Further to promoting an interest in mechanical music, I have collected
and restored music boxes for a number of years but almost no one, apart
from friends and family, ever see or hear these boxes.  So how do we
remedy this?

Many organisations are looking for speakers for a talk usually lasting
between 3/4-hour to one hour long, and I have had about 20 bookings or
so over the last two years.  I am perhaps fortunate that there is a
local free paper which has a section for speakers and it does not
charge, relying instead on advertising for its revenue, and it is
surprising how word spreads, and one talk frequently leads to others.

I use a PowerPoint potted history interspersed with the playing of
various types of instruments, usually starting with a smaller cylinder
box followed by disc box, organettes, manivels, automaton, and
concluding with an Edison phonograph.

I am not quite sure why but the organettes usually get the best
response, perhaps because of being more involved by turning the
handles.  The type of box used also needs to be quite impressive but
obviously not too bulky or heavy!

It is not always easy transporting the boxes to and fro and some damage
is always likely.  Sometimes locating the venue on a dark winters night,
with parking areas some distance from the hall, a glitch on one of the
instruments, can all make for a challenging evening.

Audiences usually seem to love the presentation and, surprisingly, given
the usually mature ages, have never seen the like before.

I really enjoy having the opportunity to spread the word, and now have
this talk 'off pat' but I always try and get as much information on the
type of audience before agreeing.  Obviously the distance, the venue,
parking, time for setting up etc., are all factors to consider before
agreeing to participate.

Peter Trodd, UK