Viva la Música

Let's start with some music that spoke to me today. "Magalenha" is a song I first heard in college when we sang it in choir. I LOVED the energy and spirit that came with it. It feels so exciting, happy, and free. "Show Me How to Live" is of a completely different genre and expresses angst and frustration at a creator for not offering clear, simple guidance to people on Earth (or at least that's my take on it).

              Happy, Energetic Song of the Day                              Thought-Provoking Song of the Day

            

There is always music in my head. It doesn't matter if it's "Hot Cross Buns" as premiered by beginning recorder students, a classic orchestral transcription like "Night on Bald Mountain", or even some random song I heard on the radio on the drive home from work.

I know that music has changed me and will continue to do so until the day I die. Music has given me purpose and allowed me to live. There have been times where choosing life was a very difficult decision... yet music helped push me through the dark tunnels and allowed me to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. Music makes me cry sometimes and makes me appreciate what I have at other times. Music draws forth memories of times in my life, good and bad, and makes me think of people who are important to me when I hear certain songs. I am currently listening to "Shenandoah" by Frank Ticheli, and I am having numerous memories... playing this in high school band with my sister on the alto sax solo while I played the flute solo... playing the flute trio in high school with my best friends... playing this in the Houston Pride Band just last year, enjoying the flute trio section under the encouragement of our late director... I even think of teaching the song to my elementary students and singing it wholeheartedly... memorizing the melody in college and playing it every time I went to a flute lesson... playing it this year with my 8th grade band students. See? Just ONE song and the memories go on and on.

When I was in college, I had to join choir (everyone in the whole school HAD to play in band and sing in choir regardless of music major focus). It is there I discovered what it was like to express music directly from one's body. No need to memorize silly fingering systems or worry about finger technique. It felt natural and beautiful. It was such a good release of emotion and led me to discover my love for singing. We performed a song called "I Have Had Singing". The song was about someone who was soon to perish from the earth. The final lyrics state: "I have had pleasure enough... I have had singing." I love that lyric so much.

I hope you have had the pleasure of music changing your life. I can't imagine existing without performing in bands and hearing beauty every week. Music is such a gift, and I am lucky to have it.

<3 KMS