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Appreciating and Making Beautiful Music
This issue's guest contributor, BMC Board President Joe Madison, shares his musical experiences:
Come Rise Up Singing, Playing and Clapping...
My wife, Kris and I have been Brattleboro residents for seven years. I'd like to share a favorite story -- about how we began our happy connections with our musical community.
Within a week of our move to Brattleboro from Michigan, Kris and I came upon a traditional music jam at McNeil's Pub. Now this, we exclaimed, is not something you'd see in Michigan. The friendly bartender, also a local musician, generously gave us a full overview of all the amazing music options open to us in this, our extraordinary new hometown.
 We took his advice. I joined the Brattleboro Concert Choir and became a first-time voice student. Kris joined the Brattleboro Women's Chorus and has resumed her piano studies this year at the BMC. The result was a wonderful entrée to the people and life of Brattleboro. Between our choirs we gained friendship and access to folks from every quarter of the community. And, as a bonus we get to make wonderful music.
We often entertain members of our extended family and friends from around the northeast and try to include one of the many offerings from the BMC's performance calendar during their visits. Without exception they are blown away by the variety and the quality of music found here. How lucky we are.
Taken together it frankly knocks your socks off and makes one want to rise up singing, playing, listening, clapping and stomping your feet. It is a marvelous thing you do, enriching our community so through music. Bravo, BMC!
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From Carol
Many of us learned to play recorder at school. It was my first instrument. While the place it held as a standard music teaching tool for decades in the 60's and 70's has faded a bit in the US, it is still taught in many schools.
I know that anyone local who had Andy Davis for music probably learned some recorder! A relatively simple wind instrument, it can be, and is, played at all levels, from third grader to career professional - and is played all over the world.
This short video comes from the sister of a friend of mine. I was fascinated by the range in ages, geography, and instruments that she gathered. Listen to the deep tones of the massive bass recorders - and look at the variety of instruments being played!
This video includes players from literally all over the world - including some names that local folks might recognize from nearby Early Music and folk dance communities. Enjoy!
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"Yoo Hoo" by Chris Dorman is very sweet. It's simple, but something everyone can stand to hear sometimes, particularly now. It speaks to how heartfelt music with a simple message can have power.
I'm playing for my kids even though they're 11 and 8. They appreciate all kinds of music, both complex and simple.
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From Raquel
A few days ago, Adeline, above, one of my 5-year-old students came up with the following question: "How can I make it perfect?" In other words, "How can I play it perfectly right away?"
.
Let me backtrack a little bit and give you some context. She is learning how to play "Cuckoo" from the Piano Suzuki book Volume 1. She knows how to play the melody with her right hand beautifully. She also knows how to play the accompaniment with her left hand. Here comes the challenge! It is one of the first times she is playing a piece with both hands, each hand plays a different melody. It is definitely demanding.
Adeline is diligent with her daily practice, repeating the piece over and over again to train her hands how to play together. She gets tired and thinks it's boring and then, she pops the million dollar question, "How can I make it perfect right away?"
I have heard this question many times from students, but now, as I teach virtually, it resonates differently. How does one explain to a 5-year-old what perfection is and how to achieve it? Is she thinking about coordinating her hands, or about keeping the music on the beat, about the phrasing, or is "perfection" about playing fast or without mistakes?
What does it mean to play music "perfectly?" I can't wait to report back to Adeline. Please
email me at
[email protected]
with your ideas.
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Working on my patience --as I expect we all are...
And so I'm finding renewed perspective and continued hope in daily routines -- meetings with my splendid, funny BMC colleagues, long walks to the stream, now transformed by the spring rains,
and in the excitement of unexpected changes in those routines -- this visitor came to my backyard last month.
(And yes,our feeders now well away until next winter!!).
Wishing you sunshine and laughter!
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Springing to Life
This spring, I have been thinking a lot about companions: plants in the garden and woodlands, and people in my everyday life.
The plant that started this train of thought is the ephemeral ramp. They grow in rich forest soil here in Vermont.
The Abenaki word for ramps is
winooski, and they were so plentiful along the Winooski River that the river and town were named after them. Dairy farmers tried to eradicate the plant, because when their cows ate them, the milk tasted like onions.
But ramps have survived in many places, and they have several companions alongside them - Blue Cohosh, Dutchman's Britches, Spring Beauties...
All of these tender plants are visible for just a few weeks in the spring, and then they seem to disappear. Still, we know they will return next spring, and many of us eagerly await that day.
PS -- Ending on a musical note, I thought you'd enjoy this wonderful piece,
"
Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson, a
song my son played at an open mic in Bellows Falls one memorable evening.
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From Meg
Are you ready for winter to be over? I know I am.
And, apparently, so was Gustav Mahler when he wrote, "Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again."
While my brother and sister are cooped up in their "cozy" NYC apartments, I feel blessed to be able to take just a few steps outside to witness the glorious greening up of the earth in my garden.
Take a listen to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra with Leonard Bernstein conducting Copland's masterpiece. It will make your heart sing!
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Don't Miss In Stile Moderno's Live Concert May 10
BMC Alum Nathaniel Cox and Agnes Coaxley Cox of In Stile Moderno offer a Livestream concert Sunday, May 10, at 4 p.m.
Cambridge Revels presents Nathaniel and Agnes, along with Fabio Pirozzolo, the percussionist who performed with them last May. Click
here
for more information on how you can enjoy this wonderful musical treat.
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Check out Our Online Musical Salons
and Upcoming FB Live Event
Moby Pearson (violinist, ensemble coach, and orchestra conductor) offers his popular musical explorations online. Here are a few offerings (and learn more by clicking
here
):
We are excited to offer another concert by Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy, longtime BMC faculty members and nationally renowned players of traditional music!
Make a date for Saturday, May 9, at 8 p.m. Check our Facebook page for details and please join us for this special event.
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