How To Breathe.

Today I'm listening in layers.  I have Yo-Yo Ma playing baroque cello in the studio while on my laptop via grooveshark.com I'm listening to Sara Groves' "All Right Here."  I'm all a-jitter.  I'm too easily made anxious.  Something's coming up that I'm looking forward to but I will either have to cut my time short w/ it or find a sub for a much-loved responsibility.  I'm favoring cutting the new thing short.  I'm also hoping on Monday to find out if there's an alternate date.  Meanwhile I feel anxious.  Part of me wants to say "so silly."  But I'm not silly!  This is my life!  God made me with an anxious nervous-system.  Who am I to say God's work is "silly?"  (Smiling.)  So I let my mind weave itself around two tracks: one calming and orderly, the other expressive of my restlessness.  It's good.  It helps me breathe.  Lord, can You use my restlessness?  Can You use my familiarity w/ anxiety?  Surely Lord, You create only that which can glorify You!  Use me, Lord.  You are my whole raison d'etre.  I love You Abba-Papa-Lord-Jesus-Christ-Holy-Spirit-Lover-of-my-soul-Eternal-One-Only-One-Beloved-Life-Life-LIFE-!!!!  Praise be Your Holy Name! :)

Blogalogue For Musicians

Listening to music is like re-energizing my battery!  I'm listening to music (recorded or live) nearly all the time!  At the moment I'm listening to Dean Martin's CD Amore.  I usually put on a CD in the morning that suits my husband's "mood" request!  Today he asked for "something upbeat!"  Later in the day I tend to put on whatever helps me think!  Other times I will seek out multiple renditions of a particular piece of piano repertoire  I've assigned a student, hoping to find examples I can share w/ them as good examples to emulate.  I almost never offer a student just one example:  I want them to be able to compare and contrast options, so that even if they are inordinately influenced by one in particular, they will have made some sort of choice, even if only that of preference.

When I was in college, my piano professor had all of his students keep a listening journal.  He actually read these journals and commented on them from time to time.  I've been encouraging a few of my students to do the same.  This blog is an experiment to see if I can foster more interest in writing about music if I invite my students to join me in a blogalogue (blog-dialogue)! :)