I have a friend who works as an elementary school teacher, and ironically, his last name is Chapman. No relation to Emmett. To add to the irony, long before I met him, he hired Steve Osburn to play the Chapman Stick at his wedding, who many of us on this board know from seminars & Stick related events held at Oz's Music store.

Earlier this week I was invited to demonstrate the Stick at a Science Fair at his school for the subject of "The Science of Sound". I agreed, and over the last week his students laughed at him. "You're making this up Mr Chapman!! There's no such musical instrument as a Chapman Stick"

To Mr. Chapman's credit, he did make a nice "Drumbone" (think Blueman Group here) in the background of this pic my wife took:


So last night my wife and I headed out with my 12-String Grand and my NS and I played and talked about who Emmett Chapman was, when and where the Stick was invented, how it's played, as well as playing off and on for two hours. I kept one Stick on the table and played the other so the kids could tap or strum on one.


Having hung out with Bob Culbertson at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs the last couple years really helped me. For demonstrations, you don't often play entire songs. I don't have enough songs that I know to fill up two hours, so snippets of actual songs and just free improvisation on chords scales are easy to do. I chose my Fishman amp as it's not as loud as my Markbass and fit in really well with all of the other exhibits. When the fair opened, one of Mr. Chapman's students, a little girl, came running up to me on the stage with a big smile on her face - "Is that a Chapman Stick?! Mr. Chapman wasn't making that up after all!" Then I discovered I was one of the exhibits each student had to check off on their paper, which I believe was turned back in to their teachers signed that they seen each exhibit - the "Chapman Stick" I would sign off with a smiley face for them. My wife helped me do this so I could keep playing and talking. Some of the older kids were guitar players, and I was able to go into great detail about the two Sticks I had, especially the NS with the BEADGBEA tuning I use. Many of the parents were amazed, some were former musicians that had never seen a Stick. And, there was the constant amusement of Mr Chapman's students actually seeing a musical instrument with the same name as their teacher, realizing he was not kidding. They now have it in writing and actually see someone playing a "Chapman Stick"

After about an hour I switched to my NS. I know from experience to save that one for last, as playing Linus and Lucy will be requested over and over. No exception here, many teachers and parents took i-phone pics and videos of me playing that classic "Charlie Brown" theme. When I was finished, I let one of my friend's former students who was also helping with the Drumbone try out my NS. He plays bass and guitar and was able to play the NS pretty well:

Pretty positive experience, everyone enjoyed seeing and actually hearing a Chapman Stick played for the first time. Here's me on the left with my NS and my friend Mr. Chapman holding my 12-String Grand:


Yes Stick players, I'm not making this up, i really do have another friend named Mr. Chapman

On the way home my wife made an interesting remark: "Those kids will remember this day for the rest of their lives, since the've ever seen that instrument and it's also the same name as their teacher"

I don't think I could ever get as much appreciation better than that.

Just awesome. What a great story. You must have had a blast! And what a great thing you did for the Stick and the NS, too.

You did a really nice thing not only for the kids but for their parents too. Good stuff!

those kids will never forget it.

What a great experience for the kids and everyone who attended. I'm pretty sure your wife is right and it'll stay with them.
Thanks for letting us all in on it. Bravo!

Cheers,
Eric.

Congratulations and Kudos big time!
This is what it is all about- truly reaching and informing the public about Emmett's wonderful instrument.

If my high school health class doesn't fail me, each kid had two parents (at least to start with ) so you really had the power of 3 going with you for every entry there!

Your advice here can apply to all of us- play something THEY KNOW! This way they get it, can kindof size it up, knowing you need a bass, a guitar a lead voice to carry it off, and then say "how is he doing all that". snippets are perfect. gotta love Bob C.

Opening for the "Stickmen" doesn't get done what you got done- that audience already KNOWS the Stick, and is into the Stick, came to see Tony L,... however playing to impressionable school children ( this is the ONLY tapping instrument, this is the ONLY tapping instrument.... )
and their parents, and other teachers who may want you to come back and demo it for a music class, now we are talking!

Thank for having the vision to do this and a great post write up for all of us,
Strong work!
Dave Brosky

I can point to several experiences like that - mostly in my youth which are forever tattooed on my brain and which drastically changed my life. You did a good thing. With the dearth of music in schools these days we all should do things like that.

Cheers to the next generation of Stickists. Good job!

It's a rich experience to talk about music with students. I did it in the past and after starting with my guitar I quickly switch to music in general and even made them participate with a small percussion jam with everything I met in the classroom. It was a blast...lol. They were reacting to all my small demands...lol...was so funny. Good for you...you'll never forget.

Yep, like they say! Great work and very satisying to see the interest of the kids, I bet they loved it.