Dec. 19, 2018
I am so privileged that part of my life in music is helping others making music be part of theirs. While in some ways it's an accident that I teach guitar (someone asked me two decades ago to teach them some of my songs!), I've certainly long ago accepted the challenge to inspire kids and adults alike, because inspiration is really the only path I can envision to perspiration; the hard work of practice.
So my students reward me all the time in countless ways, but especially their enthusiasm and their fearlessness about trying new things. At the holidays I like to make the last lesson of the year be something special. Mulled cider on the stove, and something fun to do work on.
This year I tried something new - a student Holiday picking party. The fiddler was willing to play some of the tunes that my guitar students have learned, from oldtime to Celtic. My neighbor Michael Rohrer who loves to play the thumping I-V, but also happens to be the Principal Bassist for our Loudoun Symphony Orchestra graciously agreed to come hold down the bottom end next to the tree. The ladies played, and sang, and laughed and ate cookies and hung out afterwards, and all of us adults enjoyed a glass of wine and quiet amazement at the young musicians blossoming right before our eyes.
Yeah, I am blessed indeed. May your holiday season at some point include a parlor room full of joyful young musicians :) [The playlist - Camptown Races, Angelina Baker, Cindy, Swallowtail Jig/The Road to Lisdoonvarna, Country Roads, Soldier's Joy, I'll Fly Away and Jingle Bells :) ]