Joyce Brite asks:

> How do we create a demand for mechanical music instruments?

Good question, and one which is very much on my mind as I come to the
realization that after 30+ years in this avocation, the time has come to
shrink back my collection to something more manageable.  As I live so far
from anywhere, if I am to find good homes for my instruments, I will have
to revive local interest.

Some years ago, I provoked local interest through public concerts in the
350 seat Murial Richardson Auditorium in the Winnipeg Art Gallery.  I
called them "Legendary Masters of the Piano -- Live Performance".  Most
were simple performances with a brief narrative before each selection.

Two of the concerts were audio-visual, coupled with black & white slides
of artists in their daily lives as reported in Musical America, a news
magazine of the teens and 20's.  These were quite a bit more difficult
to arrange because of the difficulty in finding copies of this magazine
containing enough photos to put together an interesting program.

The two audio-visual concerts played to a nearly full house, the others
were quite encouraging.  Upon completion, those in attendance were
invited to come up on stage for a closer look at my reproducing grand
and play many more rolls.

All proceeds went to the Art Gallery, so they graciously made the
auditorium available at no cost.  My piano was moved at no cost by
my local Yamaha dealer who was simultaneously granted the privilege of
including a Disklavier on operational display out front in the foyer
during initial entry, intermission and departure.  A "Win, Win" situation
for everybody.

I haven't put on such a concert for quite a few years, but I believe if
I were to revive them as a series, perhaps two per season, a renewal of
public knowledge about and interest in these instruments would likely
result.

I have a feeling that the PPG folks in the UK enjoy a similar situation
with their Pianola Concerts, one of which I just missed.

Has anybody else outside of the UK put on something similar and if so,
what were the results?

Terry Smythe                   smythe@mts.net
55 Rowand Avenue               smythe@freenet.mb.ca
Winnipeg, MB, Canada  R3J 2N6  (204) 832-3982 (voice/fax)
http://www.winnipeg.freenet.mb.ca/~smythe