I have a bit of a different take on you statement above. I am both a professional historian and a reenactor. I work in a museum full time and make historical musical instruments for reenactors, professional musicians and museums. I got into the music beacuse it was missing from the events that I attended. I started off building and playing only for historical events and performers. Now I play historic banjos for events ( in period costume) AND (in modern clothes) for the general public at music fests. Also, my instruments are used in recordings by players who used them playing modern styles (such as blues) as well as period music. Of the twenty or so CD's that use my instruments at least four are played in more modern styles. So I started off all historic and made the crossover to modern as a result. Now I live in both "worlds"