Active Embodiment in Sound

The other day I found this quote, hidden among old papers:

"A real musical culture should not be a museum culture based on music of past ages...It should be the active embodiment in sound of the life of a community--of the everyday demands of people's work and play and of their spiritual needs." [Wilfred Mellers]

It makes sense that it struck me, and that I saved it, 

because many many years ago, I made a resolve:

My piano teaching would strive to nurture musicians, 

not robots decoding notation according to tired rules of musical proper-ness.  Any child in my studio would be held to the high standard of thinking for himself, musically and otherwise, 

and have herself a musical experience. 

Little did I know that this journey would take me 

into piano time with 3 year olds,

who sometimes sit under the piano more than they sit at it.

Believing in my gut that the chaos of a child directing his own learning really does lead to the most deeply meaningful moments, there have nevertheless been days when I've left my studio wondering if anything productive was occurring, or if I should just close up shop.  Because the very simple truth about allowing children to think for themselves is that you have to let go of control.  You have to let things get messy. And messy looks bad.

But then, over this past month, I was given a gift.

As my studio of little ones [newer to me] 

and older ones [long with me] 

prepared for our year-end recital, 

I heard many statements such as these:

"I wrote a song to play in the recital."

"I think I want to change this part..."

"I've got this..." 

[as in, "go sit over there, I don't need you"]

Etc.

There have been compositions,

complex and interesting.

There have been arrangements of pieces, with justifications of 

--"I added a better ending"

or

--"I didn't really like it this way, so I changed it..."

There has been figuring out songs from popular movies 

[Anybody heard of Frozen?] and arranging them in Medleys 

[or, as one of those creative ones insisted upon, 

a Milly-dally-delly-didaly-doo...]

And as each one rolled his or her way to the piano yesterday, 

I saw with my own eyes:

When you allow children to decide what quality means in their own way for this particular season of their understanding, while also providing them with a model of what that looks like for you and tools for how to do it for themselves, you come up with musicians, sure, and true, and proud.

It's active embodiment alright, of persons fully alive.

And this piano teacher is the proudest, 

of all of their beautiful moments; 

and the most grateful, that with me they are shared.

The Word Is:

now, not yet

It's a new day kids...

Many years ago, I received a pair of shoes that changed my life.

Taking me all over the world,

as far as the Great Wall of China, 

and as close as our nation's capital,

these faithful flips have been my friends 

through thick and thin.

So imagine my dismay when

--having donned my darling babies upon leaving this canoe--
I discovered they were no longer whole.

There is not even a picture.
I was this disoriented.

Thanks to an inventive friend,

they were put back together enough to get me home.

And I was left to grieve.

But then, I put on my big girl pants, and prepared to move forward.  As is fitting for this summer of ending what is over and beginning what is now, a new pair arrived in the mail yesterday.

And this morning,

 we cuddled together in my cozy chair,

and then set off for our first walk across campus.

It's a new day kids,

but we're ready for it.

The Word Is:

friendship

Cleaning Up A Life

For these ladies and me,

it has been a long month of moving and cleaning.

It's astonishing the amount of things that collect,

when you're just living your life.  But moving time is a good time to decide what you need and to get rid of anything that you don't.

Hence:

we decided, and we ridded, with great gusto.

In our newly emptied spaces,

we gathered together 

thing after thing after thing, 

organized them up

[with the help of very very very good friends],

and put them on display:

When we got a little overwhelmed,

we took little breaks.

And then,

 this house in which we've held 

so many parties and gathered so many friends,

 once again filled up,

 as our community gathered to themselves 

some things they could use,

and made some more memories while they were at it.

And, finally, 

once the remains were claimed and carted,

a bastion of people showed up 

to help us clean away the dust and dirt.

While we had a few teary moments, 

remembering all the good that God has done in this place,

and realizing that the final packing 

would very soon lead to a final good-bye,

we also had fun,

just being purposeful together.

Katy and I had a dance party in the bathroom,

while Ginger got her challenge in for the day.

And when we needed a break,

 we hosted our final meal,

and appreciated once again the expanse of this place.

And then we went after it,

 these precious people 

going above, 

and beyond,

  in every possible nook,

 and all of the crannies,

for us.

And it was not lost on us that cleaning up a life is a community event, and that we are humbled, grateful, and blessed beyond words.  To all who made this experience far easier than it should have been, we love you.  And thank you.  

1460 #19 might be no longer ours,

but every moment here is etched in our hearts, as are you.

The Word Is:

 territory

claimed

The Word Is:

restore

[The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength, He restores my soul.  My cup overflows.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord, forever. ~Psalm 23]