Season of Song (December 2015)

Wow, December certainly flew by with great fanfare.  Let me see if I can sing it's praises.

First, school ended for the semester at the beginning of the month.  Look ma, all A's!  I was proud to overcome the challenges of balancing school work with the rest of my life (day job, church jobs, choir rehearsals, spouse, kids, etc.) and the challenges of the classes themselves (remembering to include the inversion, trying to hear inversions in the ear training lab, playing my jury piano pieces).  I've also enjoyed this break between semesters to recuperate!

As is my usual plan for December, I spent the month singing.  A lot.  The month kicked off with the Messiah Sing-a-long.  The night of the first concert, I got to watch my son Jonathan play with the Jr. Honors Band Clinic before I ran to Norris to sing.  Yay for my musical family!  The evening of the second concert, I got to sing my favorite solo from the work - "Come Unto Him".  Just so beautiful and peaceful - like a sung prayer of rest.  I sigh just thinking about it.

Next came the Clayton Holiday Concerts with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.  Most people wonder why in the world I'd want to sing 4 concerts in one weekend.  Honestly, I'm in it for the snow and Santa.  I get to celebrate Christmas with hundreds of people four times in one weekend.  I get to watch kids light up when they see Santa.  I get to hear the audience laugh with glee when the snow falls. I get to watch the Maestro show off his fancy candy cane socks and conduct with a glimmer in his eye and hands waving like Bugs Bunny.  I get to be part of the ongoing selfie competition within the Knoxville Choral Society.  Like this one:

There's just so much fun to be had, and I don't mind 4 concerts in one weekend -- as long as that's not my schedule *every* weekend!

Side note: For two weeks in December, Joshua was out of town, leaving me to be a temporary single Mom.   It reinforced to me how difficult it would be for me to pursue music if I had to manage on my own.  Thankfully, we've got a number of great babysitters to step in when needed.  But my bank account wouldn't be able to support my music schedule on a regular basis.  If you have a friend who is a single Mom musician, please offer them free babysitting.

In the midst of final rehearsals and preparations for Christmas Eve, we managed to sneak in a bit of caroling.  Four of us sang carols at Greenfield Senior Living, much to the delight of residents (including members of our church).  It was a good feeling to look around and see the residents singing along with us.  I felt like we provided a personal musical moment to each of them.

Then came the big day - Christmas Eve!  After last year's fiasco, I was itching to celebrate the season as much as possible.  And my wish was granted in full.  The evening began with ORUUC's Children's Choir singing "Every Voice That Sings" and "Do You Hear What I Hear".  They did such a great job - I wanted to cry and shout and cheer!  They had memorized their music, waited patiently for their turn to sing, and sang in two parts.  Way to go, kids!  It was a proud moment that looked kind of like this:

I love that my daughter Laura made special arrangements to get back from a trip with her grandparents so that she could sing with us.  We sat on the chancel together to lead hymns for the congregation.  Yay for my musical family!

After the ORUUC service, I drove over to Westside to lead two choir pieces in the Christmas Eve service.  I had written my first blog post at Westside earlier in the week, so I was hoping to bring that joy of the season to inspire great music.  Thanks to Linda, we had a little Christmas miracle of a soprano section.  We sat the choir up on the chancel -- it felt good to have them so prominent in the service.  And when they stood to sing - what a wonderful sound!  I enjoyed a piece that Mary Donovan picked out that combines the choir singing "Peace Peace" with the congregation singing "Silent Night".  It really came together in a pleasant way, filling the room with sound.  The second piece, "Bring Us Peace" was where the Christmas miracle occurred with a fresh soprano voice that could conquer the descant part.  Probably one of the best things I learned in preparing for Westside's Christmas Eve is that I can trust my instincts -- I made a few minor changes to each song and they both turned out really well!

After Westside's service, I went to find dinner.  Only, I learned a very important lesson - most fast food places close early on Christmas Eve!  I should plan for a packed dinner from home if I pick up three services again in the future. This year, it was lunchables (which my son calls dinnerables when you eat them for dinner) from Walgreens.  Mostly, I survived the evening on Coke Zero and cookies after each service.

I ended Christmas Eve singing with Anna Thomas over at First Presbyterian in Oak Ridge.  After being "in charge" all night, I was glad to be able to relax, sing, and worship myself.  The special music was "Cradle Hymn" and it was amazingly sweet and gentle and beautiful.  I will definitely keep that piece in my Christmas arsenal.

If you thought Christmas Eve would be the end of this post - think again!  AFTER Christmas Eve, I got to reunite with some of my favorite singing buddies (Michael, Dave, and Amanda) to lead service music on Sunday 12/27.  As much as I dreaded it, my favorite part of the service was singing "Let It Go" from Frozen.  We ended up inviting the kids from the congregation who knew it to come sing along - and that made it so much more fun for me.  THEN, for New Year's Eve, ORUUC had a coffeehouse, where another favorite singing buddy Amber convinced a group of us to get together and sing.  We chose "Sound of Silence" from Paul Simon.  It was hauntingly beautiful and I'm looking forward to singing with that group again soon.

And now, silence it is.  I'm quietly working away at selecting pieces and leading rehearsals, waiting for school to start back in mid-January and just generally enjoying a sigh of relief from living very fully in December.  Time to rest.

So Much to be Thankful For (November 2015) -- Part One

It's December 1, and I've barely had a moment to reflect on my very rich life right now.  The musical journey is incredible and I am overflowing with gratitude.  In fact, I have decided to list 30 things I am thankful for - one for each day in November.  So brace yourselves for the longest post in a while, friends.

1.  Joshua.  Did you know this man does our family laundry now?  It's one thing that I don't have to worry about in my life.  Clean clothes just appear in our bedroom every few days.  He also picks up Laura from karate so I can make it to my choir rehearsal on time.  He figures out dinner most weekday evenings and some weekends, even if that means a run to Outback carryout because I'm too exhausted to move from the couch.  In order for me to keep up my frantic pace of work, school, music work, and music ensembles, there has to be someone behind the scenes keeping me together.  Thankfully, I've got an amazing silent partner.

2.  Jonathan.  I totally luck out in the timing of this call to music ministry.  Or maybe I was more open to the call because of the timing in my life.  Either way, my independent 12-year-old needs so little day-to-day care from me at this point that I am able to pursue my dreams.  This boy wakes up in the 5AM hour every morning without an alarm clock.  He gets himself dressed, makes himself breakfast, and is out the door by 6:30.  Most mornings I get up around 6:15 just to make sure there's nothing that needs signed for school.  He helps to carry in groceries, feed the dogs, and just generally help around the house.  My only concern with him is that he's starting to grow a mustache and he's only about an inch shorter than me now.  The teenage years come too quickly!

3.  Laura.  I think I've found myself a cheerleader.  This girl gets dragged to church early nearly every Sunday because I'm involved in something musical.  I think I've heard her complain once in all that time.  She loves helping me with ORUUC's Children's Choir, including listening in to give a kids perspective when I'm deciding on new music.  She's also the puppy caretaker, a job she is always happy to fulfill.  Our puppy cries when she goes upstairs to bed, even though Josh and I are still there to play with her.  Somehow Laura is just more fun than we are.  Laura is also the queen of being excited about life.  Everywhere we go, she's the first to say, "Mom, look at that!"  She sings along and dances to her favorite songs on the radio.  She reminds me that life is meant to be lived.

4.  Parents.  My parents in all forms.  My Mom, my Dad, my Dad's girlfriend, my in-laws.  Each of them carry me along this journey in some way.  My Mom sent me condolence cards when my dogs passed away and then a gift card to PetSmart when we adopted new ones.  My Dad and his girlfriend invited us over for an amazing Thanksgiving feast and then came to my first Christmas concert of the season.  My in-laws are taking the kids for a few days over Winter Break.  It takes a village.

5.  Clara.  After the heartbreak of losing our two dogs within a week of one another, Clara has been the beacon of light that there is truly more love somewhere.  Though timid, Clara has settled right in with our family and has built a deep level of trust in each of us.  It's beautiful.  There is literally no way to avoid a smile when her tail is wagging at you.  This week, Clara is at the vet's office getting her first treatment for heart worm.  I'm looking forward to having her back at home soon.

6.  Milly.  Oh, Milly.  Milly the puppy stole our hearts within the first few minutes we saw her.  She loves everybody, loves to cuddle, and loves to play.  Mostly, she loves to chew.  On anything and everything in our house.  She actually stole Jonathan's slipper from off of his foot.  Fearless and hyper, she's an excellent balance for shy and mellow Clara.  Milly finally slept through the night a few days ago, which has given me renewed energy.  It's impossible not to laugh at her antics.

7.  Oak Ridge Animal Shelter / Friends of Oak Ridge Animal Shelter.  Thank you for rescuing dogs like Clara (Juniper) and Milly (Savannah) so families like mine can experience the vitality they bring to our home.  Special thank you to FORAS for funding Clara's heart worm treatment.

8.  ORUUC.  I don't thank this church enough for all of the encouragement and support I've received. From the early days of questioning why our house band had no sheet music to playing my first piano solo in service, I've received an endless amount of patience, opportunity to grow, and kinds words to carry me on my journey.  Thank you to each and every person who walks along side me on my spiritual path and my musical journey.

9.  Kids Choir.  I've been in my role as ORUUC's Children's Choir Director since August.  I continue to learn from our kids everyday.  Most rehearsals, we start out with a "dance break" where I hook my iPhone to a portable speaker and play a song for us all to move a little bit.  I started letting the kids pick the music and got a pleasant surprise when one girl asked for Sting's "Fields of Gold" and one boy asked for the Beatles.  The know more about music then I have given them credit for!  They also retain so much information from week to week!  We've learned about quarter notes and rests, eighth notes and half notes.  Even the repeat symbol.  They challenge me to make music fun!

10.  My friends.  I hate grouping all of my friends into one big thank you, but this post would be entirely too long if I mention each person individually.  Thank you to friends who invite me out for lunch, or coffee, or dinner, or dancing.  Thank you to friends who invite my kids over for play dates and sleepovers.  Thank you to friends who are also babysitters.  Thank you to friends who make music with me.  Thank you to friends who teach me music.  Thank you to friends who listen to me vent about really petty stuff in my life.  Thank you to friends who go out of their way to spend time with me.  Thank you to friends who show love when I need it most.  Thank you to one friend in particular for using Kohl's rewards to make my new awesome winter coat more affordable.

11.  My day job.  I'm not sure if I've mentioned lately that my musical journey is truly financed and made possible by my day job.  In general, music classes are not offered in the evenings.  It's not like business classes or classes geared toward working folks.  So, I take my music classes during the day.  Thankfully, my day job in training & development allows me flexibility with a work-at-home schedule, so I am able to take classes early in the morning and at lunchtime.  My day job also pays the bill for school. And, just when you thought things couldn't get better, I have a wonderful boss who actually checks in to see how my musical development is progressing and was genuinely excited for me when I got my choir director job at Westside.  My day job also encourages me to be active, with my running goals built into my performance plan and rewarded with points that can be spent on health items.  Everyone should have a job like this.

12.  My health.  I would guess that at least once a day, someone mentions to me that they could never keep up with my schedule.  I am thankful that my body and mind, in general, let me keep at this breakneck pace.  Occasionally, like this past week, my body reminds me that I need to make time for rest.  But most of the time I'm able to go, then go, then go some more before I collapse into bed and start my day again.  And although I'm not keeping up with my running as much, I have been regularly walking the new dogs and was able to run/walk a 5K on Thanksgiving.

13.  Ebb and flow.  This should probably rank higher on my list.  Without the breaks in my schedule, I would never rest and recover.  My classes are wrapping up for the semester.  One music ensemble has finished our holiday performance and won't rehearse again until January.  Every once in a while, there's that unexpected night off on my calendar.  Those nights I spend on the couch watching Dr. Who with my family. Or spend at karate watching Laura in class instead of just dropping her off.  I treasure those moments when I can reconnect with my family ... and my bed.

14.  Teachers.  I've had some great teachers this semester.  My Music Theory teacher shares new material in a way that makes it approachable.  She gives us hints and tips to remembering all the terms.  I have to admit, I kind of like analyzing music.  It's like solving a puzzle.  My Piano teacher always has a kind word for my pieces and suggests ways to improve to make the music even better.  She's very supportive and encouraging.

15.  Challenges.  Yes, I'm thankful for challenges.  How will I make it through the Ear Training software?  How will I get Jonathan to an audition and Laura to a playdate and myself to a rehearsal at the same time?  How the heck do we add two new dogs (including a puppy!) into the mix of our already busy family life?  These challenges are just asking for creative solutions - they stretch me to think outside of the box.  Sometimes a great plan comes together... and sometimes we learn a valuable lesson for next time.  I once heard a fitness coach talk about how in order to become more fit, you have to "stress the system."  When these challenges pop up, I imagine how we will all grow because we're stressing the system.

Continued in Part Two...

So Much to be Thankful For (November 2015) -- Part Two

Continued from Part One...

16.  My new job.  Yes, for a musical journey blog, this should be higher on the list -- but I wanted to make sure my priorities were straight.  While my life is all about music, my family and friends still come first.  Now... I *adore* my new job as the choir director for Westside UU Church.  I have received a very warm welcome and have already started picking out music for after the holidays.  It's an amazing opportunity to work with a great community and I will definitely make the most of it.  I spent my first choir rehearsal just observing and listening, so I'm looking forward to starting to work with everyone next week.  I spent my first Sunday singing a solo (Josh Groban's "Thankful" -- which inspired the title of this post) and greeting the community.  I'm looking forward to recruiting members into the choir and spending Sundays sharing choir pieces with the community.  

17.  Unexpected moments.  As I was driving to a rehearsal the other day, the sun was setting over the mountains. It was a beautiful sight.  I took a moment to just watch the horizon and breathe.  Moments like that remind me to stop the frantic pace from time to time and just enjoy the view.

18.  Music Ensembles.  The groups that keep me going.  Whether it's our church choir and band, Knoxville Choral Society or Chamber Chorale, or the Messiah Sing-a-long crew, singing with people makes me amazingly happy.  I just kicked off the Christmas season with the Knoxville Chamber Chorale and the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra in a sold out show at the Bijou.  Wow, how fun!

19.  Mentors.  Formal and informal.  Folks I look up to in my day job, in my music ensembles, in my church, in my community.  People who inspire me to work toward my passions.  I hope I do you all proud.

20.  NYC. A nice place to visit, but reminds me that I would never enjoy living in a big city again.  It's the first family vacation we've taken in a while and it was really cool to share the sights and sounds of the city with the kids.  Plus, Lion King on Broadway!

21.  People working toward racial justice.  You know who you are.  ARE, SURJ, BLM, NAACP, and the recent Oak Ridge City Town Halls.  I love you, support you, and can't wait to see the change we can make in this world.

22.  Vacation days.  I had a bunch of days off work this month, between the NYC trip and Thanksgiving.  I'm looking forward to even more coming up at the end of December.

23.  Stevie Wonder.  At 65 years old, he put on a FOUR HOUR concert, with one 20-minute intermission.  I now have proof that I can keep this pace going for the next 30 years.  Bonus thank you that his concert counted as one of my concert reports for my piano lessons this semester.

24.  Shelter.  From the rain.  From the cold.  There may be water in the garage and water stains on the ceiling in the living room, but our home is still doing its job.

25.  Pie Five.  For the many meals and free pizzas I have earned.  Whole grain crusts, veggie toppings, and not a lot of guilt in my speedy lunch/dinner choices.

26.  My phone.  The electronic thing that keeps me organized and sane.

27.  Body parts.  Fingers to play piano, arms to wave to conduct, feet and legs to walk the dogs around the block, eyes to watch my children grow, ears to listen to music and the world around me, shoulders to carry my backpack, knees to get down eye-to-eye with the puppy, and a nose to sniff out the nearest pumpkin pie.

28.  Christmas carols.  Inspired music that helps me remember the best parts of the season.

29.  Adele's "Hello" video.  It gives me the feels.

30.  Rain.  Did you ever have something you were thankful for, but didn't particularly like?  I don't like the rain.  At all.  But, I appreciate that it provides nourishment for the Earth.  And, today, I appreciate that the puppy didn't want to go for a walk in it, so I finally found the time to catch up on this blog.

And there you have it - my update for November and my endless gratitude for the life I lead.  While the storms of poverty, racism, hatred, and disrespect for our environment rage on around us, while the world needs so much more... there's so much to be thankful for.  Taking the time to reflect fuels me for the work ahead.