Classical Music SIG of Mensa

Date: 10 May 2003 16:45:35 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Size: 4,409 bytes

A month ago I announced the revival of the Classical Music Special Interest
Group (or SIG) of American Mensa. Hearty thanks to those who responded,
several of whom also enrolled. Our SIG is well underway, and the 4th issue of
our revived newsletter _Maestro_ is in production. We have had many lively
discussions about topics such as Composition and Performance, opera in postwar
Italy, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, film music, and
composers such as Kurt Atterberg, Robert Russell Bennett, Hector Berlioz, Franz
Berwald, Frédéric Chopin, Howard Hanson, Joseph Haydn, etc. etc. etc.
Several people have asked what prompted me to revive the newsletter format,
given the proliferation of internet discussions. This editorial from our May
newsletter might amuse you.
Harmoniously,
David Stybr
=====
From the Editor's Podium: Newsletter and Internet Etiquette
Reprinted from _Maestro_, newsletter of the Classical Music Special Interest
Group of American Mensa, May 2003
David Stybr, Coordinator
email-address-deleted
The internet has changed communications since my first decade as Classical
Music SIG Coordinator ended in 1995. Given the range of internet music
bulletin boards, newsgroups, chat rooms etc., is the SIG relevant in 2003?
Yes! Methinks the revival of the SIG and our newsletter Maestro is very timely
indeed.
In the late 1990s, I participated in interesting internet discussions of many
subjects, but lately these weren't much fun anymore. At the time I wasn't sure
why, but in retrospect it seems to be simple internet etiquette. As internet
usage multiplied, so did irrelevant or belligerent messages in online
discussions.
In _Netiquette_ (Albion Books, San Rafael, California, 1994), Virginia Shea
writes: "It's ironic, really. Computer networks bring people together who'd
otherwise never meet. But the impersonality of the medium changes that meeting
to something less -- well, less personal. Humans exchanging email often behave
the way some people behind the wheel of a car do: They curse at other drivers,
make obscene gestures, and generally behave like savages. Most of them would
never act that way at work or at home. But the interposition of the machine
seems to make it acceptable."
Sometimes I was absorbed in discussions which became heated, and found myself
guilty of poor etiquette. When I must apologize twice for some real or
imagined transgression, it's time to remove myself from the discussion.
For example, I still read the internet newsgroup rec.music.classical, but
rarely post anything because replies often take some remark out of context and
attack it. However I suspected that present and former Mensans might be
lurking about, and they might not have seen the revived Classical Music SIG
announcement on the Mensa web site or in Mensa Bulletin. On 14 April I posted
a notice about the SIG, and ducked for cover. Soon I received several positive
inquiries, such as:
"As a prospective Mensa member (I've just sat the supervised test, the jury is
still considering its verdict) I would almost certainly sign up to your SIG."
"I saw your posting in rec.music.classical about the SIG. I am a new Mensa
member, and I am interested in joining the SIG."
Alas, the word Mensa also made it a target for newsgroup diatribes, such as:
"You have to pay to discuss music? Can't you just use Yahoo Groups? Or even
just post in r.m.c.? Is it only available to English, French, German and
Spanish speaking Americans, or can foreigners join? Are the other languages
translated into English in the newsletter, or are parts of it useless to most
people? How very odd!"
"Every time I get around to checking, Mensa still has an astrology SIG, and
some new woowoo SIGs have been added. Hm."
"And Star Trek is the most popular. Better to hang out at a decent coffee
house."
"You don't understand -- this is a group for Mensa. You know, the smart guys."
"They pay to watch each other?"
Small wonder I began to miss the Classical Music SIG. Our newsletter format
promotes friendly and thoughtful discussions, whereas internet forums often
shoot from the hip and let the chips fall where they may. Moreover, technology
makes it easier to become your cheerful SIG Coordinator once again in 2003.
This lets me concentrate on what is truly important: the music and you
wonderful SIG members. Let's have musical fun together.