RHYTHMIC FOOT TAPPING AND IT'S NECESSITY.

This article was found in the new zealand herald. It can be found at this link. http://www.nztimesdaily.co.nz/


RHYTHMIC FOOT TAPPING, IS IT NECESSARY?

No one seems to know where foot tapping came from. Ask someone why they do it and they'll probably say they don't know. The Government of New Zealand says they're ready to find out.

The conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Pietari Inkinen, has volunteered to head up the mission. "I'm thrilled about this. We're going to find out why tapping happens," said Inkinen, excited as a school boy. This is one of the many mysteries of the music world Inkinen is said to be fascinated by. Throughout the Symphony, sources say that as many as fifty percent of the musicians use involuntary foot tapping and almost sixty five percent of the audience who watch them play also use the method of tapping. Inkinen commented on the audience foot tapping and said, "One thing we know for sure.  Musicians use foot tapping to follow rhythim.  It's typically a sign of weakness, but it does help in some cases.  For the audience, they have no reason or right to tap. Frankly, I find it distracting and I have proposed many times that these members of the audience be removed and ejected from the concert," some feeling this statement a bit harsh.

There are many critics of this new research.  Some have been for it and some against it.  Some feel it's a waste of government money, but Inkinen feels it's equally important as the war in Iraq.  This statement heated some individuals, including those of Inkinen's own symphony. Dominic Newschenker, former symphony violinist said, "Pietari is a very brilliant man with many talents, but I don't know what made him decide to embark on this research.  To call involuntary foot tapping important like a war is just preposterous.  And to remove any person from the audience for doing so is just plain repulsive, because of a small leg movement. A leg movement that most have no control over."

The feelings are mixed, but those who are against it, are angry.  Newschenker says that he's ready to take a stand against the wasted 4.5 million dollars (NZD) of government funds committed to endorse this project.  Pietari on the other hand didn't quite see eye to eye with Newschenker, saying, "He's a musician, he's not God.  Just because he might not be distracted by this disrespectful act, does not mean everyone else isn't.  And it's time to stop!"