Singing To Bring Back Memories

Recently I heard a folk singer being interviewed on the radio.
She said,

"I sing the songs so that they may have the memories."

Songs do inspire memories.

~*~*~

When I hear the Christmas carol "O, Come All Ye Faithful," in my mind and even though I have heard the tune every single Christmas season, I am transported back to my earliest elementary school in southern Illinois where I attended kindergarten through second grade.  You see, this was the carol that all children sang while they entered the annual Christmas program. When I have the memories I am back in a gym full of resounding children's voices singing with great enthusiasm.

~*~*~

While in college I watched as as friend raced out of a concert crying. I followed her to the restroom and, in comforting her, I learned that the song being performed was "their" song - hers and her ex-boyfriend's.  Hearing it again...alone...caused her to have the memories which had become painful. Hence the tears.

~*~*~

Fast forward a few years to when I would take students to sing at the local nursing home. Our selection of songs was chosen purposefully so as to touch on the memories of those who would be listening. As a result, my 12-year-old sixth grade girls chorus was learning songs that had been popular nearly 60-70 years prior just so the audience members would have the memories. I recall great satisfaction as I watched the audience sing along with my young singers; their participation encouraged my singers and created a memory for them.

~*~*~

A favorite experience is when I took a choral group to the nursing home to go Christmas caroling. We sang in the main recreation room then walked down the hallways singing to those still in their rooms.

Upon encountering a blocked hallway the nurse accompanying us pushed a buzzer and the doors clicked and swung open. We were entering the ward for Alzheimer patients.  I had tried to prepare my young singers for this part of the visit - that even though they might be singing those in the audience may not appear to be listening and, that despite this, they should sing out with great enthusiasm for these patients would enjoy the music in their own way.

My students stood, lined up in a straight line, singing with great joy. I watched and saw them looking at these patients who were not responding to their music in any way and admired them for singing with a lot of energy anyway.

After a few songs one patient began to sing along with the students. My students acknowledged this to each other and to me through smiles and continued singing.

I noticed the nurses and attendants whispering among themselves and saw a few wipe their eyes. Soon I heard the locked doors click and swing open and a person, I shall assume was a doctor due to the white lab coat, entered, scanned the room, and attentively watch the patient who was singing along.

My students finished their songs and were wandering the room greeting patients as we often did, smiling, patting hands, and occasionally hugging their audience members.

I spoke to a nurse and asked what had been going on while my students were singing. She informed me that the one patient who was singing along with such gusto had not spoken a word or responded to anyone during his stay at the nursing home. They were thrilled to have finally found something - music - that reached him.

For you see, the music allowed him to have the memories that connected him with reality.

~*~*~

So my friends, as you sing or listen to your music, be attentive.

Does that piece of music cause you to have the memories of another time or place?

I imagine sometimes you will find that it does.

And, I also imagine it always will.

#ThisIsMyStrikePay

As a former member of a teachers' union that nearly went on strike two or three times I have been drawn to the posts with this hashtag: #ThisIsMyStrikePay

No, I am not declaring my allegiance to either side of the situation in British Columbia because I do not have any connection or knowledge of the situation except by my chance encounters of posts on social media.

I am a virtual anonymous observer of the Twitter-sphere.

~*~*~

I know from personal experience that tensions and emotions are running high in a situation like this. Because of this I am impressed by the positive spin that has been used to get the point across about the importance of education and supporting those who provide and receive it.

In the current BC situation teachers seem thrilled and somewhat surprised by the public response.

I think that as teachers we often get ourselves caught up and bogged down in the bureaucracy and administrative expectations of teaching.

We often are so focused in the negative that we wallow in drudgery day in and day out.

This is no way to live.

We forget about all the good things going on around us.

It shouldn't take a strike situation to realize the value of what is done in classrooms across the world.

~*~*~

Some of my favorite moments have been the wonderful comments by parents and students that have encouraged me and lifted me up.

Sure, many times these comments have come years later, but that's OK. 

It still makes me feel pretty wonderful.

~*~*~

I have watched my "kids" (students) grow and have children of their own.

I treasure it when they share stories, pictures, and videos of their own children enjoying music experiences.

A former student once told me,

"You taught us to sing and enjoy music. Now we get to do the same with our kids."

It's doesn't get much better than that.

~*~*~

I remember, as a young teacher, being worried and frustrated at the child in music class who never participated or sang or danced or anything.

That all changed during a routine grocery shopping trip when the parent of a non-participating kindergartener exclaimed how the child sang and danced around the house and when asked who had taught them the songs the child said "Music Teacher taught me. She sings all the time!"

I had an "Aha" moment. The child was "getting" it by observing.

~*~*~

Recently I had a mother thank me for the musical experiences I provided for her two sons. These sons are in their early 30s now, I believe.

It's rather surreal to think that even after nearly 15 years the experiences I provided in the music and choral classroom are valued.

Wow.

~*~*~

Ok, this post seems to have meandered quite a bit.

To wrap up I'll say:

To parents/students/community members:
Don't wait until a strike situation to tell teachers that you value what they do.

To teachers remember that you are making a mark even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it.

Back to the #ThisIsMyStrikePay topic: As teachers our pay is intrinsic most of the time rather than dollar signs. This message is coming out loud and clear.  The song the BCED teachers are singing today is "Don't Stop Believing."

That's not a bad idea.

[If you tweet, my handle is @musiciansojourn]

Practice: Nary A Day Should Be Missed

It's summer vacation for many now.

Lots of time for musicians, young and old, to practice and grow musically.

This issue became a soapbox for me when, the summer break after my first year of teaching college music majors, one of them posted on social media the question:

"Is it wrong that I have been out of school for over a month and I have not touched a piano?"

I wanted to scream through the computer: YESSSSS!!!

After all, this student was supposed to be a piano performance major.  I can not imagine being a performance major and NOT practicing for a week, much less a month.

I did not say anything for this was not one of my studio students so I just tucked her comment away in my soapbox.

~*~*~*~

In the past week I have had several conversations with young musicians about the importance of practicing during the summer break. 

I want my students to continue the skills developed this past school year and even improve over the summer.

One, a college music major who I happen to follow on the phenomenon which is called Twitter even though I do not know her, tweeted (what one does on Twitter), that she was out of school therefore she didn't have to practice.

I responded - as all good music professors should - and she retorted that I had misunderstood her tone.

[Well, I will admit that the typed word, though revealing, does not reveal one's tone of voice very well. Many a conflict has arisen due to misreading/assuming the tone of a written communication.]

Anyway, I quickly apologized and explained myself.

After several exchanges, each one becoming less and less heated, she, this mysterious music major from some university in the USA, exclaimed that I was "Wonderful!"

A few moments later I received the notification that she had "followed" me.

We have since exchanged several encouraging tweets. :)

~*~*~*~

It is my hope that all my students practice during their summer break.

It is my hope that my music colleagues practice during the summer break.

Yes, we often have to schedule these practice sessions.

No, we don't always want to do it.

But, the end result will be worth it all.

~*~*~*~

Do I practice what I preach?

Yes.

Today I've practice piano and went to band rehearsal.

What have you done today?