Dear friends,
I continue to be inspired by the positive spirit of all of you who make up our musical family. As our faculty see many of you in daily lessons and rehearsals, we hope to unite with everyone in our musical community far and wide with these installments of JoySpring: Musical Gifts. Please watch for more gifts from our faculty, friends, students, and alumni as the weather warms into summer.
Here is Vol. 3, from treasured faculty member Liz Faiella, department chair, fiddle teacher, ensemble coach, alumna, and general JoySpring herself.
This lovely installment is just like Liz—gently leading us through the day with the gift of a tune, inspiring words, and a sweet lullaby to end. We hope this brings you comfort, joy, and a smile, as we move through the day together with music.
Take good care,
Peggy
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Thank You...
Faculty, staff, and trustees have been amazing in their dedication to building new pathways to continue to serve you, our musical community. Please add your voice to the chorus of believers in the Music School's future by
considering a donation
. Your confidence and support will make such a difference in these uncertain times.
Thank you!!
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Dear friends ♡
The Music School has long been my musical home, and that's because all of you, my musical family, are there.
As a student, it was where I played my early faltering notes on the violin, sang my teenage angst out, and played concertos on the beautiful Recital Hall piano. As a teacher, it's where I have been privileged to see student after student explore the music they love, find community, and develop into expressive musicians.
And now I am discovering, with a full heart, that no matter where we are, the Music School continues to bring us together, to foster community, to call us towards our musical "home." We have connected through video chat lessons and ensembles, through live shows and videos on social media, through emails and thoughtful messages. We are still a musical family, no matter where we are.
And so I wrote this tune for all of you, looking forward to the day we can all be in person together again, called
"Missing Home."
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Links to Facebook Live video
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One wonderful member of my Music School "family" sent me this lovely poem by former US Poet Laureate Rita Dove. It beautifully expresses for me the importance of music in the midst of times of trial, and I just couldn't help but share it with all of you:
Transit
Rita Dove
If music be the food of love, play on.
This is the house that music built:
each note a fingertip’s purchase,
rung upon rung laddering
across the unspeakable world.
As for those other shrill facades,
rigged-for-a-day porticos
composed to soothe regiments
of eyes, guilt-reddened,
lining the parade route
(horn flash, woodwind wail) . . .
well, let them cheer.
I won’t speak judgment on
the black water passing for coffee,
white water for soup.
We supped instead each night
on Chopin—hummed our grief-
soaked lullabies to the rapture
rippling through. Let it be said
while in the midst of horror
we fed on beauty—and that,
my love, is what sustained us.
[Alice Herz-Sommer, survivor of the Theresienstadt ghetto / concentration camp]
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This poem spoke to my soul! I've felt profoundly sensitive to experiences of beauty lately. I've gotten up early to see the sunrises over the river near my house, where the birds are waking up and singing, and reminding me that the natural world makes beautiful music too.
And lastly, in these days of media overload, if you are looking for a peaceful way to drift off to sleep,
here is a video of a half-hour, live Celtic lullabies show that I did on Facebook with my brother, bandmate, and fellow Music School alum Dan Faiella
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music begins at about 2 minutes, so please use the slider bar to skip ahead!
It features calming and comforting Irish and Scottish selections. One of my favorites is the Ballyeamon Cradle Song (starts at 14 minutes in).
"Rest, tired eyes, a while. Angels are guarding, and they watch o'er thee..."
Wishing you all comfort, joy, and beauty in the midst of trying times!
Liz
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Links to Facebook Live video –
music begins at about 2 minutes, so please use the slider bar to skip ahead!
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Concord Community Music School | 23 Wall Street | Concord, NH 03301
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