instruments. I generally talk about the thread of folk music in America and focus on one instrument. At the end of the day with the fifth graders I was already impressed with what this teacher had been doing for "the Cause." A little girl asked me while I was talking about guitars (although dulcimer was the focus) if I knew "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts." Taken aback a bit, I said that I think I remember all the words and yes I can play it. The whole group is acting antsy and said they knew it too....AND...only fifth graders got to sing it. The vocal teacher played piano, I played guitar...and we sang it!!! Turns out that several years before, she had played it for a class and they loved the "mystery" and "whodunit" of the thing so much, she let them try it at the spring concert. Now it's "tradition." I love going to this place because the kids are all interested and know songs from Ireland, Italy, Africa, and the Appalachians. They know Seeger and Guthrie and Leadbelly ...and Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton! I now only focus on instrument history and contruction and such at that school....they're GETTING the music! What a great place...and I get to go again next month!!! Moreover, what a wonderful teacher!!!
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Sadly I didn't get to go the next month as I went to the hospital instead, and even more sadly, this great teacher left the system. Wish I knew where she went. We probably have a 'Catter living close by anymore.
Spaw
Spaw