Christmas Time is Here

With Turkey Day behind us it seems the whole world has turned to Christmas and the upcoming holiday season with gusto. The radio stations are playing solely holiday tunes (though, I admit, I gave up on them after hearing "Dominic the Donkey" today); the church is decked out with trees, wreaths, candles, and bright red bows; and our tiny P.O. box is filled to the brim every day with cheery catalogs. It's a joyous season and yet it's also the busiest month of the year!

Between extra meetings, special bulletins, long choir rehearsals, finals, shopping, wrapping, and traveling, I feel like I'm holding on for dear life some days. It's hard not to get carried away in the hustle and bustle! In moments like these, I try to remind myself to take life one step at a time, to prioritize what's most important, and to keep smiling through it all. Part of that "grace not perfection" mantra is taking time to admire the red and green decorations in the Pharmacy window on my way to work instead of speed-walking down the sidewalk, spending time in the evening addressing Christmas cards (they're black and white and so us!) instead of fretting over the bulletin formatting, taking a Saturday morning to bake Butter Cookies (a family tradition) instead of sending emails, and planning a few days of escape with family instead of sitting at home planning for the Spring.

This season, though busy and full of opportunities to feel overwhelmed, I choose peace. I choose thankfulness. I choose joy.

iTeach

Look at me writing a post from my phone!  That’s right – you’re looking at the newest member of the iPhone club!  From FaceTime to iMessage to real-time traffic reports to web-surfing that’s faster than my laptop, I am a huge fan.  I can keep up with my emails on the go, update Twitter and Facebook in one fell swoop, and of course, write these fun updates for y’all while I’m traveling!

In addition to the personal and professional benefits, I’ve been experimenting with the iPhone as a teaching tool.  Last week, I introduced “Model T” from The Music Tree: Part I to a student for the first time.  We identified the rhythm and tonal patterns but when it came time to put everything together, I realized my student didn’t know what a Model T was.  Have no fear, the iPhone is here!  I quickly looked up a picture and a short Wikipedia article to share and discuss for a moment.  Following this teaching moment, the tempo indication, “bumping along” made much for sense!

A few days later, I had a high school student working on “Minuet en rondeau” by Jean-Philippe Rameau.  “Keyboard music from this period would have been written for what instrument?” I asked.  After a moment of thought, she shrugged.  “The harpsichord,” I said.  In order to dispel the notion that the harpsichord was played vertically like a harp, I quickly pulled out my phone, looked up a picture, and found a video performance of a 2-manual harpsichord so she could see and hear the instrument in action.  This opened the door for a conversation in stylistic interpretation, articulation choices, and the historical differences in instrument construction.  Now she recognizes that the ornamentation has a practical benefit as well as a decorative one.

Tonight, I plan to bring this recording of “While By My Sheep” into choir practice.  I think I’ll use my iPhone.

Image Credit: Jen Shenk

Happy Thanksgiving!

The hustle and bustle of the season is upon us! As much as I love the fall, I love the chillier weather that comes around this time of year. The holidays just wouldn't be the same without cozy hats and gloves, mugs of hot chocolate, and long evenings by the fire.

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. I love the festive afternoon meal, the time with family and friends, and the focus on thankfulness. I grew up with many wonderful Thanksgiving Day traditions. We used to start the day by baking sweet potato biscuits, cooking the turkey, reheating casseroles, and making a batch of wild rice soup (Mom's favorite). In between "helping" in the kitchen, we'd watch the Macy's parade while busily unwrapping the silverware for dinner. In the afternoon, we greeted friends and family, watched Dad carve the turkey, and gathered around the table (or two, depending on the number of guests!) At each place, there were three kernels of dried corn and before dinner, we took turns speaking our blessings aloud (one thing for each kernel). It was always a wonderful opportunity to pause -- contemplate what it means to be thankful -- and share three of our many blessings.

This year, I'm exceedingly thankful for sweet friends and family who blessed us with thoughtful cards and gifts and celebrated our wedding day with us, for Steve - the love of my life - and the life God has set before us, and for the gift of grace.

Tomorrow, we'll begin our holiday weekend - we're spending a few days down at Steve's parents' home in CT for a time of feasting, fellowship, and Christmas tree-hunting! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Actions Speak

"Actions speak louder than words." I think we often pause to "think before we speak" (at least we try to) but are we as careful and intentional with our actions? If our actions truly speak louder than words, then what kind of message are we sharing with those we encounter? What kind of impression are we leaving behind?

In this week leading up to Thanksgiving, everyone seems to be talking about counting their blessings, living a grateful life, and ways to give back to the community. The church is in full stewardship swing, the grocery store is doing a food drive for the local food pantry, and Christmas organizations are already asking for donations for those in need (as an aside, does anyone else think Christmas is coming a bit early this year?).

I think it's wonderful that people recognize Thanksgiving as a time to be thankful and reflect on God's abundant faithfulness but aren't these things we should strive for every day of the year? I want to count my blessings multiple times a day. I want to live a grateful life every day of the week. Every time that there is an opportunity, I want to give what I can to help those who are less fortunate. Actions speak louder than words. How will you show your thankfulness this week and in the weeks to come?

Happy birthday, darling

Today is my sweet husband's birthday. Happy birthday, darling! I love each and every opportunity to celebrate you - I admire you so much! I look forward to cooking a delicious steak dinner (or more accurately, watching you cook the steaks while I wrap the potatoes for baking) and sharing the evening with you. I love you!

Image Credit: Nicholas Garofalo

Fully Myself

This week, I let myself become overwhelmed by fear but then I confronted it head-on.

I took few steps backward in reaching one of my professional goals but I made progress in defining my dreams and ways to achieve them. Steps in any direction is progress in my book.

I wasn't always a great listener this week but I tried to give encouragement wherever I could.

I have a few items that have stayed on my to -do list all week but I crossed a few new things off my teuxdeux list each day.

I may have improvised a little in my cooking this week but I managed to cook a wholesome dinner on top of a busy teaching day.

"Be fully yourself." We've all heard it before. During childhood, the words, "Just be yourself," seemed to relate most to integrity, honesty, and self-confidence. In the context of this week, the words take on new meaning. Being "fully myself" means accepting myself, not giving in, taking constructive criticism and learning from the experience, holding on to hope, learning to listen, taking action on the things that I care about, and showing grace to myself and others.

Dream Big

It’s one of those statements that caught me a little off-guard when I first read it: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”  I thought dreams were supposed to be free and simple, floating in a blue sky like white, puffy clouds.  Uninhibited.  Undefined.  The thought of being scared by my dreams surprised me at first.  Who’s scared of a white, puffy cloud? It was cause for thought.  What are my dreams?  How big are they?  How real are they?  Everyone has a “someday” list.  Someday, I’d like to live in a brick townhouse on Park Avenue-esque street.  Will I ever live in a house like this?  Maybe.  Am I actively pursuing it?  No.  As I interrogated myself, I realized this really doesn’t qualify as a dream.  A dream requires goal-setting and small action steps.  White, puffy clouds aside, what are my real dreams and how am I actively pursuing them?

Last year, I dreamt of teaching at the college level.  Fourteen months later, I am in my third semester of adjunct teaching and was recently asked to prepare a new class for the spring.  Exciting, yes.  A great opportunity, yes.  Daunting, yes.  A dream that scares me, yes.  Let’s be honest – I had a mini meltdown just thinking about it this morning.  “When will I have time between now and then to read through three textbooks?  How will I be able to write out all of my lectures, make slides, and come up with assignments on top of my current teaching load?” I lamented.  The answer is simple in hindsight: action steps.

1. Make an outline of the chapters in each textbook. 2. Distribute chapter reading over course of semester (how many chapters on average per week?) 3. Skim each chapter and pull out relevant information. 4. Determine measures for evaluation (quizzes, tests, papers, projects, presentations, etc.) 5. Create measures for evaluation 6. Determine presentation methods (combination of lecture, slides, music listening, student presentations, etc.)

I remember how I felt in the weeks prior to my first day of college teaching (late last summer).  Expecting the unexpected.  Uncertain but confident.

Do your dreams have limits?  Are they bigger than life?  Do they scare you just a little bit?  Dream big – what do we have to lose?

Life Lately

Life lately has included a whirlwind, 24-hour trip to Memphis; an adventurous trip to the new Wegmans; several evening jogs together (a new thing for us); candlelight dinners with our new PB dish towel napkins; a marathon thank-you note writing session (several more to come!); 20% off our registry completion at Macy's; finding out our GPS was stolen out of the car sometime last week; an October blizzard with 22" of snow; an unexpected, 4.5-hr. trip to the ER; and calling in sick to work (I have NEVER done that before!).

Let me backtrack. Monday, I was in teacher-mode. I had my quiz materials ready, I had my book bag packed, I had my lesson materials prepared. Thirty minutes before I would have walked out the door, I saw him sit down in the middle of making lunch. His heart was racing. He was breathing as if he had just come back from a run. He felt too lightheaded to stand. I helped him upstairs to lie down. Thirty minutes later, I called in sick to work and we were on our way to the ER. I kept thinking, "How do I do this? How can I be strong enough for both of us?" Sitting in the waiting room, answering questions from the nurses, trying to calm his nerves, listening to the same news stories on repeat - it was an experience that stretched and challenged me. "You're my hero," he whispered. I just shook my head. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13, I thought to myself. After a few tests (with normal results), they sent us home.

The next few days were long ones.

He, trying to rest and recuperate; me, trying to keep up with teaching, meetings, cooking, phone calls, etc. Sometimes, it feels like I'm on a roller coaster. Sometimes, I think I need that to remind me - life.is.short. Live while you can. Never take anything for granted. Enjoy the little things. Dwell in the moment. As I sat next to that sweet, sleeping man, I prayed that on days like these, I could be strong enough for both of us. "Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7. In the midst of phone calls to the insurance company, doctor's offices, and the hospital, I prayed that I could learn how to care for him - in sickness and in health. I prayed that I could be the shoulder he leans on in times of weakness. Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22. I prayed for a peaceful heart.

Now, at the end of a long, restless week, we're beginning to see signs of improvement. He got a good report at the doctor's office today and he even had a glass of wine waiting for me when I got home from choir tonight! I, for one am exceedingly thankful.

Professional Update: November 2011

The beginning of a new month always seems like a good time to step back, reflect on the last month, and plan for the weeks to come.  Also, it's been a little while since I've given y'all a professional update!  Here we go:

PIANO STUDIO

We just passed the midway point of the semester and all seven students are doing great!  I had three new students start lessons this summer, which was great but there were a few students from last year who were unable to continue this semester so it sort of evened out.  Our next recital will be sometime in the spring so for the time being, we are working through new repertoire and technique exercises.  I am hoping to put together some type of assessment for maybe January or February.  I'm envisioning a low-key jury week where each student is asked to perform a solo piece or two and maybe a few technique exercises.  This would give me the opportunity to evaluate their progress and give more formal feedback to the students and their parents.

WCMW

We are in the off-season for the Westminster Chamber Music Workshop but that doesn't mean we're not working on next year already!  Steve and I just finished applying for two Cultural Council grants and we're beginning to plan some of the events.  Speaking of events, we've also been maintaining a monthly "Community Concert Calendar" on our blog.  If you're in the area, check out our November calendar of events.  We're hoping to really focus on the musical events for the community this year and we'd like to keep everything free (as much as that is possible).  We're also talking about adding a new element this year but that's all I'm allowed to share with you!  Check our website in the coming months for more details!

FITCHBURG STATE UNIVERSITY

This semester I am teaching one section of MUSC 2500: Class Piano I at Fitchburg State.  I have five students enrolled and all are doing well.  Our second quiz is tomorrow!  A few weeks ago, the Humanities Department Chair asked me if I would consider teaching a 3-credit course called "Commonwealth of the Arts" (in addition to two sections of Class Piano I) next semester.  There are several sections of this course offered each semester and many students are required to take it to fulfill their Humanities requirement.  Each professor takes a different approach: some focus on art, some focus on music, others focus on theatre.  The Department Chair recommended I use a particular set of textbooks (6-book series) but it was up to me what time frame I wanted to cover, what assignments I want to give, and what area I want to focus on throughout the semester.  After flipping through a borrowed set of books, my first instinct is to focus on books 4-6.  Book 4 starts in the Baroque period and book 6 is all Modern.  Each book includes elements of art, music, and theatre.  I am still in the early planning stages but I am very excited for this new teaching opportunity!

In 2010, a few Humanities faculty members started the Foundation Music Lesson Program at Fitchburg State.  Steve and I were both asked to join the faculty - lessons are offered for a variety of instruments to faculty, staff, students, and community members alike.  Over the summer, one of the co-founders asked me to consider the role of Program Coordinator, responsible for student registrations, coordinating with the teachers, arranging lesson facilities, and overseeing recitals.  I said yes.  I am now several months in to this position and am enjoying the opportunity to teach and work administratively in this program.  I organized a faculty recital back in September and we had a very interesting, very diverse program.  This month, we will begin marketing for the Spring semester - lessons, group classes, a student recital, and hopefully, another faculty recital!

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

The children in Singers & Scholars, our joint choir and Bible study program for 1st-8th graders are loving our around-the-world adventure!  We just finished the Africa unit with songs like "Siyahamba" and "A Ram Sam Sam" and are gearing up for our month in the Navajo Nation.  The Sanctuary Choir (our adult choir, though many of them are still children at heart) is preparing for a special Thanksgiving Eve service and a Christmas Cantata in mid-December.  The Thanksgiving service is combined with the Catholic church down the street.  We alternate hosting the service (this year, it's at their church) and the choirs combine for a special anthem.   My choir refers to them as "the BIG choir" - they can't believe the number of tenors!  Last year, we had about 45 between the two groups.  While re-organizing the Choir Room a little bit this summer, I came across 15 copies of a 1997 SAB Christmas cantata by John Purifoy.  It's not half bad!  I decided it would be just right for our group this year.  It's about 30-35 minutes in length, includes a narrator, and incorporates several of the favorite carols.  And besides, the choir hasn't done a cantata in over 15 years (or so they tell me).  There is no better time than the present!

DUO

Steve and I perform together every few months, though we haven't done anything big since our lecture recital back in April.  See clips here, here, and here.  Our most recent gig was in August at the church's annual Yankee Street Fair.  We played a 45-minute set under a yellow- and white-striped tent just hours before Tropical Storm Irene came barreling down Main Street.  We were asked a few months ago to prepare a short program for young children in town.  We're hoping to do something similar to the Musical Memory Game which we premiered at this year's WCMW.  As a way of engaging such a young audience, Steve and I will play short clips of music and the children will be asked to decide which ones matched.  Stay tuned for more info on this - we're aiming for early 2012!

Image Credit: Jen Shenk, personal, personal, personal, Nicholas Garofalo (last two)

Thankfulness

Surprise! I have another wedding sneak peek for you today. This was our first moment as "Mr. and Mrs. Danyew" (a great iPhone capture - thanks, Cindy!) It's hard for me to believe that that picture was taken almost three weeks ago! Where has the time gone?

Yesterday, I admired the bold orange and red foliage on my way to teach in Fitchburg. Today, it's snowing (with an inch on the ground!) We're nearing one of my favorite holidays, you know. Of course, it comes wrapped up with both of our birthdays, Christmas, and New Year's all packaged into one busy holiday season. It's that time of the year when people talk about thankfulness and giving. "Take time to be thankful," they say. Take time to be thankful? What time?! There are thank you notes to write, emails to send, quizzes to grade, music to practice, phone calls to return, and services to be planned. Part of me says, "I'll take the time to count my blessings once I get through Christmas." This year, I'm learning that like grace, thankfulness is a way of life.

It shouldn't be something we just "do" because it's that time of the year. There's no prescribed method for "giving thanks" or "counting your blessings." For some, it might be a morning or evening prayer of gratitude. For others a passing, "Thank you," to someone for holding the door into the post office. For others still, it might be the act of listing their everyday blessings. For me, it's taking a moment to be still in the midst of very busy schedule, be peaceful in the midst of conflict, and be grateful.

I am grateful for my husband and our new life together.

I am grateful I was able to witness the first snowfall of the year this afternoon.

I am grateful for an energetic group of children who love to sing in choir.

I am grateful for all of our friends and family who came together to celebrate with us a few weeks ago.

I am grateful for the opportunity to witness joy on people's faces.

I am grateful for quiet evenings at home after long, busy days.

I am grateful for opportunities to teach and learn.

(And just because of the week I've had) I am grateful for the moments that get me fired up because I know God is shaping and molding me into His likeness.

I am grateful for the gift of new mercies each morning ("great is Thy faithfulness...").

I am grateful for moments of spontaneity and sheer bliss (as captured in the photo above).

I am grateful for love and acceptance and compassion.

I am grateful for grace, each and every day.

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Will you join me in committing to live a life of gratefulness?