Posted by Kelly O'Bryant on September 07, 1999 at 09:13:11:
Hello Folks -
I'm posting this to put a bug in everyone's ear for one of the
competitions for ITEC 2000, May 30 - June 3, 2000, in Regina,
Saskatchewan, in Canada.
Most folks familiar with ITECs know about the "standard" competitions:
solo tuba/euph, mock auditions, tuba-euph quartet, and so on. Well, back
at ITEC 1997 in Italy, a new competition was begun: the Street Musicians
Competition.
What is it? This is a competition that focuses on not only excellent
playing, but how well the artist(s) can relate to and engage the general
public "on the street" in terms of entertainment value, etc. The
competition takes place in a public venue, like "on the street"!
What are the rules? Not many....
- Each performer or performing group must have a tuba or euphonium in
it.
- Be able to present a "show" that will be entertaining to the general
public passing by, as well as executing great playing. The most engaging
performer or group will be the winner.
- Uum, that's it.
This can be anything: solo tuba on a unicycle while playing Flight of
the Bumblebee to a strolling tuba funk quartet to a dixieland euphonium
sextet to a ...... You get the picture. There is no set repertoire, no
"dress codes", no limits on what you can play, etc., etc.....
Unlike other competitions, the Street Musicians Competition will take
place on a daily basis throughout the entire week of ITEC. Each day, for
an hour or so, a select number of performers will take to the street and
do their thing, with the winner being chosen at the end of the week.
Need audio reinforcement? (fancy term for speakers, etc...) John
Griffiths, the consummate host for ITEC 2000, tells me that any of that
kind of stuff will be available to rent from local shops, etc., at the
performer's' expense.
Whose judging all of this? Yours truly ;-) Since I have a reputation of
having an alter-ego of a "rock-n-roll bad boy", and because of my
experience leading the tuba rock/funk band "5th Bass", I will be the
Chair of the competition. The rest of the panel will be made up of
excellent tuba-euph folks who have similar experience.
So, I would like to strongly encourage all of you with a "wild side" to
think about and prepare an entry for the competition. We are planning on
really expanding the boundaries of this competition for ITEC 2000, and
hopes are high that it will be a big success.
And besides, it gives you an excuse to come to ITEC 2000, which promises
to be a fantastic conference!
If you have any questions concerning the Street Musicians Competition,
please send them to me at: kotuba(AT)erols.com
See you at ITEC 2000!
Take care,
Kelly O.
--
Kelly O'Bryant
http://www.erols.com/kotuba
kotuba(AT)erols.com kotuba(AT)hotmail.com
Annapolis, Maryland - Laissez les bons temps rouler!