Okay so this post is going to be comtemplative then the last one, but I've been good at keeping it light, so indulge me. I have an assignment for intro to music therapy that is one of the hardest I've had in that class. I have to pick a song that is meaningful to me, have the class hear it, and explain why it is meaningful. How do I pick just one?
- There's Never by Jenny Jordan Frogley, and then there's
- Hold On the Light Will Come by Micheal Mclean. Both of these are religious, but I think in the conversation we will be having could be appropriate (honestly, how many people are going to pick the hokey pokey as their meaningful piece?) I might go with something more common like the
- Circle of Life from the Lion King or
- Hold On from the Secret Garden. I could even go instrumental and use the
- Handel Cassedeus in b minor second movement or the
- JC Bach in c minor third movement. Both are really meaningful to me and have helped me through rough moments. When I think about special performances I think of
- Domine Adajuvadjume.
- Finally there is "One Loaf of Bread" that was written in memory of my Grandma Christensen or "I Believe in Christ" which is the song that lets me feel connected to her. Any votes should be posted in replies. I can't find the songs to post, sorry.
Seriously, how do you pick one song that means the most to you.? I could pick the first one I ever performed. Unfortunately the major is Mormon heavy, so the teacher knows Popcorn Popping very well.
What is it about music that is so trancendent? People say it is a universal language, but that is only true in a limited sense. Music from accoss cultures does not translate very well, but music we understand can be life changing. I think it is because creating anything requires body and spirit. We create with our souls, so the experience always goes beyond the body. But then why does listening to it mean so much? I guess because we listen so rarely. Think about it, when was the last time you listened with your whole soul? And music touches brain on so many different frequencies and the heart in so many different ways. In all my darkest moments it was listening to music that got me through (and playing, but I have a larger listening than playing repetoire.)
Never (the first one on the list) was the Savior speaking directly to me. If I sing One Loaf of Bread I would bring bread for the class. That's too much work. The main reason I am leaning towards "Hold On, thhe Light Will Come" by Micheal McLean is the way I feel connected to him when I listen to it. I have never met Brother McLean, but if I ever do, I will already feel comfortable because of what I learned from that song. Only someone who has truly coped with depression could write that.
I think the class period is going to be about what makes music meaningful. I've dedicated my life to it because every time I feel strings underneath my fingers it feels like coming home. When I sing I know that many beyond the veil are listening. I have been passionate about the study of technique since high school because I wanted to learn all there was to know about it (still working on that one.) I feel like the luckiest person ever to be surrounded with music every day. I could not get by without it. I don't think anyone could.
