"The Hills Are Alive, With the Sound Of Music" Mindful Mondays

Nope, this is not a commentary on Carrie Underwood's performance last week. I am sure she was a lovely Maria. Now moving on.
In the last week I have had a few wake up calls as to what truly moves the human body and soul.I have ignored this little parcel of good mental and physical health in my own life, and it took three little wake-up calls to shake me out of this unfortunate state of lyrical lacking.
Music.
So it's Christmas-time. And I was listening to Christmas carols (yes, on purpose!) last week on the radio. Okay, okay - I was driving and tired and didn't feel like changing the station. But regardless, there were carols on. As I sung along, it made me think. We humans celebrate everything with song. We have Easter music traditions, birthday songs, halloween songs, love songs for Valentine's day. I'm pretty sure the Irish sing about everything - so there MUST be a St.Patrick's day ditty out there. We choose songs for our weddings, songs for our funerals, songs for graduations. We associate songs/music with different parts of our lives. Nothing is a great equalizer like music. All races, social and economic levels, music knows no boundaries.
Then, I had the good fortune of teaching at a high school last Friday. The classes were intense - totally into the groove! And people walking by the glass gym wall would catch the beat and move along with a shkip in their step, or stop and jam in the hallway. The music drew students and teachers from the other areas of the gym over to investigate and participate. There was even an impromptu dance party AFTER the Zumba party! All because the music moved these young people beyond the influences of peer pressure, worries and teen angst - if only for an hour.
Finally Saturday night I accompanied my wonderful friend and her daughter to the Durham Girls Choir Christmas Classics concert, with performances by guest singers and the amazing Durham Youth Orchestra strings.
The ensemble performed excerpts from Handel's Messiah, and at the risk of being stoned, it's possibly my least favourite composition ever. Yes, I know, and I can't help it.
But the passion of all these amazing young people could be felt in the room. They looked stunning, and performed with obvious enjoyment and zest. It was truly lovely, and moving. Even for a grinch like me. The youth wore their music like proud badges, and gave a show full of powerful and dazzling performances. Incredible.
It reminded me that the greatest discovery of mankind is without doubt the power of music, from the instrument of the voice, to some wood with strings on it, plucked with a bow, to the beat of a drum, the stomp of a foot and a clap of the hand.

Music moves us beyond measure. Don't forget about it. Choose instead to live it, feel it, breathe it. Music is life.

Find Your CORE!'


For more information on Durham's best kept secret, the Durham Girl's Choir, and the Durham Youth Orchestra, please visit the links below. Also - be at one of their upcoming 2014 concerts - trust me!

Durham Girls Choir

Durham Youth Orchestra