When Music Happens

Steve posted this video on his blog last week and I just had to share it with you.  I know we've all seen flash mob videos circulating the web - particularly the ones of choirs breaking into the "Hallelujah Chorus" in the middle of an unassuming place like a mall food court.  After a point, they all seem the same.  But, when Steve played this video for me one evening last week, I was moved.  There is something so powerful about the way music just happens in this video.

Music is meant to be shared.  It's a language, a form of communication.  It's about interaction.  I love, love, love the expressions on the listeners' faces as they watch and listen - especially the children.  Look at that joy!  Everyone gathered on the street that day seemed to really be a part of the music as it was happening.  They weren't sitting silently in a dark auditorium - they're smiling and pointing and sharing the experience with the people around them.  And doesn't it just warm your heart to see how many aspiring conductors were in the crowd?!  I hope this inspires you to get out there and be a part of the music happening in your community.  Let's make music happen.

Child's Play

It was gorgeous here on Saturday.  Too gorgeous to sit inside all day.  So, I took my notes, my current summer reading material, and my new pair of sunglasses and packed up for an afternoon of studying in the park.

A few people passed by on their way to the bus stop, the coffee shop, or the parking garage and didn't take much notice of me on my bench.  A middle-aged woman and two young children crossed the street and sat on the bench to wait for the bus.  The children - two girls, the oldest was maybe seven and her sister either four or five - immediately began exploring the park.

Instantly, they were in play.

"Hi!" the oldest said to me as she rounded the curve where I was sitting.  "Hi!" I said back, smiling.  She continued on her way, with her sister following close behind, imitating her every step.  "This is the path to the princess," the older one said.  I pretended to read my notes as I watched them play.  They were skipping around the same section of the park - an oblong circle - but every time they rounded the corner, it was as if it was brand new territory to explore.

"Y'all get down from there!" a voice said from behind me.  "You're going to fall!"

The girls returned quickly to where their "Nana" was waiting but within a minute or two, they were back on their quest for the missing princess.  "For real, for real, this is the way to the princess," the older one said as they made their way around the circle again.  "Princess!" the younger one called out.  Within minutes, they went from searching for the princess to chasing the princess through the magical forest.  They changed direction and circled round the same section of the park as if it were brand new.

"Y'all stop that!  Come over and sit on this bench.  You're going to miss the bus!" the voice said again.

The girls again paused their game of play and sat for a moment but just as before, they were quickly on their feet again.  Now, the game was Hide and Seek.  The older one ran across the little park to a new section (yet to be explored) and the younger one soon followed.  As they chased each other around the flower bed in the middle of the park, they saw a bright orange butterfly.  They both froze in an instant, mesmerized.  The older one quickly gave instructions to her sister - "Wait here, I'll get it," she said as she tiptoed closer and closer.  As she reached her hand out slowly, the butterfly flew up into the air suddenly, causing both little girls to jump back and squeal.  Now, the game was "chase the butterfly."  A man blowing leaves off the park benches jumped into the game for a minute when he reached his hands up as the butterfly flew overhead.  The girls giggled.

Within the span of twenty minutes or so, these girls moved seamlessly from one idea to another without discussion (i.e. "now what should we do" or "how about we play this?") and without explanation (i.e. "so, there's this princess in a magical forest and we're going to go find her").  They were in almost constant play the entire time (except for those intervening moments where an adult told them to STOP playing and wait for the bus).  I was struck by their uninhibited creativity, their level of imagination, and the quick change of pace.

This is play.

Do we remember what it feels like?  How did we forget?  Do we encourage it when we see it or do we tell children to stop playing so they can do something boring and adult like sit on a bench waiting for the bus?

Maybe play is more important than sitting and waiting.  Maybe play is more important than watching TV all afternoon.  Maybe real play is more important than playing games on a handheld device.  Play is how we learn, how we grow, and how we develop creativity.  Play is how we learn to interact with others.  Play is how we learn to dream, discover, and explore.  Have you searched for the lost princess lately?  For real, for real, this is the way.

Image Credit: my iPhone

Choir Concert: The Reason We Sing

Yesterday afternoon, the choir had their spring program—nine of their very favorite anthems from the past year (yes, we voted).

This year, I decided to turn it into more of a program, with narration tying everything together. It worked out perfectly—a beautiful celebration of the reasons why we sing.  Enjoy!

*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

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The Reason We Sing

Choir Program, June 2012

Narration: Each week, we gather in this place – just a room with four walls and a few doors and windows. We find rest, we learn, we encourage, and we love one another. You see, it’s not the place, it’s the people that matter. It’s not the words that are spoken or the songs that are sung, it’s the hearts that are shared in the process. Within these walls, we share, we pray, we sing, and we listen.

Anthem: “Within These Walls” (Choplin)

Narration: There comes a time for each of us when we put childish things behind us and take on the responsibilities of adulthood. However, there are moments of our lives when we find ourselves so humbled that we become filled with that childlike sense of awe and wonder. Have you been there? It’s in those moments of sweet innocence that we rediscover the simplicity of faith itself. 

Jesus loves me.

The words seem so ordinary at first but the depth and richness of this promise fill our very beings with uncompromising hope and assurance.

Jesus loves me.

This simple statement may call to mind that beloved children’s song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.”

Anthem: “Yes, My Jesus Loves Me” (McDonald)

Narration: Can you imagine what it would have been like to meet Jesus during His time here on earth?  Perhaps you would run up to greet Him and savor every moment you could be with Him. Or perhaps you would feel overwhelmed by His presence and instead would observe things from a distance. Would you shout, “Hosanna!” or would you let others speak for you? The Scriptures tell us “If the people don’t shout, the rocks will cry out!” Let your voice be heard!

Anthem: “Ain’t No Rock Gonna Shout For Me” (Larson)

Narration: There’s something about water: calm and refreshing, powerful and strong. Spiritually speaking, water cleanses and renews us and makes us whole again. Are you weary? Are you burdened with the cares of the world? “I will give you rest,” God says. Come as you are without expectation or money or price. Just come.

Anthem: “Come to the Water” (arr. Hasseler)

Narration: Some things bring us together and some set us apart. We each have hearts that beat and hands that serve and voices with which to sing. We have eyes and ears to see and hear and communicate with one another. But what sets us apart—those things that make each of us unique—are just as important. We come from many places and backgrounds. We’ve shared a unique set of experiences. We are part of different generations and we each have varying strengths and weaknesses. Despite these things which might divide and separate us, we share a common bond of unity in Christ. United in Your spirit, Lord, we are one.

Anthem: “We Are One, Lord” (Pethel)

Narration: “I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining; and I believe in love, even when there’s no one there.  And I believe in God, even when He is silent; I believe through any trial, there is always a way.” 

These words, believed to have been written by a Jew during the Holocaust were found inscribed on a cellar wall in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Though almost 70 years old, the words still resonate with us. 

It’s a powerful statement of faith. 

Sometimes, all we can do is hope: hope for clarity, hope for resolution, hope for a better tomorrow. “May there someday be sunshine. May there someday be happiness. May there someday be love. May there someday be peace.”

Anthem: “Inscription of Hope” (Stroope), Women’s Choir

Narration: God often speaks to us in words of assurance. “I am love. I will be your strength. I am light in the darkness. I am with you always.” He comforts us when we are upset. He listens when we speak. He comes to us when we feel alone. He loves us unconditionally. He carries us when we are too weak to walk. He lights the path before us, giving us wisdom and clarity in our decision-making. 

Listen to the voice of God speaking to your heart: “I love you and you are mine.”

Anthem: “You Are Mine” (Haas)

Narration: Music. That thing which engages us, inspires us, connects us, empowers us, soothes us, and fills our spirits to the very brim, music lies within us and surrounds us in our everyday culture. The songs of the earth echo in our souls—we carry them in our hearts. In this way, music becomes a part of us. It’s a form of expression, a language that knows no bounds. When words fail, music speaks. We cannot keep it silent. And so we sing. We sing about faith and love and experiences. We sing about summer time. We sing about singing. How can we not?

Anthem: “How Can I Keep From Singing?” (arr. Courtney)

Narration: Life is not about the destination, it’s about the journey. It’s about the experiences, the joy, the sorrow, the lessons, and the people with whom we share all of these things. And so, we help those in need. We give as much as we are able. We accept help from those who care. We love one another as much as we love ourselves. Called to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, we know that true joy lies in the journey.

Anthem: “Climbin’ Up the Mountain, Children” (Shackley)

Narration written by Ashley Danyew, Copyright 2012

Reality Check

"i love you much (most beautiful darling) more than anyone on the earth and i like you better than everything in the sky." - e.e. cummings It was a typical Tuesday evening.  We ate a late supper, worked for a little while, exercised, and watched a TV episode to unwind.  At this point, 11:00 p.m., SD got up to get ready for bed.  I opened up WordPress to finish a post I had in progress.

“Time for bed,” he said rather sternly.  “Why are you acting like a Nazi?” I responded, defensively.  “I’m just trying to keep you from working 24/7,” he said.  The words stung a little and stopped me dead in my tracks.

I work hard.  We both do.  But there’s a difference between living to work and working to live.  I love what I do but that doesn’t mean it’s my top priority 100% of the time.  Life is made up of priorities that we set and boundaries we establish to protect the things that are most important to us.  No else can set those boundaries for us.  Tuesday’s late-night exchange made me question what I really value and how I show that with my time and my actions.

When I bring my computer down to the kitchen to continue working on emails while SD cooks dinner, I may be keeping him company and yes, I offer to help but I’m also showing that I can’t set my work aside.  I don’t have time to just be there, fully present.  When SD drives and I take out my iPhone to skim Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc., I may be able to carry on a conversation with him but I’m showing that I can’t focus on just him.

And, since I’m on a roll, I have another confession to make.  Part of me feels like I thrive on multitasking.  It’s almost like I’m competing with myself: setting the bar higher and higher, challenging myself to balance more things at once and not crack under the pressure.  Is that bad?  I whole-heartedly believe in challenging oneself, setting goals, and not settling for adequate when you can do and be so much more.  However, there is a time and a place for Wonder Woman and it’s not when we’re trying to unwind at the end of the day.  You see, I have this bad habit during commercial breaks.  I open up a new browser window and work on that blog post I started earlier or I begin editing my to-do list for tomorrow.  Terrible, I know!

Here’s the lesson I need to teach myself: Learn to just be.  Sometimes, we all need time to just sit a spell and be fully present, don’t you think?

Fast forward to Wednesday night at 5:00 p.m.  I stepped away from my computer, left my phone on the coffee table upstairs, and made a vegetable lasagna (from scratch!) with SD.  It felt like such a luxury, I thought it was the weekend!  At 7:30 p.m., I sat back down to work for a few hours but I was refocused and driven and I powered right through my to-do list.  No time for distractions – just clear, focused work.  What an incredible feeling!

Here’s to reality checks, to refocusing, to being fully present, and to treating every day like the weekend.

Things That Fire Me Up

Earlier this week, I read this post and was inspired to take the time to make my own list.  Truthfully, if you ask Steve, he’d tell you that there are lots of things that fire me up – I have fire in blood (I am from the south, after all).  However, identifying the things that truly fill me up, satisfy me, and fire me up to do more and be more required a little bit of thought.  What a powerful exercise for setting priorities and recognizing what is most important!  For me, it comes down to worship, time with SD, music (building + making), writing, and clean designs for home and work.  This is my heart, the things that matter most of all.  This is why I do what I do.

What fires you up?  Where is your authentic core?  Download your own Fired Up List right here.

So Good

"Be so good they can't ignore you." - Steve Martin This is the kind of reminder I needed this morning.

Right now, I’m sitting at home with my cup of hot chocolate/coffee with seven different tabs open in Firefox and I admit that I just spent the last 30 minutes jumping from one thing to another: posting, saving files, responding to emails, proofing, downloading, linking, etc.  Then, I read this quote (again).  Be so good they can’t ignore you.  Be that good.  Is the work I did in the last half an hour really that good?  It didn’t have my full attention.  It wasn’t that careful.  It was reactionary rather than thoughtful.

Let’s reset.

1. Choose the things that are most important for today. 2. Structure the day so that each task gets your full attention. 3. Eliminate distractions. 4. Do your best work.

Be that good.

Making Music Together

Meet one of my ideal clients: An active career woman in her late 40s, she works as an assistant in the dean’s office at a small, liberal arts college during the week and sometimes on the weekends. She is a definite people person but she enjoys escaping from it all when at home. Her husband travels frequently, leaving her several free evenings a week to read, teach herself to cook, and rearrange the living room. She considers interior design a part-time hobby and brings the several most recent issues of Elle Décor to read on her annual Hilton Head vacation. Her home is decorated with a mix of old and new items – mostly neutrals. She enjoys adding color by the season. She listens to music in the car, during dinner, and on lazy Sunday afternoons. She sings along when she thinks no one’s watching and has always wanted to learn to play the piano. She shops at Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and J. Crew (especially when they have a good sale) and values classic pieces that she can wear from season to season. She enjoys traveling with her husband when work permits it, trying new things, and spending time with friends.

Fortunately enough for me, I have a new student this semester who is very similar to the woman in this description. She is a career woman – committed to lessons, always sharply dressed and very prompt, a great desire to learn, and so very funny! I have such a great time in her lessons each week.

Since she came to me as a beginner, we’ve been working through the first few unites of Keyboard Musician for the Adult Beginner by Frances Clark. We’ve learned about the three primary landmark notes: Middle C, Treble G, and Bass F; we’ve studied intervals up to a fifth; we’ve learned rhythms with quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes; we’ve learned to identify tonal and rhythm patterns; and we’ve been working on beginning technic such as tucking the thumbs under, playing with curved fingers, keeping the wrist and arm relaxed, and transferring weight from the outside of the hand to the inside.

This week, we put the book aside.

You see, this student shared with me a few weeks ago that she loves to sing with her 5-year-old granddaughter (especially when they’re in the car). At the end of last week’s lesson, she asked if we could learn a few familiar (simple) songs that she could play and sing with her granddaughter. So sweet! I couldn’t wait for our lesson this week.

We started out with “Old McDonald” and “Farmer in the Dell” – two children’s songs that can be played solely on the black keys (great for beginning pianists). Soon, we were playing “The Itsy, Bitsy Spider,” “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” (also “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and the “ABC Song”) as well. She couldn’t believe that all three of these familiar songs share the same melody! I came up with a quick shorthand method of “notating” these songs without notation so that she could reference them later. She also hopes to teach a few of these songs to her granddaughter. That just blesses my heart!

We had the best time singing, playing, and laughing through this lesson and again I was reminded – this is why I do what I do. The more I teach, the more I realize the importance of connecting with each student, communicating with them, and responding to their individual needs and goals. It’s not about moving at a certain pace. It’s not about getting through a certain unit. It’s not about playing particular repertoire. It is about making music (music was meant to be shared). It is about inspiring creativity (so that this student and her granddaughter can continue learning to play and sing new songs together). It is about instilling a love for music (because that will last a lifetime).

Teaching Inspiration: Marvin Blickenstaff

Two years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Marvin Blickenstaff at the New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ.  I was in the second year of my masters at Eastman and was researching piano pedagogue and innovator, Frances Clark (Co-Founder of the New School) for a final project.  As part of my research, I visited the New School for several days, met with the faculty, observed lessons and classes, and experienced truly excellent teaching.  At the end of my first day, after observing a lesson with Marvin, I wrote this reflection:

Marvin Blickenstaff, and high school PEPS [Program for Excellence in Piano Study] student, Grace, were already in the midst of Chopin’s Etude in C Minor when I snuck in to observe.  Together, they identified the salient motives, determined the differences between the lines of each hand, rehearsed the rhythmic structure, and discussed Chopin’s individualistic thoughts on trills.  Similar to the other faculty members, Marvin sought answers from Grace by asking questions and engaging her in conversation about the music.  Comments such as, “Talk to me about the fingering in this scale” when working on the first page of the Pathetique Sonata and, “What are four ways you are going to practice this?” assessed Grace’s understanding and encouraged dialogue.

At the end of the second day, I observed one of PEPS group class with Marvin:

PEPS students meet in small rotation groups every few weeks and in a larger group class of eight students once per month, each an hour in length.  Currently, there are 24 students in the program.  Marvin began each class with scales, often asking two students to play in ensemble: one ascending and the other descending.  The students had end-of-the-year fluency goals posted in the room: 100-160, depending on age and ability.  Repertoire included Debussy, Clementi, a Mozart minuet (where Marvin led the students in an impromptu minuet around the room while singing words that fit the melody), a Bach invention, a concerto by Vandall, and lastly, Sibelius’ Romance, to which Marvin stated, “Begin warm, soft, calm, and with a feeling of moonlight. . . Music that is calm is even.”  Musical discussions included historical influences, theoretical considerations such as the importance of the cadential 6/4 progression, and phrasing decisions supported by careful pedaling.  Students were challenged in thought, touch, and sound.

These few days had a profound impact on my teaching.  I love reliving the experience through my notes and recollections of those lessons and classes.  I was thrilled to discover www.pianopedagogy.org last week – the NSMS’s newest venture!  Complete with teaching videos, tutorials, and a blog written by New School faculty, this website is a great source of knowledge and teaching inspiration.  Enjoy this glimpse of a lesson with Marvin as he coaches an early advanced student on Edvard Grieg’s “Notturno” at the New School:

Previously: Notes from the New School – Day 1 Notes from the New School – Day 2 Notes from the New School – Day 3

Sail Away from the Safe Harbor

We’ve all heard these words before: Just put yourself out there!” “You’ll never know unless you try.” “Get out there and make things happen!”

Often times, it’s just the kind of push we need to let go of our safety net and well, float or sink.  After all, “A ship in port is safe but that’s not what ships are built for,” Grace Murray Hopper reminds us.  And yet, we waiver.  We hesitate.  We doubt.  Why is it so hard to let go?

The unknown is hard to accept.  Undefined, uncharted change is challenging and just plain uncomfortable for those of us who feel perfectly content in the little box we’ve constructed for ourselves.  But I keep reminding myself that there is so much more out there.  The future holds an indefinite number of possibilities and opportunities if I am open to receiving them.  So often, my fears include failure, not being capable (i.e. not being good enough), and getting stuck.

How do I work past that?  Well, everyone fails.  Perfection is not the goal.   Excellence is the journey, not the destination.  Failure is something I need to accept as part of the learning process – the important part is learning from it and moving on.  Being capable doesn’t mean I will always have all the answers.  It means I will always do my best and again, I am willing to learn from my experiences.  Confession: I learn new things from my students all the time.  I learn how to be a better teacher, what works and what doesn’t, how people learn, how to better communicate my thoughts and ideas, and how to facilitate learning.  This constant growth fights my fear of getting stuck and becoming complacent.  It’s impossible to remain the same if you’re open to learning and growing with the changes in your life.

You were not made to be stationary.  You were made to go places, to do things, to make a difference, to set an example, to learn, to grow, to love, to give, to collaborate, to create, to invent, to explore, to dream, and to discover.  What are you afraid of?  Failure?  Losing?  Making the wrong decision?  Starting over?  Write them down.  All of them.  Fear cripples us if we allow it but to name your fears is to destroy them.  So NAME them.  Take each fear – no matter how great or small – and take action.  What do you need to accept?  What needs to change?  What can you learn?  Is this really something worth holding onto?  How would you feel without this fear in your life?  Fear stretches us, challenges us, and makes us stronger in the end if we choose to take action and eliminate it from our lives, piece by piece.

One of my favorite quotes wisely states, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover.” – Mark Twain

You have far more potential within you than lies within the safety net you’ve constructed for yourself.  Free yourself from the confines of the safe harbor and set sail.  Explore, dream, and discover all that is waiting for you.