Daniel Hersh Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 C.net folks-- If you're not already a member of the International Concertina Association, this would be a great time to join. Membership goes with the calendar year, so joining now will cover your membership dues through the end of 2021. Members receive the quarterly Concertina World magazine and its music supplement, both of which will be mailed to you in paper form. You'll also have access to the members-only portions of the ICA website and to Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne's recent all-systems video concertina workshop, as well as to the ICA library of concertina music. Most important, you'll be a part of the only international concertina organization, still going strong almost 70 years after its founding! To join, go to the ICA membership page at https://concertina.org/membership . For more information about ICA, look around the website at https://concertina.org . There are samples of music supplements and one sample issue of Concertina World at https://concertina.org/category/concertina-world . Daniel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 I agree with Daniel and I have rejoined the ICA . I attended many of the early meetings when the likes of Tommy Williams used to attend and many of the players much admired today. Each year there were competitions for players to take part in and even a place in those days was worthwhile, I would like to see these competitions re started and made this suggestion some while ago. Each player could now submit their entry and be judged by the I ICA committee or appointed judges and an Email diploma sent to the winner / winners each year. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 I recall that when they were discontinued, a principal factor was that they appealed to only a small portion of the membership. This was at a time before internet usage became so widespread, and the membership base was expanding away from its London origins. Few members outside London felt motivated to make a special trip for the purpose of a competitive festival. John Wild (Former treasurer/committee member) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 I am now a member of the ICA committee myself, so I will relay Alan's suggestion to revive the competitions in online form to the rest of the committee. And Alan: welcome back to the ICA! Daniel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistachio Dreamer Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Done - being meaning to for a while! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Thorne Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Should music be competitive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 How about showcases instead of competitions? Gary 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 58 minutes ago, Clive Thorne said: Should music be competitive? No, in my humble opinion, but human nature will make it so regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Hare Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 So, what's in it for an ordinary bloke like me? A mediocre squeezer with a couple of projects in hand which might one day be worth writing up for some sort of semi-formal publication... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I think the basic idea is that if you have a competition to aim for and you are competing against other players it raises the standard of playing not only for you, but for the concertina world in general. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mellish Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Early in my school career a competition nearly put me off playing music for life. They are OK for those who genuinely wish to compete, but should be no more than a small part of the business of the ICA. (BTW I renewed my membership on Monday, just before Daniel started this thread.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I was not one who was motivated to enter competitions. However, I would add that if you enter an event with a trained and experienced adjudicator, you are likely to get comments in the adjudication, which may be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 2 hours ago, Alan Day said: I think the basic idea is that if you have a competition to aim for and you are competing against other players it raises the standard of playing not only for you, but for the concertina world in general. Al But it's an artificial and restrictive standard. Eg. if you don't play "Orange Blossom Special" at a BG fiddle contest, and play it as close as possible to the sterilized/stylized version favored by the "judges" your chances of taking home the "prize" are considerably lessened. The music is pulled out of the realm of functionality. once again, IMHO. 58 minutes ago, Richard Mellish said: Early in my school career a competition nearly put me off playing music for life. They are OK for those who genuinely wish to compete, but should be no more than a small part of the business of the ICA. (BTW I renewed my membership on Monday, just before Daniel started this thread.) I had a similar experience. I won the first and only fiddle contest I entered at around age 19 and earned $50 bucks, endless squabbling over how to split that with the piano player, a disastrous interview for a TV show and the undying enmity of another young competitor. I fled the performance world for contra dance in the wilds of upstate NY...😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAc Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I just joined - if for no other reason than the one to strengthen the bonds between the UK and continental Europe from the grass roots up against the Brexit idiocy. Thanks for the reminder, Daniel! It'll be interesting to see if the bank system has already been affected by the leave, ie let's see how much the bank system takes out of my wire transfer. I don't care a whole lot about the competition issue; after all, nobody is required or pressured to enter a contest, no? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Taylor Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I just let my membership lapse - sorry, but I will renew if the ICA ever gets around to issuing digital journals. I looked at the stacks of old magasins and journals in my book cases and decided that they all had to go as I felt it showed evidence of hoarding. Plus I doubt that I could ever find anything in them that I might be looking for. Please publish the journal as a PDF - it will save you money and trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjcjones Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 My only encounter with the ICA was in 1983 when I entered their competition, more out of curiosity than any hopes of glory. Father Ken and the noted violinist Vera Kantrovich were the judges. I was pleased to come away with a small cup for playing by ear, although in the anglo class Ms Kantrovich complained that as I hadn't provided a full score she found it difficult to assess the accuracy of my harmonies. I wondered what she thought her ears were for, but thought better than to say anything. Most of the participants were elderly* EC and duet players who solemnly worked their way through classical pieces without appearing to be much enjoying it. I decided it wasn't for me. No doubt things have changed since then. * probably no older than I am now, but they seemed ancient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mellish Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I'll echo the request for PDFs. I've been taking the newsletter of one society in that form for several years and I've just taken that option when renewing my membership of another society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Thanks for your replies regarding the Annual competitions . I throw these ideas into the ring and if it would put off even one person from joining ,I am happy for it to be thrown back.. I hope you all have a better year this year. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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