Hello, MMD readers -- My complaint about "The Pumper Contest"
[040301 MMDigest] had more to do with semantics than anything else.
It's a put-down term which trivializes the talent needed to interpret
"challenging" rolls, which were often _not_ performed at the AMICA
conventions.

I attended the first and second contests, but have received detailed
reports from my musically-inclined friends, who attended many of the
others which followed.  Encouraging props and costumes was the thrust
when these "pumper" affairs began in Boston back in 1989.  To use this
term, for what is a music roll interpretation event, would be like
calling a doctor's gathering a "sawbones" affair, or a club of
accordion players a "squeeze box" group.

I'm certain that a few of these "pumper" events had a tuned and well
regulated piano -- not the case in the earlier days.  When I
complained, the late Alan Pier said, "It's more 'fun' that way."
This reinforces the "jalopy" player aspect, viz. "fun" and "pumpers"
instead of an artistic pianola performance.

However, my thoughts on the future of mechanical music rest on getting
out of the insular club activities, and presenting instruments to the
public at large.  The music does talking in this case, and the
musically astute will make their presence known as the rolls are being
rewound.

Being creative in presenting players is the key to success here.
Some readers might wish to examine my Maine 'road sign' at Searsport
Shores:  http://www.wiscasset.net/artcraft/pianolas.htm

The sign was my own expense, but the recreation hall for this seaside
RV park was open to the public and the concerts were supported by the
distribution of flyers up and down the Maine Coast.  I played
everything from my two-piano classical arrangements to sparkling
ragtime and even a few late FilmMusic rolls for the Fotoplayer, all
with great success.  Effervescent and sparkling music seems to attract
the public more than the facets of "popular" or "classical".  I usually
played part of a modern QRS roll for 'Brand X' before returning to the
programs, of which there were three per season, being rotated during summer
and early fall.  More concerts were given than were advertised due to
the success of these evening presentations.

Regards,
Douglas Henderson - Artcraft Music Rolls
Wiscasset, Maine
http://wiscasset.nnei.net/artcraft/