Saving Real Music

[Marc Berman]

Check out the audience not to mention the age of the musicians.

[Marc Berman]

Posted by the late John McGann - Students in the American Roots Program at Berklee College of Music

[Marc Berman]

In my area, Poughkeepsie, NY, we have the Strawberry Hill Fiddler program - made up of kids from 6 to 17. we have Huckleberries (youngest), Boysenberries, Cranberries, Raspberries and Strawberries (oldest - mostly high school). As the name suggests it's a fiddle program but some of the Strawberries now play guitar, mandolin and/or uke. Most of the kids are classically trained but are also interested in traditional (real) music. Everything they learn is by ear. Some of the styles of tunes that they learn are - Old Time, Bluegrass, Texas, Cajun, Scottish, Swedish. They also learn some dance (clogging) and singing. Here are a couple of old videos of the Strawberries. This group is now in college. Most of them are pursuing degrees in classical music but a few are still playing traditional. One has started a Bluegrass band at her college and another plays regularly at Contra Dances. I wish I had a video of our concert from a few months ago where we had almost sixty kids on stage playing Rocky Top with Steve Arkin (past Bluegrass Boy) and Jay Ungar.

[Marc Berman]

Save Real Music?

[JEStanek]

My daughter has performed with the Great Groove Band for the past two years. This is a group of kids who come together for three days of practice at the Philadelphia Folk Festival under the leadership of some teachers and they open the evening concerts on the main stage on Sunday. There are around 30 kids on the the stage and they do a few 2-3 songs and 2-3 tunes.

Both my kids played cello this year in their elementary orchestra (my daughter also plays trombone and sings in the chorus), the three elementary schools filled the stage. Their numbers diminish with each grade but they are still alive. Real music will always live mostly, because I think we all feel a desire to participate in it to some level (performing on stage, clapping along, sharing it with others). You know you've gotten old when you bemoan the pop music of the current day.

Keeping "real" music alive requires an investment of time and money. Not just school board money, which is important, but our own as well as we encourage, and get lessons, and take them to shows and buy CDs for them to hear, for the next wave of players. That's my job.

Jamie

[Bluman]

I agree! After all that's how the music we love (no matter what genre) got started.

Jamie, you have the greatest of all jobs. I couldn't help but wonder if you are following an example from your younger life or is this something you started

[fatt-dad]

. . . on a related note: To save real music requires education in our schools. Just like verbs and nouns, there's a language to music that is often not even recognized until it's too late.

Also, to (help) save real music, it helps to have folks in your neighborhood that you can jam with. Even those that are half-bad are fun to play with, 'cause they'll soon better. I've grown and watched others grow just through regular jams. These are the groups that go to your festivals too.

f-d

[Laird]

. . . on a related note: To save real music requires education in our schools.

Maybe host an instrument-burning party?

[JEStanek]

The immersion my kids get is easier for my kids than in my family of five brothers 11 years apart. We've been volunteers at our festival since before they were born. I can't define real music as we listen to ALL of it in our family and we play a wide range too.

My daughter plays fiddle tunes, Beethoven, Taylor Swift, and Maroon 5. I'm happy she has a hobby for a creative outlet.

Jamie