On 2002-02-28 14:42, tyghress wrote:
Our Sunday session leader makes a point of asking people to play, and I've always declined. This past Sunday though he put a mike in front of me, I shut my eyes, played Blind Mary, and my hands SHOOK like leaves. And my heart raced. And I knew I was going to die.
And I didn't!
I know what you mean by the shaking hands. There should be a word for that other than I was nervous, or I was scared S@#$less.
A word only a whistler would know.
It is really difficult to play the whistle when the fingers are shaking!!!!!
I had been practicing soprano whistle for 6 months, 1-2 hours every day, in the kitchen, in the car, even in the bath, just anywhere. My family hated it, they shouted at me to stop. However they loved the sound of the low whistle. Now I practice flute quite a lot. Nobody asks me to play, but at least they don't shout at me anymore.
I don't get asked to play much, except by my friends who love music. Have been asked at church once or twice. Most people aren't as into music in general as we who must have it, produce it, listen to it 24/7 etc. I, like some of y'all, feel I'm not at a level where I can play at the local Irish pub, who already has whistlers whose fingers are lightning fast and have the trad sound.
But my 5-year-old son asks me to sing and play sometimes, and that's as cool as it gets!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: cj on 2002-03-01 09:57 ]</font>
I do get asked occasionally, like sitting in the willie Clancy piping concert listening to the first on and than having Sean Potts on to me 'Peter, someone didn't turn up can you so the next spot'. the five minute warning is usually what I get(maybe for the best, I am a bit of a private person and get very nervous ahead of that sort of thing).
Just got a call from Brid O Donohue who teaches most local kids the whistle. Whatever she does (probably just being a nice person playing lovely music), nearly all of them turn into lovely whistleplayers. She recently started a session for the kids to give them a context and a bit of fun. Every second week they have a mystery guest who plays a bit and talks about the music. So when the phone rang an hour ago I new what she was going to ask.
On 2002-03-01 11:09, Peter Laban wrote:
I do get asked occasionally, like sitting in the willie Clancy piping concert listening to the first on and than having Sean Potts on to me 'Peter, someone didn't turn up can you so the next spot'. the five minute warning is usually what I get(maybe for the best, I am a bit of a private person and get very nervous ahead of that sort of thing).
Just got a call from Brid O Donohue who teaches most local kids the whistle. Whatever she does (probably just being a nice person playing lovely music), nearly all of them turn into lovely whistleplayers. She recently started a session for the kids to give them a context and a bit of fun. Every second week they have a mystery guest who plays a bit and talks about the music. So when the phone rang an hour ago I new what she was going to ask.
Good for you Peter
You will be perfect for them.
Do you get nervous also when performing for children?
I find children easier and more forgiving at times. Unless it is a major mistake. They will let you know. But there is always a way that one can turn it around. Even adults make mistakes.
Laura, how well I know what you mean. The first few times I played in public and everytime I do a song for the first time my fingers get out of control. my music friend and somwhat mentor says it's a good sign that shows that you really care about your audience and want to do well by them. Nice sentiment, but doesn't always help much.
I suggest the acronyms "WDTs" for "Whistle Digit Twinges", or "FQs" for "Finger Quakes".
I have been self-tutoring on the whistles, with occasional pointers from a local phenom, for about two and a half years. I feel very fortunate in that a local Irish pub has a regular Sunday evening music gathering( not a session in the true sense of the word)where Frank the resident singer/guitarist and the musical friend mentioned above, holds forth for about 3-4 hours. He is a great accompanist(sp?) and a genuine supporter of anyone who sincerely tries and wants to share their music, instrumental or vocal, with the crowd.
It is a warm, friendly atmosphere with folks from 2 months to 80 years old in the audience. They are as appreciative of effort as they are of excellence. I also suspect that there is a smattering of the "better him than me" attitude.
I am proud to say, albeit with a tinge of fear and trepidation, that for the past 6 months or so Frank has seen fit to ask me up every Sunday for a 5 or 6 tune set interspered with white-knuckle quaking(another acronym-WKQs) attempts to play along with tunes he springs on me I don't know.
Enough of my rambling. Keep playing and enjoying music and they will ask you to play.
One last note(no pun). To Brewer Paul in Troy; you may have heard of the pub I frequent, Eamonn's on Rt.378 in Loudenville. If you are of a mind and would just like to play in a friendly place, stop over on Sundays between 5 and 9ish. This goes for anyone other C&Fer in the area. Just let Frank know you would like to play, and you're on.
Looking back at my post here,I fear I have suffered a "Blarney Attack".
I get asked to play tunes on my fife more than on the pennywhistle, but more people know I play the fife -- even if they don't know what to call it. When I show up at my sportsmen's club I frequently am asked to play, and am now commonly introduced as "the fellow who plays the music." At reenactments, the guys encourage me to play as much as I want to.
I sometimes get compliments of the sort mentioned in an earlier post when people see me playing and exclaim "I thought someone was running a CD player!"
Maybe I'm just fortunate in the people I am able to associate with. Perhaps they just don't have anything in their experience to compare my playing with.
But on the plus side, I've had the occasional encouraging comment while playing on the fire escape at work.
You mean, like, "Jump?"
Tony
I should add (never want to be accused of being off topic...)I joined a small band and we've been playing at an "Irish pub" every other Sunday (for free, though I've had a few free Guiness' out of the bargain). I've taken the opportunity to play from my bag of slow airs, that otherwise, never get public airing. They've received a good reception from the patrons and this has encouraged me to practice them more at home so I'll be ready next time. I've had feedback that there was a lot of feeling in them. (Indigestion? Head pain? didn't specify.)
I should further add that my immediate family has never asked me to play. (It would be redundant as I never stop playing at home.)
People have asked me to play, but only to try to understand WhOA. Trying to explain the differences between various whistles, wood vs PVC vs metal just doesn't cut it.
If my daughter could talk, I'm sure she'd ask me to play every day when I come home from work. Fortunately, most days I do, and she gives me her priceless toothless grin.
I often ask paulsdad to play. I enjoy hearing him. He's really quite good. The other day our 8 year old got out a whistle he bought at a craft show and started playing it. He hopes to play with his dad at the next Feis. Many good things come unbidden. I was talking on the phone to a friend and she asked if I was listening to Irish music on PBS.
