Happy Sunday. Happy New Moon (the second one in March)!
I love Sundays and I love music and I am so grateful to have grownup in a home that valued both. Whether it was my mom blaring Handel’s Messiah or my Dad blaring Randy Newman, you could often hear music playing on a Sunday creating space for all of us to relax and just be.
Fortunately for me and my family, my mom didn’t just listen to music, she also made it herself – playing the piano, like her mother (my Grandma) and singing in multiple groups throughout her life. My earliest musical memories are being at the Cape Cod Conservatory participating in Orff as a 3 year old and then later playing Suzuki violin accompanied by my mom on the piano. People around me recognized my attraction to creating music and my mother encouraged me to pursue it, while also modeling the value of making music in community as an adult. What a gift!
Music can be powerful no matter how we experience it, however the MAKING and PLAYING of music is particularly empowering and good for us. As I teach and continue to live in our time, I find that today unless children , adults and families are encouraged to create music, they may only become consumers and listeners. This is as dangerous I feel as drinking too much soda or not exercising enough. To dance and sing (or play drums) is our human birthright and allowing ourselves to be free and creative in community is a part of how we stay well.
The good news if that It’s never too late to start singing. Many of us are often told when we are young that we can’t sing or unless we sing well enough to be entertaining or famous, we shouldn’t sing at all. This could not be more far from the truth. Would you ever tell someone, “sorry you just can’t read”. NO, you would find a way to help them learn how to read to the best of their ability wherever they were in their life. They may not read out loud for a living, but they would be allowed the experience of reading for themselves. Singing and musical literacy is the same. So let’s start a revolution! sing sing sing, stay well and be happy!
check out My Offerings and if you have kids ages 0-5, register at Meryl’s Music for Music Together.
love love love
Alicia
Sounding Still Wellness 