Celebrating Music

Ruth Ayres has a link-up on weekends where people link to posts that are celebrations about their week. I love this reminder to celebrate every week.

Music, music, music. This was a week filled with music. Last Sunday afternoon, the La Crosse Chamber Chorale sang at the public library. Their selections were mostly works inspired by Shakespeare. The concert was spectacular.

On Wednesday, I joined a ukelele band. They meet every Wednesday evening to practice and welcome new players anytime. I've been using Youtube videos and a book to learn on my own since late January, but it was fantastic to get to play along with other people for a change.

On Thursday, Mr. Schu posted the new Emily Arrow video of Louise Loves Art, so of course, we watched it in class. It's great because our students are all getting ready for our district art show in May.

Yesterday, I attended the Three Rivers Powwow and had the opportunity to hear the drum circles while watching the many people, young and old, dance to that heartbeat.

Today my child and I went to see the Winona Symphony Orchestra. My favorite piece was the Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings by Dmitri Shostakovich. That man sure pushed boundaries. The piece did so much to laugh in the face of traditional symphony arrangements. This piece was done in his twenties. The pianist, Eric Brisson, was fantastic too. I couldn't help but think about the book I read last year, Symphony for the City of the Dead since that was my introduction to Shostakovich.

Music is a huge part of our lives. I listen to Putumayo Kids CDs at my library desk and the Hamilton soundtrack in my car. We have many instruments in our home: acoustic, electric and bass guitars, a cello, a trumpet, a trombone, a flute, three different sizes of recorders, a piano, and a drumset. Over the years we have attended well over 200 middle and high school performances of our children. I'm so thankful that music speaks to our hearts and can let our hearts speak.