[Perform-Talk] A Higher Standard

Fri May 20 06:24:45 UTC 2016

Hello Julie and everyone,

	This post comes from someone who halled 50-pound DJ packs to national conventions to record various break-out meetings some of which are still allowing the NFB to reach blind people around the World. It was a pleasure doing this until the organization began to compromise my ability to produce these recordings to a standard that honored the abilities of the blind and portrayed the kind of image of blindness we clame to want to be held by the general public.

	There are a number of other issues and situations where the organization says one thing but does another. I once called this division to the carpet for posting substandard recordings of its talent shows to the Web. Then blind people wonder why they can't find jobs including positions within the performing arts fields.

	We noticed other inconsistancies between what the organization promotes concerning the capabilities of the blind but the actions don't always conform to the philosophy. Mary and I are not the only ones that have observed this phenomenon. It was for this reason that we along with a number of other long-time federationists said "Enough is enough" and decided our time was better spent on other pursuits and in organizations who wish to maintain high standards of excellence in the execution of their programs and activities.

	 This is hwy we have not been at recent national conventions and don't anticipate coming in the near future. For us putting additional income streams in place so my wife can retire in style in a few years is a higher priority especially if our talents and abilities are not being appreciated by those in the NFB. We have had our share of spats with various individuals within the organization concerning its lack of inconstancy between its philosophy and the execution of some of its programs and activities. Some of this is the result of our demanding that the organization conduct its activities to a higher standard of excellence than what we have seenin the past such as what Julie is proposing.

	For God sakes if I could hall that recording equipment on planes to help preserve federation events load up your musical instruments, by all means get them insured, and help Julie and the show organizers put on a first-class act something I suggested a few years back but was met with hostility, anger, and excuses!

	If anyone wants to say that we caused our own issues we've observed that this hostility towards does not occur in our other church and business activities. We've told federationists and others that we feel more welcome in these circles than in the NFB. We've found that the groups in question conduct their programs and activities to a standard of excellence superior to what we've experienced in the NFB.  If the kind of treatment of us by NFB Members does not occur in our other endeavors it's proof positive that the issues do not reside with us. We are the only ones qualified to make such a determination.

	Mary and I wish to urge you all to get behind Julie's idea and make this year's talent show worthy of being a broadway production. A few less nights on the town will give you the funds needed to covery the insurance and shipping for valuable instruments just as it did for the recording equipment I flew around the country for several years to capture NFB meetings that are still changing the lives of the blind today. Go get em Julie!

Peter Donahue

-----Original Message-----
From: Perform-talk [mailto:perform-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity via Perform-talk
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2016 12:36 AM
To: Performing Arts Division list
Cc: Julie McGinnity
Subject: Re: [Perform-Talk] Flashback Friday: Talent Show

Hi all,

O, the talent show...  Hmmm.  Not sure about that...  :)

Haha sorry guys.

I have enjoyed performing in the talent show and hearing my fellow federationists share their talents.  When I joined in 2010 and came to my first convention, I was amazed by the showcase of talent.  And then a few years later, I found myself helping to run it.  It is such a priviledge to serve as performing arts division president and to have served previously on the board in a position that allowed me to be involved in the planning of the talent show.

The opera singer in me loves the idea of live accompaniment.
Something I would love to do is get a list of division members attending convention who would be willing to accompany singers on piano or guitar.  I hate the expression about killing birds with stones, but...  Well, it applies here.  We would be supporting and encouraging the collaboration of our members and giving our singers accompanists.  As a singer I would much rather sing with an instrumentalist than a track.

We do strive to develop a variety in our line-up for the talent show.
In addition, we work with those who get to us first.  Seriously, it's all about timing!  We are fair, inclusive, and attempt to be as organized as possible.

On 5/20/16, Darian Smith via Perform-talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Don and all,
>   I worry that setting such a requirement or standard would 
> functionally limit the participation of others?
>   What of those who cannot or decide not to bring their  expensive 
> instruments to convention?  What of those who would have to carry those
> instruments along with the things they bring to convention.   I have a
> difficult time traveling light to convention as is and  I suspect I’m 
> not the only one out of the thousands of people that come to convention.
>   Then I suppose one might suggest the possibility of asking the 
> division to rent instruments.  This might certainly solve the problem,  
> but that would be a costly venture for the division.
>
>  Personally  I think that the talent show is a great opportunity for 
> those who are \ seasoned performers to get on stage and show off their  polished
> passion and for    those who might want to   stand up and fight their stage
> fright to get their bravery rewarded by loving applause from their 
> federation family.
>  In short I see this as an inclusive show of talent of all types, and 
> I hope that it stays that way.
>   Respectfully,
>   Darian
>> On May 19, 2016, at 8:53 PM, Don Mitchell` via Perform-talk 
>> <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have performed many times. I like the performances best that are 
>> live performances with live accompaniments, not canned back tracks. I 
>> would like to see the performance division give preference to live 
>> performances.
>>
>> Don Mitchell, Chairperson piano technology group
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Perform-talk [mailto:perform-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
>> Of Darian Smith via Perform-talk
>> Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 1:42 PM
>> To: Performing Arts Division list
>> Cc: Darian Smith
>> Subject: [Perform-Talk] Flashback Friday: Talent Show
>>
>> Good afternoon all,
>>   Have you gone to the annual showcase of talent put on by the 
>> Performing Arts Division?
>> Have you performed? watched someone perform? what was your favorite 
>> act or acts?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>  Darian
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--
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division, Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri "For we walk by faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7

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