Sharing gifts...

Last week at this time, we were finishing off Thanksgiving Day, and the next evening, in the house inside this window, I played Christmas carols and a few interspersed simple classical guitar pieces for guests as they spent a few minutes in what used to be the library.  There was a faux-fire crackling in the fireplace, a beautifully lighted tree in the bay window, and an air of coziness brought in by hooked rugs, pieced quilts, and plenty  of greenery and bows on the mantel.  The guests and the docents seemed to very much enjoy the addition of the live music to a tour that usually does not have it.

Sometimes we who have music as an integral part of our souls and beings, and play, or have played professionally for many a holiday program, can find ourselves hard-pressed to explain what it can mean to perform at this time of year.  Sometimes, it's just a straightforward performance of the "Messiah", sung by a choir who have practiced for months, have great hearts, sing to a half-filled room of stalwart supporters - and sometimes, it is a stunningly miraculous experience of hundreds of factors coming together in an indescribably beautiful success.  Sometimes, the professionals who have done hundreds of performances over a lifetime let themselves forget the magic of what they are being allowed to do, and sometimes the audiences have no clue that - for the musician - playing or singing and getting paid to do so comes only at the end of years of practice, and from deep inside a sensitive heart which had to fight many battles to make playing professionally work in life.

Almost always, though, at the end of the day, the musician is offering a gift from the soul, because that's where music comes from.  The "professional" part comes from the years of practicing the craft and developing technique, but never be fooled.  The part from the soul is a gift that money can't buy.
Please find a way to value it as such.  And to my fellow musicians, may you have at least one shiny moment of magic enter your holiday gigs this year!

Masses and Madrigals

Could you hazard a guess as to who are some of the busiest people in the world at Christmas time? They would be the musicians - especially professional ones. Why is that? Well, for some reason, everyone in the world is attracted to holiday programs, and especially musical ones at this time of year. And those same "everyones" would really like for the music to be special and well done. This means that when one is trying to make a living at being a musician, a good part of the year is spent in famine, and the holidays are feast-time.

The problem with this is that, for those musicians who are also strongly connected to the fellowship of a church, things begin to get very complicated. Choices have to be made, one or another person disappointed, and said musicians wear themselves to nubs at a time when we are all to be mindful of the peace of the message of the arrival of God's Son.

For some time now, I have not really had to make some of those difficult decisions, because I have not been on the professional "call list". The calls for "gigs" that used to start in October every year - those calls don't come any more. There are reasons for that - namely that, for many years I decided to say "no" in order to be able to attend my own children's performances, and secondly, because there are plenty of younger and hungrier musicians out there now to take my place. They are better able to whip through those allegro passages of the "Messiah" several times a weekend, and, I am happy for them to do that.

On the other hand, I still am thrilled to get to play/sing during the holidays, on my own terms. That sounds a bit selfish I guess, but is certainly not meant to be. I just love to be able to pick the events in which to participate.

For instance, for four days straight, I will be involved either in performances or rehearsals for 2 events - a children's musical (a delightfully well-written bit of story and song) and a madrigal dinner. (Now you see the connection with the picture above from our local RenFest.) I never have done a dinner like this before, but my daughter did - twice, in high school. And because of my previous decisions, I was able to attend both of those events, and relish in watching her and hearing her sing. Next Tuesday's portrayal of that feast will be my chance to blend my skills with those of the many, and to feast at the holiday musical table in the way most appropriate to where I "live" today.

And my heart will be full.