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From: Debbie Hamper Temple
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 09:22:47 -0500
Subject: Amateur Classical Harmonica

Hi Group,

So many good posts going on right now, I don't know where to begin.

I want to address Alec Drachman's comment:
>The challenge is still on. Can anyone name a well-known classical
>professional that started music lessons after high school?

In harmonica and except for Douglas, not off the top of my head. However, I
aspire to be more than just an amateur. And I firmly believe that I will!

When I think about it, harp is the ~very~ first instrument I wanted to
play. I received a diatonic in the Key of D when I was 2 years old.
Throughout my childhood I never understood why I couldn't sound like the
Harmonicats or Borrah Minnevitch with my harp. No one explained it to me.

Meanwhile I took interest in the guitar, tried to teach myself from books
and had all of one month of lessons at the age of 15. When I decided to
major in music in college, my family thought I was completely nuts. Oh I
was exposed to a very musical environment while growing up, but just
happened to be lacking formal musical training. They have since eaten crow!

But I seemed to be a sponge for music theory and I worked hard on trying
to play classical guitar, with formal instruction. When I graduated, I
passed juries (this is where you get graded, rated and ranked per your
ability) that put me hovering between being a very high intermediate or low
advanced. Bottom line --- not an amateur. I continually made the Dean's
list! My classical guitar teacher tried very hard to get me to start
playing out professionally. I declined---it was my intent to teach and not
to perform.

In all this, I never dropped harp completely, but I would eventually drop
guitar because of severe back problems and somewhat ineffective surgery. It
was then that I picked up harp seriously and was determined to master it.
It was on Harp-L where a fellow classical guitarist told me of props that
could be used to still play guitar despite my physical problems. I
seriously considered going back. But I realized something here; harmonica
was my first love and was yet unfulfilled. I decided to stay on my current
path.

You can ask Douglas about how uncertain my serious attempt at playing was
in the beginning. He heard me. He also heard me at BHF last year to know
that there was growth. But having a prior musical experience at the
University level and dedication to a fault, I have come a very long way in
a very short time. This was not through 'casual' practice; but, lengthy and
constant dedication. I firmly believe that I will succeed...and belief in
yourself is half the battle. (The dedication and drive to stick to it and
practice, practice, practice, is IMHO, the other half).

If you heard me now and compared that to how I sounded just a few short
years back, you wouldn't think it was the same person. I am really not
bragging here as I do not equate my playing to Douglas' or Robert's. As a
matter of fact, I suspect Robert would think of me as nothing more than one
of these amateurs he speaks of. But I intend to be much more than that!
Even when I do reach my goal, I don't know whether I will take that solely
into playing out as I am still a teacher and I love to teach! But, we'll
see, I am keeping an open mind for when that time comes.

Amateurs unite and don't lose your dreams of perfection! And ~don't~ let
anyone dampen your enthusiasm to succeed by limitations in their own belief
system. If you get personal satisfaction out of it, then what you are doing
IS worthwhile.

Best Wishes,
Debbie (theharper) Temple