Tucker's Tidbits

LP XIV--Art and Rock

2012-02-01T15:22:00.012-06:00

The art in the National Gallery of London is without question some of the most stunning and beautiful pieces I have ever experienced. This large institute contains the finest artworks in the world and currently houses the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit. Each room was a magical presentation of great works, some by unknown artists, others by painters widely regarded as the finest of their time period. As I walked and looked and studied and experienced the art, I realized...

We walked into Hard Rock Cafe and immediately heard the BeeGees on the amazing stereo system. In the corner wall, we could see Stuart Sutcliffe's guitar. Now you may ask who is Stuart Sutcliffe? He is sometimes known as the Fifth Beatle. Part of the original group and an excellent bass player, he left to pursue a career in art but died at the age of 22. High on the wall we see Eric Clapton's guitar he gave to Hard Rock Cafe in London. In the basement is an Elton John costume and nearby is a display of the great Jimi Hendrix and his all black costume he often wore. As we ate a delicious meal, we...

that art is one of the greatest of emotional expressions of creativity. In an oil painting, the artist represents not just the natural world but also includes his/her response to the event or the setting. This causes a deeper level of emotional ownership with the work for both the artist as well as the viewer. In the eyes we see the soul, and in the body we see the heart, and in the light we see the thoughts, and in the motion we see both the future and the past. I was shaken to walk into a room and see...

heard some hard-rocking music You Give Love A Bad Name--Bon Jovi, Over My Head--Lit, Caught Up In You, .38 Special, and Crushcrushcrush, Paramore. All of it hard and heavy (maybe more than makes me comfortable, but certainly muscular rock). All around us were Gold records of Queen, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie. When we finished eating we went across the street to the shop and The Vault where we saw an original song by John Lennon, touched Jimmie Page's guitar, looked at Gene Simmons' Bass, grimly stared at Kurt Cobain's guitar, looked daringly (briefly--no pun intended) at Madonna's corset and undergarments, smiled at Les Paul's guitar, saw John Lennon's jacket, and wondered about Pete Townshend's guitar (famous as The Who for smashing his guitar) being intact. We left with thoughts...

art by Van Gogh, Degas, Seurat, Rousseau, and Cezanne. But it was the room of Peter Paul Rubens that nearly engulfed me in beauty. Piece after piece of incredible strength, color, line, and emotion. Each one a story of its own and each evoking strange thoughts of a world that lives in our dreams and our subconscious. A world of shocking beauty, in some cases showing innocence destroyed, yet respecting individuality, and constantly communicating powerful emotions which are so strong as to threaten to absorb the people. The absolutely flawless oil paintings capture forever an artist's craft and ability to see beyond the obvious and into the...

of Rock and Roll's vast influence on culture. At first relegated to teenagers jumping and dancing and screaming, now Rock and Roll has permeated the lives of adults of all ages. Those who loved Rock in the 50s are now mature and often retired, but still finding meaning in the music from their day and forward. We may be getting older, but we can still Rock out in joyful expression of music that is burrowed within us. And I must say that Eric Clapton is truly an impressive figure in Rock's history with a talent for altering his sound while retaining his quality and creativity. And I must admit to liking Sting, Bon Jovi, and yes Aerosmith. Tonight we go to a Queen show called, We Will Rock You. It promises to be non-stop entertainment!

depths of life with its beauty, its fears, and its hopefulness for a better world. The National Gallery is a visual treat in all respects and I consider myself blessed for my time there. And thousands visit the Gallery for more Rubens and more Raphael and more opportunity to obviate any stress by sharing with the artists the wordless thoughts that reside deep within the scope of the human soul.

LP XIII--Insignificant, Creative, and Entertaining

2012-01-31T16:35:00.017-06:00

Insignificant felt I when spending several hours in the Natural History Museum, a sprawling complex deservedly devoted to animals, plants, and the non-human world. From dinosaurs to insects, I saw and experienced as much as possible in a few short hours of this amazing institution. Fascinated with insects and arachnids, I focused my attention on the thousands of species currently identified and known. Standing among the insects, walking toward the mammals, and glancing with interest at the fossils and dinosaurs, I realized how small mankind is in this complex world of nature. So as to avoid an emotional regression resulting from the realization of my unimportance as a human, I went across the street to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Mankind's contributions are well chronicled in this comprehensive presentation of history, art, jewelry, silver, sculpture, and everything man-made throughout time. From thimble art to massive tapestry to costumes, furniture, paintings, monuments, altars, statues, and silver, this museum demonstrates human creativity with all its glory and achievement. Sitting in the Raphael room for several minutes, staring at the monumental paintings by the great artist, I felt the power and majesty of the Biblical stories portrayed in each piece. Admiration for his skill and respect for his artistic profundity does not fully express my feelings about Raphael's remarkable beauty and depth of expression he put into every work of art. His art is nearly so perfect as to be difficult to put into words.

A quick run through of the jewelry section in order to get to the Theatre and Performance area, left me breathless in awe of the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold, and silver as they richly gleam on the necklaces, rings, bracelets, broaches, and earrings. But I made it to the performance area without excessive coveting of the items, only to see a room devoted to the marvelous Annie Lennox, known as the lead singer of the Eurythmics. She also continues to be a fine composer, philanthropist, and social activist, leading the way for raising money for charities. Continuing on, I realized, almost with a shock and an "aha" moment, that opera and rock concerts have similarities. Side by side, I saw costumes of opera stars and rock stars (Elton John) and began to read about the accompanying events. Rock music has become theatrical with plots, antics, little talking and lots of music, all to provide a visual representation of the sound. Such is true of opera. One may prefer a certain medium over another, but in many ways, the concepts are closely related, although reaching different clientèle.

I completed my human affirmation time in the Victoria and Albert Museum and felt in the mood for English fish and chips. For 6.99 British pounds, I got a great piece of battered cod with large french fries and delicious mashed peas. Lemon juice and vinegar on the fish made it jump into my mouth with joy and I topped it off with a little water. Time to rest and get ready for the play.

Grabbing a bus and heading toward Greenwich, we got off at Southbank and walked into the National Theatre called Olivier Theatre. Stunned by the size of the hall, I realized I had walked into one of the finest theatres I have experienced. With a capacity of nearly 2,000, a rotating stage, and flawless sightlines, this theatre maintains the highest standards of excellence in performance perhaps in the Western world.

The show was called She Stoops to Conquer. First performed in 1773, it is a favorite of Londoners and uses the old English style of delivery. The comical plot of funny personality traits and misunderstandings is about two couples ultimately getting together in spite of the challenges by family members. The title comes from the leading lady pretending to be a housemaid in order to win the attention of a wealthy Londoner. The elaborate staging with a revolving stage allowed for quick changes in the set and in the characters. Aside from the British accents and the advanced vocabulary (I hate to admit that I could have used a dictionary for some of the words!), I followed the story well and could hear everything from my balcony seat. Great acting, physical comedy, and fast-paced delivery gave the play an energetic glow all the way to the satisfactory ending.

Added to the story was a fun and creative musical score with keyboard, some strings, and percussion. All in a folk style, the music was bright, rhythmically interesting (meter changes throughout) and strong in the hall. The cast sang, danced, and seemed to enjoy the vibrant musical score. It was a superior performance in all respects.

Small in the natural world, large in the creative world, then superior in entertainment, human beings may be insignificant in many ways on this earth, but the creative energy, the spark of ingenuity and industry, the desire for personal expression that gives us art and music, sculpture and color, dreams that become reality, synthesize and meld together to secure our place in the past, in the present, and in the future.

LP XII--Tower of London, Cold

2012-01-30T10:52:00.008-06:00

The weather suddenly changed, and it is now cold outside. We have had it easy until now with only one coat required and no gloves needed. Today and the rest of this week we wear layers of clothes, gloves, hat, and a scarf. It feels so bitter outside that I can understand why everyone was so angry at each other many years ago.

The Tower of London was founded and built by William the Conqueror in 1066. Used primarily as a prison, it was later used to house royalty, keep the armory, secure the treasury, house the Crown Jewels, imprison people, kill people, torture people, and guard against takeover. Built in concentric layers with the original White Tower as the center, the Tower of London stands today as a strong heritage of the past and a keeper of the Crown Jewels.

We learned more about Henry VIII and saw his armor as a 17 year old and then his armor at age 49. He grew in girth during that time to the point of being unable to sit astride a horse. His antics with his wives added to his already colorful reign as King and we were able to see the world of swords, jousting, Knights, armor, and, sadly, the place of beheadings.

Walking through the cold and the ravens, which seemed a bit angry and unpredictable, we headed up a very narrow, winding staircase and arrived in the Bloody Tower where Sir Walter Raleigh and his family were kept prisoners for 6 years. It was also in this same tower where the two sons of Edward IV were sleeping when they were sadly killed at the ages of 12 and 13. It is also the place where Henry VI was killed.

Our tour included a look at the armory, the cannons, the swords, the heads of the Kings, and the awful torture chamber. It was a quick run-through and no question that there is more to learn about this magnificent structure.

After a lunch of yogurt and bread, acquired from nearby grocery store, I headed toward Marble Arch to buy some clothes. Finding a large department store called Primark, I bought some things to combat the cold and returned to my room. Another productive and educational day in London. But after seeing the evidence and hearing the stories, I continue to be genuinely perplexed at the pain and suffering past leaders inflicted on others. Historically I suppose a ruler had to govern with an iron fist so as not to appear weak; and yet, I have to wonder if the methods pointed toward an inherent insecurity. Furthermore, if this is a human trait, I hope that our refinement in our culture today points us toward greater compassion.

LP XI--All Souls Church

2012-01-29T08:56:00.008-06:00

Jumping on a bus and sitting on the top level so as to see more of London from a higher level, we headed to All Souls Church off of Oxford St. This church demonstrates once again the resilience of the British culture as it was bombed to destruction in 1940 and rebuilt ten years later. Although smaller than many of the cathedrals in London, it retains the traditional columns and archways of most of the churches in the area. With a wraparound balcony and gold inlaid design work, the church has all the expected markings of a traditional Anglican church. And that is where the expectations end.

Somewhat shocking for an Anglican church was the carpet and cushioned individual chairs that lined the main worship center. A modern stage contained a praise band with drums, guitars, a cello, a trombone, and yes even a saxophone. The prominent organ was elevated above the band and the grand piano resided on the floor. Rather than an imposing altar, the front modern cross-shaped stand seem to demonstrate the juxtaposition of old and new. No less than 7 large screens were situated throughout the sanctuary and people were able to see in spite of the many columns supporting the balcony.

A word of history is in order. Henry VIII was upset that his wives had only given him daughters and he wished to divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn. It is difficult to capsulize this complicated situation, which included murder and imprisonment, but in the end Henry was denied the right to annul his marriage. Wishing to retain the Roman Catholic ideals but the freedom from the Papacy, the Church of England was formed and defines the church today. With a strong Catholic tradition, most of the Anglican churches in London are considered High Church with chants, all male choirs, strict liturgy, and bowing to the authority of the President of the service. Beautiful, God-centered services with artistically performed music and messages pointing to the Sovereign God of the world are the practice in most Anglican Churches.

But not All Souls Church. We sang Mighty to Save, O Church of God Arise, Forever, and two hymns, all with drums, praise band, pipe organ on everything, and a choir. It was all very inclusive, informal, and partner-oriented. Decidedly anti-Catholic by decrying intercessory prayer, the service was comfortable, familiar, and similar to what I experience weekly in Texas. The 800+ congregation seemed alive with the spirit (at least as much as the culture encourages), and the church stands out as an Evangelical fellowship in the midst of mostly formal offerings.

I did notice that we Texans moved our bodies more than most of the Londoners present and I was once again pleased with the precision in singing that emanated from the congregation. Every consonant was exact and each comma resulted in an almost imperceptible pause. Adherence to the text and careful insertion of harmony gave a feeling of God's choir singing throughout the service. Maybe the church is an anomaly in London, but for me, it was the perfect way to spend a Sunday. And following the service, I again enjoyed a traditional British carvery of roast beef, potatoes, and peas.

There are many ways to worship God, but most people prefer not to worship God in many ways. For me, however, I enjoy the variety of ways to worship and felt privileged to be a part of the service at All Souls Church.

LP X--Music, Tunnels, and Cathedrals

2012-01-29T02:51:00.013-06:00

With a free day on Friday, I decided to visit the Handel House, the Royal College of Music, and Royal Albert Hall. On the way to the Handel House, I of course got lost and ended up walking several miles. This seems to be the pattern of my stay in London and I am learning the joys of walking. I must take a minute to describe the streets. Cars, buses, and automobiles move incredibly fast and when the light is red, they keep their foot on the accelerator and the brake ready to jump. The yellow light comes before the green rather than before the red. This means they are ready to go.

Since the traffic is on the left rather than the right, pedestrians must ALWAYS look right before crossing. When the Green Man is on, it is safe to cross. If not, you take your life in your hands. If you cross when the light shows a Red Man and you get hit by a car or bus, your family will get sued for the damage to the vehicle. So the world on the streets is intense to say the least. At the same time, there is an element of safety in that we are all in the same boat. People are polite and helpful and I have not felt any degree of danger other than from the traffic.

As I walked to the Handel House which is where George Frederik Handel, famous for Messiah and Water Music, lived and died during the last half of his life, I began thinking about the night before when I attended Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart. Being of small means in London, I chose the standing only ticket for the opera. I was allowed to lean on a velvet lined bar behind the main seating area. Royal Opera House is beautiful with ornate gold and red seats and fixtures. Small enough to hear everything yet large enough to seat many people, the hall is ideal for opera and ballet. Without dwelling unnecessarily on the event, I do want to mention the incongruities of the production. They wore today's clothes and spoke in today's idioms, replete with cell phone usage and comical humor of our current world. And yet, at the same time, the music was purely unadulterated Mozart with a full orchestra and wonderful singing on the stage. The singers were incredible and shockingly attractive. Gone are the large, weighty singers of the old days and in are the model types with great voices. Kind of intimidating to us regular folks!

Arriving at the Handel House, I was met at the door by an Asian woman with an English accent. She was quite helpful and when I asked about Jimi Hendrix she became quite lively and mentioned how he lived in the same building of George Frederik Handel. More talk of Jimi than of Handel, I left full of the paradox of the lives of the great composer Handel and the vastly influential Jimi Hendrix.

Making my way on the tube and walking several more miles, I arrived at the Royal College of Music. I was disappointed, however, with the museum of instruments: small, keyboard oriented, and not very informative except for a nice area about Mahler. On the way out of the well-known College, I stopped to listen to a rehearsal in Benjamin Britten Theatre. I was strangely pleased to hear an out of tune piano. Kind of makes things more real to know they have similar struggles to my world back in Texas.

A brief time at Royal Albert Hall which is located across the street from the Royal College of Music and I headed home. A good night's sleep and we were up early to get on a bus for The White Cliffs of Dover. A nearly two hour trip on the bus, and we exited to see the sight of the famous cliffs that guard the English Channel. We then headed up to the cliffs, walked toward the large Dover Castle, and had a stunning tour of the tunnels located under the castle that were used in WWII to treat the wounded and help soldiers and citizens escape from Nazi Germany takeover. The stories of the past came alive as I could feel the fear of the people in the tunnels working hard to help their fellow Englishmen survive.

Time was short, so we returned to the bus (quite a hike) and headed over to the grandest Cathedral I have experienced. The Canterbury Cathedral. Given to St. Augustine in 597 AD, the Cathedral stands as one of the most beautiful and important institutions in British history. With over 2000 services per year, it remains active in spite of its age and magnitude. This large, sprawling church with a stunning nave, a dark and purposeful crypt, and many adjoining rooms, has some of the most incredible stained glass work on the planet. Stories of the past are told in the windows and the floors as well as thrones, the archways, and the courtyards. After the tour where we learned of the stunning martyrdom of Thomas Beckett, we humbly bowed to the Lord in a service called Evensong. The expressive choir sang music of Herbert Howells and Edward Elgar. Powerful, sublime, yet personal, the service stands out as a highlight of the journey.

Arriving home in exhaustion, partly due to the gripping emotional experiences of the day, I turned in with thoughts of how the past shapes our future. Our lives on earth are short but our purpose and our significance can be eternal. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckett, lives on today and his story is told as a testament of dedication and the power of truth.

LP IX--Sadness, Joy, Perceptions

2012-01-27T08:57:00.020-06:00

The play was called Lovesong, an elegantly produced story of a couple early in their marriage and at the end of their lives. Intertwining the events together, we were given the joys of love, the fears of problems, the trite, the depth, the powerful emotions of a gripping story, and finally the passing. On either side of the dialog were dancing between old and old, young and young, and dream-like sequences between young and old. The music was beautiful, the story enrapturing, and the acting superb. I was moved to tears as the lady ended her life in order to preserve her dignity.

We left thinking about the symbolism of the play, the sadness and the joys, but after a few minutes on the tube train, an announcement came that the line was closed due to illness of a passenger. We exited that train, took some stairs to a different line and resumed our long journey home. Discussion ensued about an illness that would shut down a train and my suspicions were later confirmed, a suicide had occurred. In deep sorrow, and after arriving home, I went on a walk with Dr. Landwer. We saw a drunk in a business suit stumbling about the streets. It provided great comical relief until I later began to reflect on the difficulties of managing the London streets under the influence of alcohol. Crossing the streets of London is dangerous in a sober condition. I found myself in prayer for the drunk man and for those who lives are filled with sadness that causes those kinds of problems.

But the next morning after a 2 mile run through Russell Square, I jumped on the tube and headed toward Acton Town to find the Asian Music Centre with a museum. One of my many responsibilities is to scout out directions and places for our plays and experiences. Needing to check on the Asian music museum but also curious about possibilities for my other class, I often travel to parts of London to see if I think the experience will be beneficial for the students.

Getting a little lost but in the general direction, I stopped at a place called Tech Music School to get directions. Walking in I was shocked to see guitars on the wall and students in line. The young fellow at the desk, with a deep voice and dark short hair was busy telling each student what room and what was expected. Getting to me, he seemed a little surprised to find a bald-headed American in front of him. I asked him about the school and the possibility of a tour. He was not open to that and seemed very busy. I mentioned to him that his voice was impressive and he reminded me of Johnny Cash as a young man. He gave me a quick smile and said that was what he did, Johnny Cash impersonations with a band. I told him that back in Texas many of us listened to Johnny Cash music. He then told me he had toured through Texas and parts of the United States singing Johnny Cash music. He was about to tour again through the United Kingdom and back to the United States.

Knocked out by this news, I told him how impressed I was with the Music Tech school and wondered about someone talking to the Rock and Roll class about the music industry. He suddenly became very helpful and we set it up. The class will now have an opportunity to see real live training of rock musicians and hear from someone in the industry at one of the largest training grounds in London. Excited about this opportunity, I still had not found the museum. I walked some more and found a dilapidated building with a sign Asian Music Centre. The locked door discouraged me, but I knocked loudly and waited. Soon a very tall young man opened the door with a perplexed look. I hesitantly asked about the museum and he smiled and said "Come in and see it."

I walked into a small but very modern looking museum filled with wonderful Asian instruments. Each one had a matching video with it showing how to play. He then showed me a fun, interactive chamber for creating Asian Music. It was all very new and vastly educational. I had hit a jackpot for the Music Appreciation class. A charming lady then found me and said she could give us a talk on Asian music. I scheduled it and realized the day was a success for Rock music and for Music Appreciation. And then the best news of the day occurred, she told me a quicker route to the nearest tube and saved me several miles of further walking!

A short rest and a small group headed to the Texas Embassy for dinner that included enchiladas, rice, and beans in old-fashioned Tex-Mex style. Ah, a moment for Texas. We then walked a short distance to St. Martin in the Fields for a concert. And what a concert it was. Brahms Requiem with a smaller orchestra and incredible choir. With a dynamic range rarely heard and emotion powerful enough to increase the pulse, the performance was exquisite in all respects. The Requiem by Johannes Brahms is one of the greatest works in the repertoire and one that never fails to move the audience. The soloists were rich in tone and vibrancy and the orchestra so well in tune, it sounded like a pipe organ. The gorgeous church was the perfect setting for the event and we left feeling emotionally changed by the experience.

We survived the streets full of buses, cars, and motorcycles and returned home unharmed. While I feel blessed to be in London, it was nice to have a Texas moment. Aside from the craziness of crossing streets which is an adventure each time, I enjoy the busy world of sounds around me. The music of London is found in the concert halls, the parks, the streets, and the people. I love the music of the world with its occasional harshness and warm beauty.

London VIII--Animals and Running

2012-01-24T07:33:00.009-06:00

People here are polite and formal but the animals are not. I was running in Russell Square when a pigeon walked in front of me. Hopping over to avoid the little head-bobbing bird, I nearly stepped on another one that popped up from the bush. Frustrated with their rudeness and tired of seeing their little heads bounce up and down without stopping, I continued my run. Passing by an elderly gentleman who was staring upward, I came upon a lady and her dog.

The little dog was dressed in a cute sweater and his pointed ears gave him an alertness I found rather amusing. Smiling at the little thing and thinking about that sweater, I continued my run around the square. On the second time around, they had gone a few steps but were in a relaxed mode. The little cute dog in the sweater was not so cute this time as he stepped in front of me. His very short legs were moving quickly but his body was nearly stationary, as though he were on a treadmill that was moving very fast. It was really quite comical until I realized I must go into the grass which was slightly muddy. The mud slowed me down and made my feet wet. On another day I might have thought about little Andrew from Mary Poppins and maybe I would have attempted a conversation, but on this day he was just plain irritating. Especially annoying was that his sweater was much more attractive than my gray sweats.

Later in the day as I was walking through Hammersmith Borough, I spied a small bakery with fresh bread. Making my way in, I ordered the bread and the lady asked me if I would like butter with it. I said yes and she buttered the delicious item for me, wrapped it in a package, and said thank you. I returned the thanks, paid one pound, and left with a smile on my face, ready to eat my bread.

Continuing my walk through Hammersmith and taking delicious morsels from my bread, I suddenly felt something on my foot. A quick glance down and I realized a bird from above had mistaken my right shoe for a toilet. Disconcerted yet strangely forgiving, I continued my journey with a greater appreciation for the hat on my head. The bird could not help the unfortunate event and I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. A interesting day I suppose and humbling without being painful. London continues to have surprises around every corner.

London VII--Bombs and Resilience

2012-01-24T02:12:00.017-06:00

The bombs fell for 57 days in 1940, killing over 40,000 people and damaging or destroying over 1 million homes and buildings. In an effort to cripple and demoralize Great Britain, Nazi Germany used the bombing method now called The Blitz to bring the country to its knees. But as the picture above demonstrates, the strength and beauty of the country towered greater than its enemies and stands today as a symbol of heritage, of truth, and of majestic courage. As the bombs came crashing down on London and fires ensued, brave citizens took their place on the dome of the cathedral and quenched fires as they came, thus saving the magnificent structure and instilling a sense of hope and resilience in the people. In the end London and Britain survived and Nazi Germany did not.

Our walking tour and afternoon lecture, primarily about the oldest part of London revealed other facts of this marvelous city including its Roman past, the importance of the year 1066, the Monarchy lineage with its occasional absurdity and brilliant wisdom that takes us to the elegant beauty of Queen Elizabeth, and mostly the heritage of this marvelous city that gives us beautiful art and architecture, museums and concert halls, theatres and libraries, and fish and chips!

My early breakfast of yogurt and coffee followed later by a lunch of tomato soup dictated the need for a more robust dinner last night. Heading out on a brisk walk with my colleague Dr. Landwer, we found ourselves in Chinatown. Celebrating the Chinese New Year, the area was decorated with bright red oval balls and Asian ornaments. Bakeries, restaurants, and clothing stores lined the streets and the feeling of excitement and energy permeated our thoughts. We found an excellent restaurant and I sensed the lovely but dead duck in the window asking for my attention. Ordering Hot and Sour Soup, Orange Duck, and White Rice, we patiently waited for our food and discussed Asian culture and its assimilation in London. Like most Londoners, the people in the restaurant were generally kind, polite, and fast moving, eager to please but equally set upon accomplishing their goals. I am entranced by the formal politeness of this world and am intent to retain that quality upon my return to America.

Far from being contrived, there is a sense of mutual respect for each other that I find refreshing and infectious. At first, in my selfish arrogance, I thought it was my "deanly" demeanor that caused everyone to call me sir, but I soon realized that is the pattern of the culture. Men are sirs and ladies are ma'am. Responding in kind to others, I have increased my usage of Ma'am and Sir and am personally rewarded with a sense of service and admiration for others, reminding me of the joys of humbly respecting those around us. I believe a wise man once said to do to others as you would have them do to you. More than just words, the truth of the Gospel is real in our lives.

Back to the meal of soup, duck, and rice, I left the restaurant joyful with my taste buds warmly treated to a balance of sour and sweetness, of wild and tame, of the richness of the world in one meal. Roses come with thorns, music has consonance and dissonance, and great meals often have variety in flavor, such is the case of Chinese food. We walked aggressively through London, bundled up against the cold but exhilarating chill, and returned back to our apartment complex filled with thoughts of food, of life, and of friends.

LP VI--Church, Food, and Museum

2012-01-22T15:47:00.007-06:00

Gathering at 10:40, we headed to Westminster Abbey. On the way there, I reflected on the previous evening's meal of fish and chips. A large piece of cod with batter surrounded by beefy looking french fries called chips. All this balanced with a small cup of absolutely delicious mashed peas. All in all a tasty and quite traditional meal, topped off with a little carbonated water. Most of the students had a gentle chocolate dessert, but I wisely felt my limit of food intake!

A quick jaunt to Holburn to take us to Green Park and onward to Westminster tube station, a very nice station with plenty of space and escalators. Almost running to avoid being late, I glanced around me at the station and standing 5 feet from me were two old friends, parents of a former student. In much shock, we hugged, had a brief conversation but had to separate to get to the church on time. It was great to see them, but being one of the teachers of this London Studies program, I needed to remain with the group.

Arriving nearly breathless from the journey, we walked into the magnificent and glorious Westminster Abbey, certainly one of the greatest and most beautiful cathedrals in the world. We were instantly transformed into humble servants in the presence of greatness. Ornate without being gaudy, filled with intricate detail but grand in scope, the cathedral is somehow moderately conservative in attitude while being boldly powerful in spirit, strongly communicating the presence of the Lord with every breath and with every step. As the service began, I was reminded that the artistry of a high Anglican service is unmatched in this modern world but is surpassed by its own sensitivity and poetic liturgy. The poignant polyphony of the music reminded each of us of the individual nature of our lives that is melodic yet necessarily congruent in its collective. We were at one with the Lord in this setting and yet were able to bring our individual offering of gratitude to the table.

The incredible choir sang Victoria and Tallis, sounding like a recording as it reverberated off the walls and high multi-arched ceiling. The warm, rich pipe organ presented a pyramid of sound with the foundational bass tones almost resonating from within the architectural structure of the Abbey. The flawless organist played a Buxtehude Praeludium at the end of the service that was difficult beyond measure but sounded effortless in its presentation. I was moved by the service, awed by the music, mesmerized by the art, and spiritually changed by the text.

Making our way out of the Abbey, four of us ate a traditional Sunday lunch of Roast Beef and potatoes at the Red Lion restaurant. Returning to our domicile for a short nap, I soon headed over to the British Museum. Stunned by the artwork, I found myself in awe over the ancient German folk art depicting allegorical works of humor and profound meaning. I then wandered down to the British section and felt a funny mixture of emotions when I studied the books. Huge, heavy books containing maps, drawings, and ancient texts. Shakespeare, Plutarch, Gibbons, and the list continues. But my heart grew heavy as I admired these great works. Will there be books in 50 years? Is the future of the book in jeopardy? Will this blog ever be printed or will it remain in cyberspace forever and soon forgotten? Is the past soon to be enveloped and assimilated into a technological future without a physical presence? Scary thoughts in a way, or maybe comforting depending on your view!

LP V--Shows and Food

2012-01-21T03:48:00.005-06:00

I got up early today with the teachers and students to send them off on what is called a Tube Rallye. This is a big London scavenger hunt to discover London. They will be at it all day and will bring back pictures proving their findings. After they left, I went for a mile run in the park. I started to hit two miles but changed my mind since I have several things I need to do today. Cleaning up and straightening my room, I came to the coffee shop to reflect on yesterday.

The British professor took the group on a London Walk where we saw the outside of several museums, churches, and shops. We covered much of central London and walked out on a bridge over the Thames River. It was a lengthy walk and on the cold side, resulting in lots of tired people. Returning to the Pickwick and after a brief rest, I and Dr. Landwer who is the coordinator for the program, walked over to one of the finest Italian restaurants I have experienced. Wonderful lasagna and garlic bread touched my palate gently as I ate the delicious food. I find the food in London to be tasty and varied and I have yet to have anything that was not excellent. Soups, bread, meats, and all entrees are perfectly prepared.

Thinking that the evening could not get better after one of the best meals I have had, we began our walking journey to the show Shrek the Musical. Like the students, I was not convinced it would be a good show. After all, Shrek is sort of a cartoon and more for kids in general. Our seats were in the lower balcony and once we were settled, I began to study the theatre. Gorgeous hall replete with ornate columns, balcony extensions, and charming London architecture. Not huge, the theatre was designed for optimal acoustics and excellent visuals. Aside from the very close quarters (I guess Londoners are used to being close to each other), the seats were comfortable and ideally suited for a theatre experience.

Shrek is an average plot that we have all read and heard before. Ugly guy falls in love with pretty girl and they end up together. Ho-hum. But on stage, the typical story comes alive with humor, fear, energy, terrific songs, and non-stop creativity. Each moment was sheer entertainment from the word go. Each set was wonderfully intricate and contained motion and shimmering lighting that added to the moment. The costumes were nothing less than incredible but were second to the high level professional acting.

Wild, fun songs with a blend of country, rock, folk, and hints of classical all came together to provide a musical of joy, humor, and non-stop energy. Clever text that matched the melodies and bass line to perfection reached a bouncing audience that soon had the entire theatre moving to the exalted beat. Really just a blast all the way through. Lord Farquaad was a hilarious scream with his short legs, rude quips, and hidden gay references. His personal qualities were weak partly due to being the son of one of the Seven Dwarves! Too cute to hate, the audience knew he would receive justice in the end.

Sets that included a flying and singing dragon, a bridge over fire, a castle, a mysterious cabin, and a magical forest kept the audience electrified throughout the performance. Great singing, acting, and dancing worked together for one of the great entertaining experiences I have had in years. What a joy!

Ah the fun of London. More to do, more to see, more to analyze, and more to experience. Having a great time!

LP IV--Royal Navy

2012-01-19T01:15:00.005-06:00

On this rainy morning in London, I am enjoying a delicious bowl of porridge with fruit topping and a wonderful cup of coffee. Nobody talks to me but all are pleasant in their individuality so I sit here in the coffee shop strangely comfortable in this marvelous city. A Haydn minuet is playing in the background and earlier we heard a movement of a Beethoven piano sonata, giving me the aesthetics I seek this morning. Classical tonality certainly has its moments and those sounds reside in our hearts hopefully demonstrating the consonance that awaits this day. We pick up 19 students from the airport this morning and bring them into the city to begin the London semester. Exciting times for them and for us.

Yesterday was again a long and glorious day as three of us headed to Greenwich to explore the new and the old, the present and the past. We entered the O2 and I was again in awe at the modern structure that has an architectural beauty all its own with massive spikes extending at an angle suspending a dome ceiling over a colossal arena and shopping mall. Quite a facility, we enjoyed a few minutes of coffee, of the Nissan electric car display, of the many shops of clothes and nice items. Studying the rock and roll timeline on the walls of the walkway, we proceed back to the tube to head to the National Maritime Museum and Royal Navy College.

Before heading into the Museum we went to the side and up a long footpath toward the observatory. Suddenly, almost without warning, the path ascended quickly and we found ourselves in a steep incline upward. Arriving several minutes later and quite breathless we looked back and saw London in all its glory. A sight to behold with the financial district rising up from the ground and gently touching the clouds as though trying to own the heavens but failing in spite of the effort. A magnificent view that left us awestruck for several minutes. A quick run through of the observatory included some information on brilliant scientist John Harrison who invented the chronometer. The observatory is supported by the Peter Harrison Foundation.

Returning to the museum, we did a quick run through seeing boats, paintings, machines, statues, and anything related to the Royal Navy. Completing that precursory walk, we headed across the busy street to the Royal Navy College where we were treated to a beautiful performance of a song by Gounod. Walking into the Painted Hall, we were stunned by the artwork on the ceiling and in the transept. Further exploration around the area where we heard a trumpet player, a clarinet player, and a string quartet practicing eventually took us to another small museum of art work and uniforms from many years past in the Royal Navy.

Exhausted from walking but hungry, we stopped at delicious hamburger place and then headed back to Pickwick Hall by way of the tube. The masses of people on the tube once again made me uncomfortable particularly if I thought about my Texas home on 13 acres, but I dealt with it and got back efficiently and safely. All in all a grand day of exploring and learning.

I love the politeness of the people but am disturbed by the excessive smoking. There might be smaller people here due to all the walking, but there certainly are many more smokers. Consequently, we often hear coughing and hacking around us. It is unfortunate that the education needed to encourage non-smoking is lacking in this country. Perhaps time will dictate the benefits of a smoke-free lifestyle.

LP III--Rock Out

2012-01-17T05:29:00.009-06:00

Jumping and screaming as the glitter and shiny streamers fell upon us, and as we enthusiastically cheered for the amazing performers on stage, I was caught up in the maelstrom of the energy. It was the show Rock of Ages featuring music and styles from the 80s, including Foreigner, Journey, Stevie Nicks, Styx, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, and several others. The show was a voltage burning, head banging blast, constantly making fun of the time period while acknowledging the cultural significance. Very loud music, several inappropriate actions, and foul language were somewhat mentally displaced as the muscular bass and pulsing drums pounded out the beat and supported the incredible singers on the stage. All of it very fun but also strangely profound as the two lead singers eventually gave up on their original dreams, found each other, and launched a new dream of raising a family.

That was last night in London. This morning was another very long and intense walk that took me to the British Library and a few moments on a short block of music stores. Disappointment accompanied my thoughts when I walked into a book store laden full of Rock music books and memorabilia only to discover it was primarily an adult store and very inappropriate. Why can we not enjoy rock music without the garbage that sometimes trails along? Great question and one I hope to answer in the next few months.

In my observations, I noticed a significant lack of facial hair from most of the men except for a few college aged students. I also noticed smaller people in general both in height and in girth. This is probably due to the walking by the people or perhaps the type of food that is offered. Not entirely sure though. Maybe I see less make-up from the ladies and fewer formal dressers in my walks around London and maybe I see people whose lives seem goal-directed and not quite as happy. But again, I am not convinced this is true and time will determine such sweeping generalities.

I did walk into a coffee shop while holding a Starbucks coffee cup and asked the whereabouts of of a vintage record shop in the area. The proprietor quickly and almost harshly glanced at me and said he did not know. I proceeded to repeat my question to the other workers and to the people around me and received the same abrupt response. On my way out, the proprietor said something that sounded like a growl and to leave the Starbucks coffee outside! Smiling, I reminded myself that Starbucks is primarily American and probably a little threatening to the small London coffee shops. I need to improve my sensitivity.

In spite of very sore feet, tired legs, lack of sleep (I can't seem to get the time change under control), and being lost half the time I am walking about, I am having a grand time learning the city, learning the culture, and experiencing one of the greatest cities in the world. This morning I went to a pancake coffee house only to discover there were no pancakes. They were referencing thin crepes filled with eggs, cheese, and ham. Delicious but not the pancakes I sought. He asked if I would like maple syrup and I said yes and received a very small cup with enough maple syrup for a flea. Where do I find big, fluffy pancakes slathered in butter and dripping with syrup? Probably not until late April when I return to Texas!

LP II--St. Paul's Cathedral

2012-01-16T02:08:00.004-06:00

We approachd the Cathedral and were stunned to find Occupy London. Tents, signs, pamplets, and unwashed people all around the magnificent old structure. Pushing a socialistic agenda against the banking industry, there were also several Vegan signs, peace recommendations, and a bookstore in a tent that unfortunately did not smell pleasant. But nevertheless we headed up the stone steps into what is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. Constructed under the authority and design of Christopher Wren and completed in 1710, it contains wonderful arches, domes, buttresses, austere gables, sculptures, and interwoven tapestry. A breathtaking experience in all respects, I felt in awe upon my first step into the Cathedral. http://www.stpauls.co.uk/

Sitting in the front row, I remained silent as the service began, prayerfully and humbly bowing to the Lordship of God Almighty. Not unlike experiences I have had in the outdoors, the Cathedral seems beyond human scope and divinely inspired, serving as a reminder of the vastness of God and the smallness of man. Yet I was not there to reflect on myself but rather was there to give honor to God in all His majesty. The high church Anglican service included corporate prayers, responses to the President, hearing of the word, listening to the anthem, and singing as a congregation. We then participated in communion and shared in encouraging peace to each other.

The choir was all male with boys singing the soprano and alto parts. We heard Victoria and Tallis and several chants in the Ionian and Dorian modes. The incredible organist played on a 5 manual pipe organ whose warmth and beauty resonated throughout the church. Lacking in punctuation but full in tone and sustaining power, the organ was quite different from organs in the United States. This is likely due to the architectural design of the location rather than the instrument itself. Makes me suspect that the organ might once again reign supreme were it given a cathedral in which to reside. Immediately after the service, I approached the organist to ask about one selection he had played. It contained a soft but relentless chromatic passage in the upper register on flute stops, and invoked a cantus firmus that somehow moved into the pedals. It all wound together with a slight and subtle crescendo, ending on a major chord. He said he had improvised it. I mentioned Messiaen influence and he smiled and said it was based on a Messiaen mode of limited transposition and style.

I loved the service and felt blessed to experience it in all respects. Maybe I am too eclectic as a musician and as a Christian, but I must say that my feeling was that of an awesome powerful yet personal God who attends to the world and to me. Whereas when I worship in a praise setting in the United States, my experience is perhaps smaller but no less significant. We worship the same God in a multitude of ways without one way being superior to another. To place drums and guitars in a high church Anglican service in a stunning Cathedral comes close to being desecration. Yet to intone on the Dorian mode and to listen primarily to an acapella choir in a fully carpeted modern room without reverberation and without vibrancy is rather dull and lifeless.

The rest of the day was spent walking the streets of London and soaking in the culture of energy, of heritage, and of progression. It was truly a wonderful day and today will be even better!

London Post--I (Hereby LP I)

2012-01-15T02:44:00.004-06:00

The nearly 10 hour flight from DFW to London Heathrow was uneventful except for feeling cramped the whole time. Maybe someday I can afford to get first class where they have leg room and can stretch out. After a little sleep on the plane I was both wired and tired but mainly excited about being in London. The tube trip to Russell Square took nearly 45 minutes most of it standing due to the crowds. Living in the country on 13 acres where space is the norm is quite different from being 1 or 2 inches from a stranger. People are generally nice and pleasant but not given to small talk with a stranger. So for 10 hours on the plane and 45 minutes on the tube, I spoke to nobody. Feels odd.

Found the place where I am staying and got checked in. The room is small and not fancy but should be adequate for my needs. Forgot about the showers being so small and the beds being very firm. But I probably am a little spoiled these days. Still in spite of a couple of living challenges, London is a great place to be. I went for a long walk and got lost which is what I wanted to do! Eventually I found a bookstore (no surprise there) and asked where I was and how to get back to Russell Square. Suddenly I was walking by the British Museum which is 2 blocks from where I live and was reminded that it is one of the largest and most complete museums in the world. Can't wait to visit it again.

Last night I ate fish and chips and nearly finished the massive piece of fried cod. It was great but too much for me even after a day of not eating anything. Slept most of the night but am still experiencing jet lag and time adjustment. Got up this morning and went and drank a terrific cup of coffee at one of the nearby coffee shops. Not as nice as Common Grounds in Brownwood, but almost!

About to get ready to go to St. Paul's Cathedral in London for worship. I am planning to worship often and with as much variety as I can find. There are many ways to worship God and many settings to do so here in London. Today will be a high church Anglican service in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. No drums or guitars today!

On the downside, my feet hurt a little from lots of walking and I forgot to exchange my American money for British pounds. I still cannot differentiate the coins here and have much to learn about the customs. While everyone speaks English, many are from other countries and it is hard to understand the accents and language subtleties from the workers. But I do love the challenge and am not afraid to ask questions.

London and I meet together for over 3 months and the meeting will be grand!

Brownwood, Texas

2012-01-10T07:17:00.014-06:00

Living in the country between Brownwood and Bangs, I drive nearly 15 minutes to work every morning down the highway through beautiful, rolling hills filled with live oak trees, mesquite, and the occasional deer. It is a special time for me and one I do not take for granted. I leave my house most mornings before 7 a.m., drive down the road, and turn onto the highway for the brief journey, a journey I value for its calm reflection of the joys in my life and the beauty that surrounds me. As I navigate the road with its gentle hills, soft curves, and smooth, sloping grade, I anticipate the moment that greets me every morning, the view.

Outside of Brownwood, at the top of the hill, sits a small rest area. With trees and a little table, it is a nice resting spot for travelers or for anyone wanting to look down into the valley known as Brownwood. But I never stop, I never need to stop, for I am as familiar with it as my own hand. Before heading down the hill, I glance down and give a smile to the small town to which I am headed. My smile is a tribute to where I work and where I spend a large part of my time and where my career has been centered for 17 years, the town of Brownwood and Howard Payne University.

As I slow down before the descent, I see the hotels, the orange glow of Home Depot, the red brick on the police station, the warehouses, the many homes, businesses, parks, churches, schools, all the things that make the community a special place. After a rain, there is a shimmering glisten of fresh wet droplets that seems to envelope the whole area, making it appear almost glassy and fanciful as though a comforter from the clouds has blanketed the village. Looking like a city from a dream that has suddenly appeared, one wonders if this is the magical world from Brigadoon that only exists every 100 years.

It is a joyful, warm feeling that permeates my thoughts as I crest the hill and begin the brief journey downward to work. In spite of the occasional challenges that work brings and in spite of differing views from people, and in spite of not being a large metropolitan environment, Brownwood is a great place to live and to work. People come in all shapes and sizes and are often a colorful mosaic of flaws and imperfections, this writer no exception, amidst beauty and intrigue; and yet, it is people that complete our lives and keep it interesting. Of course driving the streets of Brownwood or shopping or eating at restaurants would be much simpler if nobody else were involved, but would it really be preferable? Absolutely not.

Plus I must admit that Brownwood is not exactly in a valley and we really live on the outskirts of town with a Bangs post office box and a Brownwood physical address. And if I sincerely want to be honest, there might be a few things here and there that are difficult to handle in our fair city. Not to mention that it has been a very dry, hot summer.

But whenever the complexities of life in dealing with others threaten the joy within, I begin to dwell on the view on the top of the hill. A view that I treasure each day and a view that reminds me of God's beauty and God's creation. Sure, it has flaws, but Brownwood is a great place to live. As I prepare for three months in London, England, a beautiful place all its own, I click my mental camera on the little town in the valley known as Brownwood and am honored to call it my home.

Francis McBeth (1933-2012)

2012-01-07T09:15:00.008-06:00

I first met Dr. McBeth at the Texas Tech band camp where I played under his direction. Of course I was in awe of him, his music, his skill, and his personality. He was simply an amazing human being in all respects and a musician of the highest order, worth accolades and honors for his remarkable career and his non-stop dedication to music. He is gone now but will be long remembered. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Francis_McBeth

Much will be written about Francis McBeth in the days ahead and I see no need to rehash his illustrious musical career, but I do see a need to give my personal perspective on him and his music. As a composer, Dr. McBeth was decidedly creative, giving all his music a sparkling glow of fresh and unique. A product of his time, some of his early music now sounds a bit dated to our ears but an inside listening reveals unequaled rhythmic energy and melodic invention. His use of rhythm propelled his musical ideas forward, leaving players and listeners breathless with joy at the musical result. While his music for school bands, often at an easier technical level, shines with the McBeth sound of colors, rhythm, and fun, it is his advanced music that his greatest expression comes to the fore. Kaddish and Of Sailors and Whales are two of my personal favorites but I can honestly say I have never heard a McBeth piece I did not like. McBeth's use of orchestration and instrumental colors is matched by his layering of sounds and unpredictable rhythmic variety.

As a conductor, he was superb in all respects, developing and perfecting a system for cueing that I adopted and continue to use today. Deliberate in his physical motions, everything he did on the podium served the music in the best way possible. Always precise and always controlled, his motions and non-verbal communication brought out the best in the ensemble in all settings. As he conducted the band, he would constantly listen and respond to what he heard, crafting and designing the band to the ideal. Commanding but never over-bearing, confidence without arrogance, players always knew he was in charge and that the result would be powerful, personal, and as close to perfect as music can be. Adopting many of his mannerisms, I was a devoted student of his conducting style and have used his ideas throughout my own career.

But as great as his music is and as wonderful a conductor he was, it is his personality that I remember so well. His mental joke encyclopedia was astounding and he was able to pull a joke at any moment for any occasion. He once told me that he enjoyed telling three different levels of jokes to study the reactions of other people. He said he could determine a person's creativity level by the reaction to a certain joke. With a twinkle in his eye, he told me I had passed the creativity test! I have always wondered if he said that to everyone. Francis McBeth's personality was filled with electric energy that affected everyone around him, drawing people to him and changing the social environment for the better. Frequently opinionated, he could move quickly from a serious moment to a comically charged moment, causing emotions to swim in extremes from elation to concern to humor. In spite of his remarkable success, he remained humble and self-deprecating throughout his life, retaining the character traits of a strong Christian, a true gentleman and a gifted musician.

Yes, he will be missed. But he made his impact on the world and that impact will last for many generations.

Eggs, Exercise, Egalitarianism

2012-01-05T07:16:00.004-06:00

After reading an article on the joys of eating eggs, I decided to revisit this age old food, a food that seems natural and abundant, and sure enough it has been a great experience. I love starting my day with a couple of scrambled eggs cooked in butter with a dash of salt, garlic, vinegar, and just a tad of honey. It may sound a little eclectic to readers, but before being critical, give it a try. Make sure to whisk everything together for the right consistency. Good stuff for sure. A nice blend of slightly harsh flavor with hints of sweet. The eggs always taste ideal in the morning, and I enjoy sitting in my chair, contemplating life, and slowly eating delicious eggs for breakfast. Top it off with a little orange juice or blueberry Naked juice and the day begins perfectly.

Thankfully my feet are doing better. The bone spur is still a problem but with my new orthotics, I do not land as solidly on the hurt portion of the heel. This allows me to get back to running and exercising without undue pain in my feet. I am wisely going slowly as I get back to form and will aim for 3 miles a day rather than 5. In London there is a park across from our residence where I can run safely on an even surface, and will do so in spite of the cold, wet weather. I do appreciate the foot doctor in Abilene for helping me get back on my feet so to speak, which allows me to return to the lifestyle of running that I enjoy. Exercise is like a happy pill in some ways as those endorphins affect everything in the body especially the mind and the emotions. For anyone experiencing depression or stress, I highly recommend a little exercise. Good stuff for sure (did I just say that about eggs also?).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series of books and movies are wrought full of purpose, philosophy, and shimmering energy. A bit liberal for me in general, the books are breath-taking examples of great stories shining with new ways to look at life and new emotional mountains to climb. Recognizing the differences between males and females but embracing an egalitarian world-view, it is refreshing to read books that point out both the frailties and the potential strength of all kinds of people. Too often fiction seems to be male dominant or female dominant rather than individually focused. These great books remind us of the need for totality in our egalitarianism. Women deserve the same regard and respect that we give everyone. The days of objectifying women (or men) and elevating men (or women) to higher levels than warranted are gone and all of us need to embrace a world-view of egalitarianism. Good stuff for sure (sorry, I just couldn't resist!).

Been a great day of eggs, exercise, and equality. Time to practice what I preach.

Lessons from Popular Series

2012-01-03T07:16:00.016-06:00

Thinking more about the popular book and movie series of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I think there are some lessons within the pages that have great application for all of us. Forgive my tendency to find personal and collective insights in movies and in books, and I realize that most people simply enjoy being entertained, but perhaps even in the entertainment we can glean something that has deeper meaning. Great art, music, literature, theater all provide two overriding characteristics: 1) entertaining in some way, 2) emotionally profound in some way. Great paintings intrigue us and teach us something in the process. This is true for music, literature, and yes even movies. Jurassic Park was great entertainment on the screen with big, scary dinosaurs and lots of energy, but it was also insightful. Perhaps scientists can go too far and create something that no longer belongs on the planet.

In the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, we find a socially dysfunctional young lady who was the victim of abuse as a girl and who is continually abused by the legal system. Because of her stature, because of her edgy lifestyle, because of tendency to withdraw, she is a target for those wanting to exploit her and treat her harshly. Her liberal appearance with tattoos and body piercing further exacerbates her look of being experienced in the world. People without strong compassion and personal morals often substitute someone's experienced look for desire and purpose. Rather than finding the talents within her, she is judged superficially and treated like an animal or a subhuman. Ironically, she is a brilliant genius with skills well beyond that of most executives and intellects.

Lesson #1--Look beyond the obvious and never take advantage of someone's weaknesses.

As a political/legal thriller all three books remind us of the power of governments to affect our lives. Sometimes when a group develops an inflated view of its own role and responsibility, it forgets about the very people in its charge and becomes imperialistic, justifying its existence through decisions intended for the broad collective. So in these books, a power group within the government allowed the abuse of a brilliant but awkward young lady. The turned a blind eye away from the individual under the guise of "what is best" for the country.

Lesson #2--Never destroy individual compassion for the sake of some governmental priority

The media has a grave responsibility to substantiate everything printed. This is due to their remarkable power to affect and shift the thinking of large groups of people. Given that power and responsibility are heavy burdens to bear, these books emphasize the need for the media to support the people over the institutions. Big has the muscle and few look out for the small. With the potential and often reality for corruption at the highest levels, who will advocate for individual, the person without money, without support, without the ability to make a difference. It is incumbent upon the media to seek out and destroy corruption that is hurting the people.

Lesson #3--The media has the power to level the playing field for all of us. Institutional tyranny is rampant and now is the time to end it.

At the same time, too often we look to others to solve our problems, to find a solution to the many things blocking our progress. We live in a world of blame, a culture of pointing fingers, a false sense that we cannot control our future, a hopelessness and despair of our lives. True that regulations, restrictions, obstacles, and economic monsters seem insurmountable to an ambitious individual; and yet, there is still room for resourcefulness, initiative, and creativity.

Lesson #4--Always work toward finding creative solutions to problems and be confident in your ability to overcome the challenges.

While we may choose to avoid the realities of the world, underneath our antiseptic, glossy lives is a tough world for many. A world that includes abuse, pain, perversions, and great fear for those who are powerless to defend themselves. Rather than ignoring the truth, it is time to work together to protect the weak from the corruption of the individuals and the organizations that often invade our lives and hurt so many.

Lesson #5--Keep your eyes open for those who need our help and expose the corruption at every opportunity.

Cards and Roosevelt

2011-12-31T07:39:00.005-06:00

Finished another biography of Theodore Roosevelt that concentrated on his time in North Dakota where he was a rancher and a Cowboy. After his first wife died, Roosevelt was grieving so prodigiously that he needed to get away and do something different. He bought a ranch in the Badlands and spent several years raising cattle and hunting. During this time he worked alongside the cattlemen, hunted game throughout the area, survived in the wilds, dealt with cold, with Indians, with thieves, with drought, and with the harshness and beauty of the outdoors. He toughened his body and in effect trained for his future as a tough, no nonsense kind of President. Roosevelt's fearless approach to leadership characterized his life in everything he did.

I do not necessarily agree with everything TR did and often wrestle with the conservation excesses, plus the issues related to trust busting, but my respect for him remains considerable. His hunting prowess is well-documented and rather confusing when we think about how he would shoot an endangered animal to add to his collection at home or in museums. It was as though his love and respect for nature found the greatest expression in conquering everything that nature represented. I suppose I can understand this concept a little. If one respects something or someone, then the best way to demonstrate that is to control it and to exert power over it. But even as I write the words, they seem flawed and empty. To respect something is to give it freedom and allow it to become its own entity and force. Maybe there is simply a balance somewhere in the midst of this discussion about respect.

Is it possible today to become Theodore Roosevelt? I don't really think so. Hunting regulations are very strict and nobody is allowed to hunt unlimited deer, elk, bear, antelope, or certainly not bison. I suppose someone could find a wilderness and live for several weeks off of the land to include berries, rabbits, birds, etc., but I have to wonder if doing so would break some kind of government regulation. In addition, the isolation required would be nearly impossible in our fully connected world. Could I live for a month without a cell phone, internet connection, human contact? It would be tough for sure.

But we do have ways today to toughen ourselves and strike out independently. Athletic training is one great way. Hunting, although heavily regulated, is still allowed. I have friends who ride horses and punch cattle on the side. In spite of our connected and overly regulated world, there is still opportunity for each of us to improve ourselves in many ways. That is one reason I try to do something physical nearly every day, such as running, walking, lifting something, or working outdoors. Far from being TR, I still find great satisfaction in the effort.

Talking about connectivity, I am truly frustrated with the darn cards that stores expect us to produce when we purchase something. I despise the question and further abhor having to search for some stupid rewards or plus or advantage card in order to get a coupon or a reduced price. It is all a beguiling trick to invade our personal lives and use that information against us in some way. But cashiers won't let it go. If I say "no I do not have a card," they will follow with "how about a phone number?" It is beyond annoyance and invasive. Recognizing the store is simply trying to track purchases and ultimately provide those products most bought by consumers, I still feel like my rights and privileges to buy what I want to buy are being eroded by the digital world of consumer tracking. The next step is to come in our homes, study our accounts, and tell us what we need.

And they convince us to use their card by giving us discounts for certain items so we are excited to save 17 cents or in the case of a large purchase, $3.50. Then they give us a sweet smile and say "You have saved 53 cents today!" The other day at J.C. Penney, I saved $60 by choosing items on sale. She informed me of that and I felt my heart soar with positive affirmation at my amazing shopping ability to save that much money. But I started thinking about it. Did that "savings" really improve my life? Was I really a good shopper by saving that much money? Or the bigger question, "What was the markup anyway?" Did J.C. Penney lose money due to my wise shopping ability? Of course not. In fact, why not put a price tag of $10,000 on a shirt and then mark it down to $19.99. That way the sweet lady could say, "You have saved $9,980.01. today!" Boy, you talk about a confidence booster, that is a lot of money. Why not advertise that everything in the store is $100,000 each but has been discounted down to $5.00. You talk about a tremendous sale!

Okay, I am getting ridiculous about this, but my point is that I do not enjoy having to produce a card in order to save a dollar or two. Just label the price of the item and let me decide whether to purchase it or not. Don't try to trick me with cards, sales, gimics, and mostly do not invade my privacy.

You're the Top, Cole Porter

2011-12-29T08:39:00.005-06:00

As a lover and student of musicals and Broadway shows, I am always seeking after something new, some new sound or approach to music for the stage. With the new sounds of today, replete with rock beats, synthesized technopop, and music to reach a younger generation, I often return to the past in spite of my desire for the new. After all, great melodies are still great melodies, and interesting harmony remains fresh even after multiple hearings. Maintaining that for art to survive the test of time, it must reach beyond the simple and into the creative, I often find myself returning to the amazing songs of Cole Porter.

Trained as a classical musician and pianist, Cole Porter began writing songs at an early age. Not necessarily a prodigy but certainly displaying great genius throughout his life, Cole Porter wrote his own music and lyrics primarily for the theater. An up and down career that included as many failures as successes, Cole Porter's heritage is that of wonderfully clever songs and harmonic experimentation. He somehow overcame the many failures in his career to keep his name alive and his music authentic for today. In spite of his colorful lifestyle and lack of fidelity, he did remain paradoxically devoted to his wife who died several years before his own death at the age of 75. Able to separate my own rather judgmental principles from the quality of his work, I hold the music of Cole Porter in high regard for its complexity, its interest, its personal expression, and its blend of earthy and sophistication. This is music for the people and the many wonderful songs deserve a place among the finest in music theater.

Songs such as In the Still of the Night, Brush Up Your Shakespeare, Be a Clown, Let's Fall in Love, Blow Gabriel Blow, and So in Love stand out as meaningful, clever, intriguing, and energetic. Other songs such as Begin the Beguine, You're the Top, and Always True to You in My Fashion have charm and wit demonstrating how human foibles can become triumphs. Musically he used rhythm to make the text jump out and explode with meaning and he continually matched the inflections of the text with the punctuation of the music. Aside from the veiled sexual referencs found in many of his lyrics, his songs are fun and pleasing, capturing the shimmering glow of life in each phrase.

Why does a song like Night and Day continue to be a regular part of many professional singers repertoire? I believe it is due to the inside rhythmic energy, the text, and to the harmonic experimentation. Every time we hear it, we hear something new and it keeps our interest over a long period of time. Far from using three chords, Cole Porter moves in and out of the established key, leaving us breathless with anticipation over the next sound. With a free use of augmented chords, sevenths, ninths, and chromatic alteration, Night and Day moves at a fast harmonic pace that leaves no doubt that Cole Porter was the master of harmony. After an odd verse of repeated notes over strange chords, the chorus begins with a chord that is far removed from the key of Eb. The melody states a major 7 over the chord of B, followed by a Bb7 which then leads us nicely to the tonic. Rather than stating the obvious, Cole Porter uses the altered flat 6th of the key to move chromatically to the dominant in a kind of text painting of darkness moving to light. All great stuff and musically intriguing, making Night and Day a wonderful song for all time.

So my admiration for the music of Cole Porter reigns high as I continue to be a student of musicals. While Kiss Me Kate is not necessarily my favorite plot, I love the music from beginning to end. Anything Goes is another winner and both have enjoyed successful revivals recently. If you are looking for some great old songs, turn to Cole Porter. He is the top.

Kennedy Center awards

2011-12-28T08:26:00.016-06:00

Neil Diamond, Barbara Cook, Meryl Streep, Sonny Rollins, and Yo-Yo Ma were honored at the Kennedy Center with music, film, some comedic moments and mostly lots of class. All were acknowledged as great in their field and all seemed deeply appreciative of the experience. The enthusiastic audience was treated to new performances of outstanding music, and I heard an eclectic blend of classical, pop, ethnic, and folk music and found myself drawn into the presentation. This event with its sheer variety and obvious excellence represents a turning point in how music is presented to the world. Entertaining and fun, complex and intelligent, emotionally expressive yet precise, the music was simply outstanding.

The market, like everything else, ultimately determines the taste of the people, and no matter how much government agencies work to interfere, it is the people who choose the music they prefer. And people seem to like variety ranging from rock to folk to classical and the freedom to experience and yes invoke ethnic styles within the sound. The internet, with youtube and with any kind of music at our fingertips, has opened up a world of musical possibilities for all of us. Not wanting to be labeled one particular kind of musician and seeking after other means of expression, we are beginning to see musicians pulling in other styles and then finding their own way.

While Neil Diamond did well singing his songs in the 70s, those old recordings sound a little dated to our ears now. But in spite of the anachronistic enjoyment of his performances, we recognize that the music itself is somewhat timeless. At the Kennedy awards, we heard more modern versions of Diamond's music and a strange but effective blend of rock, pop, and folk styles. It gave his music a fresh quality that keeps it alive. Add that to the choir that joined the instrumentalists and suddenly we found joy in the collective moment of lots of people singing Sweet Caroline!

Done with Diamond, the show moved over to Yo-Yo Ma, pointing out his prowess on the cello as a classical musician and then moving into a broad embracing of musical styles which first included Brahms, clips of Bach, a classical string quartet, then an odd folk ensemble with a ukele and an exotic instrument of which I was not certain. Obviously since this was a tribute to Yo-Yo Ma, they found many of his "friends" to do the performance. Yo-Yo Ma has never quit learning throughout his illustrious career that has led him all over the world to experience every form of music he can find. Jazz, blues, rock, pop, tribal, gamelan, Japanese, Chinese, and every imaginable folk sound ended up partnering with the great cellist. It was really just a kick all the way through and came together with a John Williams piece that incorporated a choir, string quartet, piano, several odd bagpipes, ukeles, and other unusual instruments. What a fun, musical experience and the audience responded with great zeal to the unusual but widely appealing sounds. I could not help but notice, however, the lukewarm response to the string quartet by several audience members!

Of course I have to laugh a little when I think back on the opening of Kennedy Center in 1971 with Bernstein's Mass. It was not what was expected nor even wanted with its wild use of street bands, blues, rock, drug references, children's choir, sophistication, and mostly eclectism in an attempt to embrace the complex world of religion and music. Not received well, the piece fell into a small cult-like following that continues today with people like me who love the work! When you ask Leonard Bernstein to compose something, you should be prepared for something different! Give him the freedom and you get the strength of his creativity. He certainly was an amazing musician.

But the topic is music of today. We heard a vast array of sounds that incorporated much more than classical or pop or folk or music from around the world. We heard it all and in a short period of time. We honored a rock/pop musician and a classical musician both of which crossed over to other styles in their careers. Perhaps their diversity and their inclusivity of a wide range of music are the elements that helped catapult them to such musical heights.

So why is it then that academia prefers and teaches classical music primarily? Why does the world in the broadest sense embrace the totality of music but in academic circles, we denounce the concept? Is it that the idea of inclusivity is too new, or perhaps it is too complex to address in curriculum? On the other hand, maybe we in academia like the idea of a small but appreciative audience for our music? There are no easy answers to these questions, but I am generally encouraged by the eclectism I hear and I am touched by the honoring of great performers of our time.

Christmas, Football, etc.

2011-12-27T06:19:00.007-06:00

Christmas has come and gone, and unless you are one of those strict church calendar people adhering to all parts of the Advent season, it is time to take down the decorations and move forward. I got a little weary this year of the colors red and green, the ornaments, the packages, the lights, and constant Santas everywhere. But rather than becoming a Grinch about it all, I decided that the joy seen on people's faces blended with the pleasant conversation were worth the commercial excesses. People were generally nice this Christmas and it made me glad for the season. With a bold declamation I say to get rid of the meanies and let's make the attitude of Christmas last the whole year. After all, it is really about the birth of Jesus Christ and about the love he imparted during his brief time on earth.

Schlotzsky's has made a new marketing push lately and is emphasing the O in its name. On the side of the building I see a large, painted O that is complemented and further emphasized by the street sign that brings out the O in the word Schlotszky's. This is all fine and probably a good idea for the company. It gives the franchise a definition and a way for people to remember it as they drive by. This is not dissimilar to the golden arches of McDonalds or the star looking asterisk at Walmart or the little Wendy girl or the big red chili or the orange glow of Home Depot. We tend to reduce places and stores down to the essential visual representation and prolong that which we readily see and understand. When I see a large O, do I think of food at Schlotzkys? Maybe unconsciously I do. But what if acknowledgment of this truth is a little too self-deprecating. Is it possible that we as humans are quite predictable, a little too simplistic, and that we are being tricked into some kind of response to outward stimuli? If so, and I suspect it to be true, I am going to wage my own private personal battle against reacting to the chicanery that exists around me. No more burger thoughts for me when I see the arches, no more thinking about cheap items when I see the funny Walmart asterisk, and no more sandwich thoughts when I see a large O. Resist the norm, fight the typical, punch out the expected I say and don't let the marketers shape your emotions or your footsteps. I'll take the road less traveled and do the opposite from what "they" want. So there. I feel better already I think.

Watching a football game last night, I was once again disturbed by the bad, harsh and boring announcing I heard. Repetitive and predictable comments such as "I tell you what...this is a football game," or "If they will cause a three and out, then they can get the ball and drive down the field," or "He can stand in the pocket and throw downfield with the best," or "What a terrible call by the officials." I have decided that when it is all said and done, there is just not much you can say about the game. It is not really all that complicated. No matter how much money is spent, and how many commentators are placed on camera, or how many stats you can find, in the end football is just a game. Fun, exciting, energetic but just a game. Move the ball downfield and score. One team has the ball and one team doesn't. Let's play the game and stop trying to turn it into a world war requiring analysis of every little event.

Then as I was watching it, and incidentally enjoying the athletic skill of the players, I saw a player tackled from behind. He caught the ball but was hit hard by the defender and his back seemed to twist unnaturally into an obviously painful position. When he came down, he was hurt and helped off the field. Now I don't mean to sound like a wimp and I do think there are times for manly displays of strength and courage, but really is this worth it? We scream for them to hit hard but then worry when they do. We want to see the player tackled but cringe when he goes down. We are striving to care for the sick, the lame, and to live a refined life free of violence and destruction, but then we are willing to spend billions of dollars for a game that causes pain. I am not sure I understand this any longer.

This is not to say that I am innocent of such emotions, for I enjoy a good football game as much as anyone. I love to see a man run fast down the field and avoid the tackles. I enjoy a wonderful pass and I fear for the kicker trying to win the game with a field goal. But I do not appreciate the brutality I see and I do not understand how a refined society can accept a situation that inflicts pain on other people. Maybe this is why I find myself preferring baseball and basketball (although it can be rough as well) over football. Others need not share in my opinions but I do exercise my right to express them. Football is a fun game, but let's not let it rule our lives and may we never value the hurt it can cause others. When we embrace human suffering we have reduced ourselves to a low denominator not far from the primitivism of the past.

Mild Altercation

2011-12-23T08:28:00.006-06:00

Relaxing in the motel lobby in Denton, Texas and eating a lame breakfast of yogurt, a bagel, and a cup of coffee, I witnessed an awkward altercation between two people. On the surface, the disagreement dealt with what to watch on the television while we were eating breakfast, but the underlying current was more politically motivated.

A moment for my feelings about television. I enjoy a good show occasionally and do find myself watching a good sports game at times. Rarely making it through an entire football game without falling asleep, I do think the opportunity to watch television is a luxury we all tend to take for granted. Getting to watch a show or a game that is taking place several thousand miles away is remarkable in many ways and something that did not occur for our grandparents many years ago. I also enjoy a good movie (nothing like Rio Bravo on a Saturday afternoon!) and do enjoy the old and the new Hawaii Five-O. Televsion is entertaining, relaxing, informative, and fun for everyone. But I must say that it really does not matter to me at all. If we had no television, I would be fine. In fact, part of me often wonders if the world would be better without television. If it is on, I am happy to watch it, but if not, I do not miss it. It is not a need for a meaningful life and has little bearing on anything other than some information and entertainment.

Back to the event. Much of what followed I missed and learned about later. Apparently an elderly man of around 75 asked a couple in the room if they would mind watching a different channel. We were watching CNN news and the elderly man wanted to see Fox News. The husband quickly and rather loudly said no which I did hear. In retrospect, I am wondering why I wasn't asked my opinion. Probably because I was working on the computer at the time and showed no interest in the television! Anyway, the man who refused to allow the change was about 50 plus and built like a tank. Very large with a military haircut and a physical confidence often associated with violent potential and battle experience. He was a bully, not unlike the kind we found on the playground many years ago. After the loud refusal, the elderly man politely said "okay, sorry to bother you."

The bully then proceeded to call him an idiot and said that he and people like him were ruining our country. I suppose he was referring to the desire for the elderly man to see Fox News rather than CNN. The bully stood up and followed the man back to his seat and proceeded to threaten him with a lawsuit and to make disparaging comments about his viewing habits. The elderly man said nothing and did not make eye contact. Just as it appeared as though the bully would make a physical move to attack, he backed off and left. It all happened very quickly and in retrospect, I wish I had come to the defense of the elderly man. Since I was not entirely sure of the inital cause of the altercation, I was not sure which side to support. At the moment, I did not know if the two men had a prior relationship nor did I know why one of them appeared upset. But in thinking about the incident, regardless of my opinions about the show and regardless of the man's request, nobody should bully another person.

Is television worth this kind of behavior? Does it really matter at all what show is on television? Should someone request a change in a public lobby? After all, who really cares about it? Well, I guess some people do and I suppose it is important to some. Should I have jumped to the defense of the elderly gentleman in spite of not understanding what was happening? I think so. After the bully left, I approached the gentleman and asked what happened. He explained to me about the show. He was fighting back the tears and seemed genuinely frightened. I felt my anger rise and wish I had confronted the bully. He might have pulverized me and sent me to kingdom come, but at least I would have protected the honor of the elderly man.

But it is easier to do nothing which is what I did. In the end, I recommend to all to put less stock in what is on the television and work to develop a cavalier, apathetic view of the show. Wars have been fought over property rights disputes and over religious and poltical differences. No war is justified and no hotel lobby battle can have a winner. All lose and in this case, all did.

Christmas Ramblings

2011-12-19T08:52:00.008-06:00

A little weary of the same old Christmas Carols, a little tired of seeing red and green, and wondering why everywhere I look there are tinsel, gleaming lights, and ornaments of all shapes and sizes, I headed out in a van to deliver bags of Christmas joy to the elderly in nursing homes. Perhaps my attitude was perfunctory, even cavalier, as we loaded up the van with six of us and drove out to the nursing home. Walking into the complex with a plastered but artificial smile, my feelings were further assailed by the odor of stale urine, depression, sickness, and sadness. Heading toward one of the rooms for the delivery, we walked by a barely alive lady in a wheelchair. Projecting myself into the nursing home one day, I saw the abyss of inevitable sadness of our lives as we head toward physical vapidity.

But all that changed with the first note of Joy to the World as it rang out upon the ears of the kind gentleman who smiled warmly upon our presence. He was happy to see us and happy to share in our Christmas Joy. Suddenly, almost in one fell swoop, my entire countenance changed and I felt like the Grinch when his heart grows! We sang our songs with gusto and although not perfect, we sang to lift the spirits, we sang about the birth of Jesus, and we sang about love. We sprinkled happiness with our breath, with our songs, and with our selfless giving. What began as a duty to deliver gift bags, ended up being the joy of the season. Each person responded with warmth and energy to our singing and each wanted us to stay longer as we wished them Merry Christmas. It was all great fun and reminded me of how our lives are connected to each other and how we gain from the strength and the spirit of our friends. To give is to receive and Christmas is an ideal opportunity to give.

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of musical activities as I played my horn in a concert, directed another performance of Handel's Messiah, led two performances of a large choir and orchestra in Glory to the Highest, directed a piece at the band concert, and sang in another concert. I have sung numerous carols, listened to all the others, shared music with anyone who would listen, and gave leadership in virtually every musical situation. Maybe it made me a little tired at times, but I do thank the Lord for the ability and the energy that allows me to be a practicing, a thinking, and a performing musician. We are blessed by the gift of music and I consider myself fortunate to be one of the many servants of the gift.

Today is hat day for me. I left one hat at the movie theatre when we watched Sherlock Holmes which incidentally was enjoyable but a little too heroic and tough at times. I prefer the cerebral Sherlock Holmes over the tough guy James Bond-like Sherlock Holmes. Regardless, the problem is that I left my hat at theatre. My tendency to leave things behind could be some sort of psychological desire to make a difference in the world and leave a part of me everywhere I go, but I don't really want to think about that too much today. In addition to the theatre hat, I also left a different hat at a church where I conducted Handel's Messiah. So today is hat day as I retrieve the missing items and give my bald head some reprieve from the cold and the wind. It's all for the head after all.

Reading the Stieg Larsson series of books that hit the book world a couple of years ago. Pretty energetic, intelligent writing for sure. They are fun, engaging, and full of mental gymnastics for those wanting entertainment mixed with academic moments. My reading habits are very eclectic these days like my music habits I suppose. Maybe one they will write on my tombstone that I was eclectic, confusing, and endearing!

Okay, enough about myself. How is everybody doing these days? The economy seems to be a big mess, people seem insecure, sports games are not all that interesting anymore (but the Cowboys are plugging along and keeping us on our toes!), and food is sort of dull and fattening. On the other hand, it is all just life and is grand even in the down times.

Walmart Ambiguity

2011-12-17T11:42:00.011-06:00

Pulling into the parking lot where I luckily found a spot about 200 yards from the front door, I parked and headed into Walmart to purchase one item--a small box of garbage bags. As I made my way back to the farthest reaches of the behemoth superstore, I nearly collided with three shopping carts, nearly tripped on an article of clothing someone had thrown down, got lost and wandered down 2 aisles full of containers of some kind, marveled at the large signs on every display, apologized four times for being in someone's way, was apologized two times for someone else being in my way, and found myself on the back wall examining the multitude of choices for garbage bags. Finding the preferred box of bags, I then dodged more shopping carts, lots of people, several displays and found an open cash register. For the first time in memory, I did not have to wait long to pay and leave the store. By comparison to the past, it was a grand experience in all respects. I was not exhausted, I only avoided being run over in the parking lot three times, I did not step on gum on the pavement, and did not feel a desperation to wash my hands after touching too many items. I left the parking lot with a half smile and for the first time in recent years, I did not vow never to return.

Yet once again I was miserable in my little shopping escapade. Too many selfish people, products too close together, unhappy workers, unhappy shoppers, lots of costume jewelry, trinkets, overly packaged useless products, too many nearly colisions, and a feeling of desperation on the faces of many people as they buy happiness from their children, their spouses, their friends, and yes themselves. The parking lot has loose carts around, trash on the ground, used discarded diapers, cigarette butts, and a constant circle of cars hoping to get close to the door to avoid walking very far. Any joy in me for shopping was effectively eradicated by the miserable experience of commercialism and clutter, by a feeling of disgust, by modern conveniences, and by people doing exactly as I was doing, saving a few dollars in a megastore.

Of course, I do need to be honest about this. I could have gone to a smaller store in town and likely found what I needed. I probably would have paid a little more and I might not have found exactly what I was seeking. Or for that matter I could shop all over town until I found something similar. Or maybe I could even create my own garbage bags out of discarded clothes or an old tarp in the storage building. I am, after all, somewhat industrious, and not necessarily dependent on store bought items all the time. But instead I chose the easy, convenient route by stopping at Walmart and getting what I needed. Complain I might, but nobody coerced me at gunpoint to shop at Walmart. Walmart has built an empire catering to the needs of the people and providing goods and services at one location for a cheap price. I and billions of others have benefited from their business model, a model designed for success and a model example of supply and demand. My admiration and my money often find residence at Walmart and to repress my respect for this institution is to be dishonest.

But complain I must, for to spend time at Walmart is to chip away at my independence and my solitude, my personality, and the essence of individuality. Therein lies the ambiguity of a love/hate relationship with the very place that helps make our lives better and easier. Maybe next time I will find my garbage bags somewhere, but for today, Walmart was the answer.

Economy and work ethic

2011-12-15T07:18:00.013-06:00

As a college educator and being a teacher for over 27 years, I often find myself in discussion with my colleagues and friends over the role and purpose of higher education. Should we be training our students for the workforce, giving them tools and skills they can use each day as an employee for a particular position? Or should we provide a broader liberal arts education that allows them greater marketability, giving them critical thinking skills that can be applied throughout their lives as they build a career? In the process of education, should we help them become entreprenuerial, to become leaders, to use their personal ambition to propel them forward regardless of their chosen profession? At what point does the world of training collide and intersect with the world of thinking?

I recall as a young teacher hearing the complaints from other teachers of the quality of students in today's schools. As I moved from college education to public school and back to higher education, I have heard the litany of concerns being raged around the coffee pots and in the teacher's lounges. "Students are not interested in learning," has been expressed ad nauseum by teachers at all levels. "Students no longer read." "Students don't know how to write." "Students don't know how to research." "Students do not have a good work ethic and students do not know how to act." Really the list goes on and on, and as the complaints continue so do the students continue to come and go. Over my 27 years, I really have not seen a lot of changes in students for the most part. Some are prepared for college, most are not. Some have a strong work ethic, most do not. Some read, most don't. Some are good writers, most are not. Some behave, most do not. Perhaps, as I think about it, I was lacking myself as a college student!

Concern and discussion about college students will continue as long as we have universities. But the real problem is not the lack of quality students, the problem is that we in higher education are not entirely sure how to provide an education that prepares students for today's economy. We cast a broad teaching net hoping to catch as many students as possible to help them in the future. We do so through General Education and what is known as discipline specific courses. A university is not institution for job training, although some of that is certainly necessary and valuable. A university cannot possibly prepare a student for every possibility in the world, but a university can encourage, guide, and yes train, at least to an extent, students for most types of employment.

The process of education does not necessarily teach content, but instead teaches how to learn, how to discriminate between fact and fiction, how to find information, and ultimately how to use knowledge and cognition to develop careers and sustain excellence in the work place. What an education teaches is the value of having a work ethic, for without a work ethic there is no economy. Our economic ills, driven by excessive governmental spending and a disregard for the power of supply and demand, are partly the result of a poor work ethic. Given that a work ethic is the result of recognition of need, of ambition, of a desire for improvement, we are seeing many college students graduating without a strong work ethic. While the blame cannot be laid at the feet of the instiutions, and in fact blame can be shared by students, parents, society, economy, and culture, we as colleges and universities need to recognize our essential responsibility of finding ways to help students develop a work ethic.

Ironically, this is not to say there are not many people seeking employment. People willing and able to work hard, ready to be productive, ready to contribute to the success of the company are numerous indeed. But, sadly, those desperately seeking employment are hampered by the interference of supply and demand in the world. Demand for more supply results in more jobs. In this light, it is paramount for employers to meet the needs of the people. When the demagogues of the world interfere with supply and demand, we see an artificial economy teetering on the brink of a freefall. With this artificiality in supply and demand, comes the great anathema of excessive unemployment blended with a lack of skills and abilities to meet the demands of the people when they arrive. It makes the institutions of higher education very nervous to graduate students who cannot find employment. But back to the problem at hand.

With information, entertainment, relationships, and opportunity at all our fingertips, it stands to reason that college students no longer see a need for a work ethic that propels them to the next level. The next level is already in our midst, why try to improve on it? And yet, the fact remains that employers are struggling to find employees willing and able to put in a hard day's work and be productive. To thrive and develop and refine our society, we must find a way to encourage students to have a strong work ethic and to learn how to learn, to learn how to produce, and to learn how to make a difference.

Am I concerned for the future? Sure. But do I think students are any less motivated today than yesterday? No. What has changed is the immediacy of information, entertainment, and relationships. What once was difficult is now presented easily. When my children began to walk, it was out of a need to move more quickly and efficiently to accomplish their goals--food, facilities, fun and excitement! If our students have no need to stand up and walk, they will remain in a crawl position throughout their educational endeavors. My responsibility as a teacher is to find and demonstrate how and why education remains vital for today's students. The journey for excellence continues.

The Chess Game in my Head

2011-12-10T14:26:00.011-06:00

Today: I keep a running chess game in my head that allows me to see beyond each step and to examine the consequences of decisions and the potential for success or disaster. I attribute this characteristic to my Dad who made such an impact on my life at an early age.

Last week:

Talking to my supervisor about an upcoming issue, I mentioned to him that it was possible after I told someone something, that person would respond in another way, which would in turn alter the time-table of the event and put in motion other consequences, possibly resulting in a potential problem. Determined to have positive results, we decided to rethink the next step to make sure all subsequent events would lead to a successful conclusion. It felt like a big chess game to me.

Two years ago:

A student wished to play me in chess. We tore into a game and it was a tough one. I miscalculated a move and because of his excellent knight playing ability, it was looking like a check-mate in 4 moves. But I saw an opportunity, risky though it may be, to pull him into a rook capture. Rooks are funny pieces because they only have value when put into play. Otherwise, they are not much of a threat. Yet players often cannot turn down an opportunity for a capture of such a potentially potent piece. So I moved a bishop, thereby opening my rook for capture. Upon capturing my rook, I then moved my queen to force him to move his King. Two moves later, it was over and he was shocked. Victory again.

Fifteen years ago:

A tough game against a brilliant conductor/businessman who was the director of the local symphony. The battle went to the end although the outcome seemed destined from the beginning as the opponent opened with a classic Russian start. Unable to navigate around an amazing pawn defense, I held my own until I got my queen in a compromising position. He pounced on the mistake resulting in the loss of my queen and very few pawns to protect my King. The game ended in sadness and the stress of the game exhausted me for days as I rewound my mistakes. In his irritating nasal voice he informed me that I needed to practice harder. Was he referring to my chess playing or my musicianship? Never was sure.

High school tournament (1977):

Reaching the finals, the opponent had a jerky style intent on psychological torture. Staring intently at my face until I moved, he then stared at the board until it was time to move. Grabbing his piece, he would slam it loudly on the board and immediately stare at me until I moved my piece again. Very disconcerting game and incredibly stressful. I felt my blood rushing through me and my heart racing with each progression of the game. Working to ignore his obnoxious style, I methodically whittled away at his pawns and knights. In a sideways attack, I surprised him with an adroit usage of my rooks, ending the game and winning the tournament. Terribly relieved but worn out, I vowed to avoid tournaments forever after that experience.

Elementary school (1970):

After supper, my father and I tore into yet another game. This was a nightly occurrence and we were way past the 4 move smash. He used it on me a couple of times when we first started playing, but now we were in the pawn offense and reserve the queen for power. This particular night, I was on my game, predicting each of his moves, anticipating several moves ahead, and pulling him into some mistakes. It looked like my first victory was imminent. But, unknown to me, he had recognized the strength of diagonal knights, and he began to move forward in that crazy zig-zag of knights that make them formidable opponents. Dad smiled as he altered my strategy and I suddenly found myself on the defensive, losing pawns, and not able to get my queen in any kind of helpful position. Soon I heard the dreaded word "Checkmate." Foiled again by my dad.

Analysis today:

Dad never allowed me to win which meant that my later victories in high school were earned not given. While this may have caused a shade of resentment and typical father-son competition, it also provided a sense of confidence in my own abilities. I lost due to my lack of skill but when I won, it was a result of my own abilities and not his giving in. In retrospect, I realize he worked hard to make sure I knew that I won on my own, with my own devices, with my own skill. A father's true desire is for his children to be better than himself. From him I learned that to succeed requires skill, wisdom, planning, diligence, and thorough examination of all sides of the situation. I use these qualities everyday in my work and in my life.

Literary friendships

2011-12-07T06:44:00.010-06:00

As I think about my friends over the years, I realize that time, distance, perceptions, philosophies all alter friendships. Mike and I were inseparable when we were younger, but for many reasons we became disconnected and now it has been many years since we were friends. My friend Gary in high school and college remained close for many years. We double dated, we went skiing, camping, fishing, climbing, played racquetball, wrestled, and talked about girls for years! But we went our separate ways, gaining from our friendship but no longer in touch. And such is true for most friendships, they make us better and are essential to our lives, but they rarely stay at a high point indefinitely. It really is not possible to stay the same forever, for to do so is to stagnate in your own development as a person.

Each friendship, regardless of its longevity or lack thereof, is infinitely beneficial due to the quality of the relationship. We learn, we grow, we are emotionally changed with each passing event and each person that touches our lives. Such is true as well of our literary friendships, and believe me, I have had many. My literary friends go back to childhood and include Beverly Cleary, Hugh Lofting, hundreds of comic books, biographies, Dr. Seuss, and folk tales. Saying goodbye to those friends (but keeping them just the same!), I made new friends as I moved into the teenage years.

My teen friends included John Steinbeck, Louis L'Amour, Donald Hamilton (Matt Helm was cool), Ian Fleming, C.S. Lewis (still a good friend), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (we are getting close again), James Michener (still love Centennial and the Drifters), and Allan Eckert. I did shake hands with Shakespeare, Dickens, Emerson, Hemingway, and Faulkner but never developed any real friendships of lasting value with that group. Albert Camus and I spent some time together and although lacking in quantity time, Victor Hugo and I still are buddies through thick and thin.

Then the college years became a blur of friendships including David Morrell, J.R. Tolkien, Elmer Kelton, Zane Gray, Michael Crichton, Robin Cook, Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, Richard Adams, and Theodore Dreiser. Each one is a special friend worthy of a manly hug or a fun conversation. Time went on and the friends came and went, each time making me more complete and each experience a worthy one. Now today I eat dinner with Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, Reynolds Price, and my new best friend Graham Greene.

Jeff Shaara and I are pretty close and Robert Parker's friendship is forever in spite of his terse language and understated prose. As far as my female friends go, Candice Millard is a remarkable friendship and so is Jean Auel. Maybe I shouldn't admit it, but Kathleen Woodiwiss and I go way back, and Nora Roberts is certainly among those friends as well. And I really should not forget my time with Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thomas Hardy, David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Michael Palmer, my love hate relationship with master writer Philip Roth. All have played a role in my life and I consider them friends, some more than others!

You know, I better acknowledge some time with Theodore Roosevelt who swam successfully among the sharks and whose amazing life continues to influence me almost daily. Oh...and a smile and a nod to Benjamin Franklin and Martin Luther who wrote so eloquently and made a difference to so many.

My friendships continue to wax and wane, to change, to grow, to dissipate, and such is the journey of life and relationships. I may occasionally return to an old friend to say hello, to read a little Steinbeck or L'Amour, to laugh and cry with McMurtry or get thrilled with Morrell, to have an adventure with Baldacci or fear with Michael Palmer, or perhaps a moment of love and history with Jean Auel or the wonderfully descriptive writing of James Lee Burke. I might pick up Roth and be angry while I am admiring his talent or share in the poetry of Reynolds Price, sappy though it may be at times.

But it is time to eat more meals with Graham Greene and enjoy the excitement of Stieg Larsson. My literary friends mean a lot to me, but not as much as my real friends!

No surprise there

2011-11-26T08:16:00.005-06:00

We read in dismay about the lady in California who pepper sprayed other shoppers to keep them away from her desired item--an XBox game for her children. In the mayhem that ensued, she got the item and with her three children, she checked out and left Walmart without anyone realizing she was the culprit. Twenty people were injured in the event, ten of which resulted from crowd smashing.

The subsequent articles about this event cited the problems of "Black Friday" including the desperation for certain items, the obsession with shopping, the insistence on the immediate acquisition, and the total disregard for other people. All these things and more, much more, caused this event to happen. Maybe in the end we can simply state that the lady was not well-grounded in her mental faculties.

But somehow many of us were not surprised that this happened. After all, an XBox is the greatest single object on the planet, worthy of mayhem and destruction, a game to end all games, and absolutely necessary for survival, not to mention the children that are utterly dependent on the game for happiness and joy in their lives. Who could exist without an XBox? Food, clothing, and shelter are secondary to the need for an XBox. In fact, I wonder why our government has not considered the XBox has a part of the bailout process for businesses, for welfare, for unemployment.

Maybe this is the problem. We are all entitled to an XBox, but we do not all have one. If every person on the planet were given the XBox, there would not be a need to pepper spray anyone trying to get it at the store. So I urge our governmental officials to stop the shopping chaos in Walmart by giving everybody an XBox, thus removing the need for pepper spray to prevent someone else from getting the XBox. Our entitlement to the XBox must also make us entitled to harm others to acquire that which we are supposed to have in the first place. In fact, maybe our Rights should be rewritten to state, "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of XBoxes"!

Okay, enough of the sarcasm. But I do urge everyone to use good judgment and human compassion in the acquisition of stuff. When our desire for things rules greater than our common sense and our sensitivity for others, then we are practicing an inverted sense of right and wrong.

A Week of Downers

2011-11-19T06:36:00.005-06:00

The death of four people I know made it a week of downers. Funerals are not my favorite event to attend and I especially do not like that I will not see those people again here on earth. One was 24, one was quite elderly and the other two nearing retirement age. All were parents, all had family, all had friends, all made an impact on the world. I spent the week with a heavy heart, sympathizing with their families, counseling students, counseling myself, and rethinking priorities of life. Suddenly the little myopic problems of being an administrator did not seem all that important. On top of the heavy emotions, I was criticized for something I did not understand. Sure made for a difficult week.

But there were many great things as well. I love directing the Brady choir which combines First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, and other interested parties. We are preparing for a Christmas event that promises to be a grand and glorious expression celebrating the birth of Christ. As I prepared for Wednesday night's rehearsal, I was tired, grouchy, and really had very little joy in my heart for the rehearsal. But seeing the bright, happy faces and experiencing the infectious joy of the people changed me for the better, and I responded in kind, reminding me that rehearsals are an important part of the musical journey to the performance and further reminding me that making music is about the people and the sharing of our gifts with each other. The grief isolation I was experiencing was put aside for a few minutes and I found myself in a musical embrace with other people.

Now at the end of week I am in Arizona at a music convention (convention is the appropriate word since this gathering of music executives is generally conventional!) where we learn how to be better music executives. We learn about curriculum, technology, trends, and general focus for music units across the country. We also reconnect with friends, making some new ones along the way, perhaps sharing ideas and problems with each other. We eat food that is a little too expensive, but tasty and we sit in meetings taking notes hoping to find something useful to bring back with us to our places of employment.

In a way though, this convention is allowing me to heal a little from the difficult week and to rejuvenate my administrative responsibilities. Spending some time writing music, studying documents, relaxing, thinking, and learning is helping me to see world as a bright, wonderful place once again. The vastness of the sky, the beauty of nature, the complex but warm people, and the comfort of knowing my family is home safe and sound, all work together to demonstrate the joy that resides within us, the joy that needs to be expressed, the joy that deserves an opportunity to shine forth.

And joyful I am for my life and for the lives of friends, family, students, colleagues, and the world in which we reside. I smile in earnest and put aside the downers of the week. The journey continues and it is a good one.

The Myth of the Canon

2011-10-12T09:05:00.035-05:00

In literature it is Milton, Shakespeare, Dickens, Hawthorne, Melville, Tolstoy, Hemingway among many others. In art it is DaVinci, Rembrandt, Monet, Duchamp, Picasso, etc. For music we find Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and in extreme cases Stravinsky. We are discussing the canon, an established program of study based on those works deemed the highest of academic excellence. In the study of History as a subject we tend to look at the events through the lens of governments and rulers rather than the people. This is not due to a lack of compassion for people but rather an awareness that rulers can make dramatic decisions that affect individual lives. Yet in spite of an emphasis on governments we are also acutely aware of how achievements by successful people can shape the future of our lives. We are often so connected to the past that to ignore it is to be unfair to the present. As I type on this computer, I give thought to the microchip, the transistor, the telephone and telegraph, and electricity, all of which make today on this computer possible. In fact, we could trace the computer back to one of the greatest inventions in history, the printing press.

In thinking these thoughts of the past and the present, I am gainfully charged by the study of history, a look at the past, an acknowledgment of great people, an acceptance of their contributions to the world. It is humbling and energizing to consider the truths found in Shakespeare or Theodore Dreiser, to look upon the beauty of Rembrandt, and to hear the line and form in Mozart. We learn from the masters and we benefit from knowing the truths of past. The past cannot be separated from the present and without the contributions of both the governments and the individuals we would not be who we are today collectively or singularly.

Knowing this truth and acknowledging the greatness of art, of literature, of music that has withstood the test of time, I have to question the permanent residence that the establishment of the canon has brought to our culture. For some reason, perhaps due to history, judgment, scholarship, or simply tradition, we in academia have decided that the established canon of literature, art, and music should never alter, should remain in concrete forever. Rather than studying the canon, respecting it, learning from it, we have made it the end result.

"You, my young student, need to know John Milton so that you may gain from and perhaps imitate John Milton and go out and become a new John Milton." "This is Monet, you should love his work, perhaps paint as Monet painted, now go become another Monet." Or "This is Brahms, a master composer for sure, here is his music. Love it, perform it, copy it, and become as Brahms (if you can)." We teach the great literature and art because we love it and desire for others to love it and live it as well. We teach the finest example of our discipline as a way to demonstrate our own concept of excellence as determined by critics, by audiences, by a general acceptance, by the passing of time. And there is no question that Brahms is worth studying, including his life, his use of rhythmic accents, his harmonic invention, his ability to create variations, and his unequaled musical developments.

But if we are to progress in art and in culture, if we are forge ahead, to plant new crops, to innovate, to create and make the arts vital in our world, we must let go of the necessity to make the canon the goal for our students. The established literature, similar to learning history, is without question necessary for knowing the foundations of our disciplines; and having a solid core of knowledge and a framework for our society is paramount for developing the future. Rather than abolishing the work of the masters, we should and do embrace it, applying its truths and its beauty in all we do in literature, in art, and in music. The canon, however, for all its majesty and essential value, must become a springboard for diving into the artistic future, for to dive into the past is to find stagnant water filled with old algae and old efforts. Students today want and deserve tools that will help them succeed, tools for greater expression, tools of opportunity, of entrepreneurship, tools that will enable music, art, and literature a secure place among the disciplines of today and tomorrow.

The myth of the canon is that the canon is located at the end of a narrow tunnel without any change and without any goals other than a focused but uneventful journey toward an excellence long past. The myth is that there is only one route to the excellence and that the established canon is the reward at the end of the journey. It is time to give our students new tools that will allow them success and allow them to try new routes and discover new art along the way. There might be bumps and twists and turns on our journey of discovery but the gain is the possibility of progression, of creation, and of greater expression. Along the way, we nod at and learn from the past, from the masters, but as we learn from them, we may see a gleam in their eye that reminds us of the need to imagine something new. As I walk by these masters, I have to wonder if they saw their work as timeless artifacts destined for greatness forever. Did they create and write anticipating their work would one day be viewed as the final destiny for all future artists? Did they know they would be the canon?

Our literature, art, and music is a result of somebody's imagination. Time to imagine something new and create a new canon for students today. We respect the printing press, but there is no need to spend 4 years studying how to build it nor how to replicate it.

An advocate not for abolishment of the old but certainly an advocate for expansion of what we deem as necessary, I believe it is time to reinvent the canon, to include new forms, genres, ideas, and thereby propel imagination and creativity to new heights. The study of literature may need to include children's literature, comic books, folk tales, detective stories, science fiction, biographies. Art may need to expand to computer graphics, pop art, signage, comic strips, advertising, furniture, and modern architecture. Music may need to look at rock, pop, jazz, folk, and world music. The old classics are fine but this is a call to seek out and experiment in our quest for new classics. Otherwise we sit in academic quicksand, slowly being engulfed by the past with little gain for the future.

Church Music

2011-10-02T15:17:00.012-05:00

Several weeks ago my wife had an idea that we could check out a movie. Nice idea with a kind of quaintness and charm that typifies her relaxed approach to life. Although not necessarily a movie fan, partly due to my not being much of a visual person and partly due to my lack of emotional response to most movies, I was of course (like any good husband) willing to support her idea. We both knew that I would either fall asleep during the film or would read or work on the computer. Still she liked the idea and started brain-storming about what kind of movie and what snacks would accompany our experience.

Asking what movie I should get and where, we began to discuss the options: Hastings, Red Box, Pay-per-view, Walmart? I knew not to mention my preference for a heavy, serious theme or a "man" kind of movie about fighting and decided to search for a comedy or family film or maybe a combination of comedy and family in a sort of Romantic girl type of movie. Going together, we first stopped at Hastings and headed toward the movie section. Quickly overwhelmed with thousands upon thousands of choices, most of which seemed inane, I found myself in a state of confusion due to the seemingly infinite number of movies from which to select. Gravitating slowly but deliberately to the books where I was in my comfort zone (and yes I do recognize the inconsistency of being comfortable among thousands of books but not among thousands of movies), my wife settled on a nice animated version of Rapunzel.

The emotional anguish and confusion, even bewilderment, is actually greater than the pleasure of the opportunity and almost the movie itself. This is due to having too many options. While freedom of choice is of course preferred, wouldn't it be easier to have fewer selections from which to pick? Obviously the easy answer to this problem is to raise standards to a high point, thus reducing the options to the few deemed worthwhile. I like this plan, but it then requires an analytical approach to entertainment that most people cannot embrace. When entertainment demands the same level of academic analysis that learning in the classroom requires, then it almost ceases to be entertainment. If I have to work hard to relax, is it really relaxation?

The life of a church musician is both similar and different to finding a movie. Luckily church music is not about entertainment, it is about worship. This gives the process a higher purpose that is neither selfish nor individualistic. Instead church music is about God and the collective process of worshiping God.

The problem comes not from the purpose and the goals but from the immediacy of the musical needs. Too much music from which to choose. In the old days, music ministers would pick up the hymnal and select from the 50 or so hymns that most of the congregants seemed to prefer. While it could possibly create a built-in stagnation, and likely did, it sure was a simpler time for church music. Reduce the choices, simplify the decisions. Fast forward to now, and we are often paralyzed by the sheer amount of music available at our fingertips. Songs, hymns, and choruses number in the thousands with several more arriving with the writing of these words.

The typical music minister in a Baptist or non-denominational church with the obligation and yes opportunity to select 4 perhaps 5 pieces of music must choose from thousands of sacred selections to form a worship service that meets the needs of God and the people in the service. Pretty tall order for sure. Add in the questions of choir vs. praise team, organ, piano, drums, guitars, other instruments, plus hopefully provide some kind of theological consistency and Biblical accuracy, and suddenly we have an impossible task. Why do I do it then? Because I love the challenge!

Musical Thoughts this morning

2011-10-02T06:50:00.004-05:00

Getting up early and fighting through the morning stretches that seem more necessary at age 51 than bygone years, and dealing with the tightened tendons in the feet, I eventually landed in my chair to find out about the news, read about the economy, and think about music. Music is not always my profession, having made the leap into writing and administration, but it will always be my passion. Music holds an abundance of complexity, emotional depth, and opportunity for exploration at all levels of the musical strata. Sadly and joyfully music also is never quite good enough. A composition can always be improved (although the Beethoven Violin Concerto comes pretty close to perfection!), and a performance can always be stronger. My goals as a musician are never quite met, both as an active performer/composer and as a listener, and I deal with this truth in an ironic blend of excitement and discouragement. In music, like athletics, or wealth, one can never be entirely satisfied. This is both compelling and dispelling.

Youtube certainly is a magnificent resource for music. Regardless of one's interest, be it art music or country or gospel or rock or punk or any number of musical genres, youtube has something for everyone. As a music teacher, I set up about 10 tabs on my browser and supplement my lecture with examples from youtube. The teaching is efficient and the learning becomes multi-dimensioned, with instant examples of whatever is being discussed at the fingertips. It makes for a zingy ride as we ping-pong between cognition and aural experiences enhanced by the visual. A well-planned lesson of Charles Ives can show pictures of him, his house, his piano, moving rapidly to musical examples displaying his theoretical language, arriving at a brief but thorough look at his song output. It makes for a solid Ivesian experience that is not easily forgotten and easily assessed.

But this morning was not about Ives or art music at all. I am enjoying listening to the marvelous singing of Carrie Underwood. Not being a big country/western fan, I do have some favorites here and there. It is unusual for a dean of music to admit to liking something other than art music but in truth I do. A fan of Chicago, Stevie Wonder, most jazz, Skillet, Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Broadway musicals, I also enjoy Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, and am a die-hard Elvis fan. Now I may add Carrie Underwood to the list. She really has a great voice. Wonderful phrasing, emotional power, wide range, personal expression, and lots of great musical instincts.

I do get a little uncomfortable, almost edgy, about the strident vocals reaching for high notes, the delayed vibrato, and the country style scooping, but I cannot deny her amazing ability to turn a phrase, to find the high point, to sing accurately and powerfully. Quite an artist for sure.

On the other side, I have really been enjoying the music of Pierre Boulez. Very complicated, rich music with a collective kind of energy that keeps the listener guessing and eagerly awaiting the next event. Of course I recognize that his music has a limited audience and that much of it is atonal without enough repetition to feel comfortable. Also the extreme order of the musical events seems to result in a random quality that is absurdly ironic. But those things aside, I really enjoy hearing his music.

How can I enjoy Carrie Underwood and Pierre Boulez on the same day? Not sure I can answer this except to say that I love music and sound and I tend to respect all of it for what it is. Not that I like everything I hear, but I do like that I can hear it and that it exists. We may have preferences for certain sounds and certain kinds of order in the sounds, but our desire for one type of music does not preempt the validity of other kinds of music in culture. Rejecting Boulez does not detract from its worth, nor does liking Carrie Underwood make it the superior genre. While liking both may be unusual, it neither elevates the quality of their music nor diminishes it.

Rather than working hard to make others like what I like or to respond to music the way I do, I am comfortable living in musical isolation at least to an extent. That stated, I also have a responsibility as an academician and administrator to teach students the vast array of elements and historical influence of music on a broad scale. How they use that knowledge and how they develop their own preferences or application is up to them. I cannot legislate nor insist on students' preferences for genres or sounds, but I can uphold my academic integrity by teaching them the complex musical world and materials needed for music making.

So back to my eclectic musical life. I love it but suspect it confuses others. Makes sense others are confused since I am a bit confused myself! But as a famous man once said, why do I have be consistent and predictable? (Al Tucker).

Music for Musicians?

2011-09-25T17:20:00.013-05:00

With a forthrightness not often found in conversation, an acquaintance asked me why musicians seem to prepare and perform music for other musicians. Confused by the question, he asked me why so much of the music we perform is in a foreign language or in a "language" that is out of the experience of most listeners. He was asking me if we have fallen into a trap of teaching and performing music that is only meaningful to other musicians.

If this is true, and it may be to an extent, is it really a problem? After all, great art generally has a small audience. If art does reach the masses and becomes popular, are we then suspicious of its greatness? The wider the influence the likelihood of its commonality? If so, then mediocrity is sustenance of culture, the food of society, the oxygen of our lives. The better the quality, the smaller the audience. Achievement in the arts is then less about acknowledgement and more about meeting the criterion of no popularity. Taking this to its logical conclusion, a work of art that has no appeal is the finest piece ever created. Perhaps this means that no art is the best art. Ah, the joys of nihilism.

But perhaps as Aristotle encouraged, we should find a middle ground for excellence. Or maybe, just maybe, popularity in and of itself does not automatically degrade the essence of excellence or quality. Maybe, in fact, the lack of popularity does not demonstrate any kind of quality. Surely there is a middle ground somewhere in this murky discussion of mass appeal versus limited appeal. In some ways, the danger of politicians is to cast such a wide net hoping for enough votes to win the election, that they sacrifice their integrity and ironically find themselves on a tightrope with a long fall beneath them. So a politician hopes to establish his position, his views, and his steadfastness and still reach enough voters in support to carry him to the next level.

Back to music. If trained musicians compose and perform music for a vast appeal, they will most likely need to pare down their creative spirit with regard to melody, rhythm, and especially harmony. Not that music for the masses is lacking in creativity, but to a trained musician, it often feels a little simplistic and quickly accessible. But if a trained, academic musician only composes and performs for other musicians, then there is little regard for how music can change lives, reach people, minister, make an emotional impact, or simply entertain. In some ways, this type of attitude about music resembles a sad Ponzi scheme that eventually falls apart for lack of any substantial support or real lasting value. There is simply not enough audience to sustain it. It may make a few people feel good and it may have great worth to some, and it may have a certain educational spirit, or academic strength, but it does not have broad appeal to support it over time.

Speaking of time, maybe time is the ultimate test of worth. In 100 years, what music being written and performed today will still be performed? Will it be those works that seem to appeal to a few musicians or will it be those who find a wider sphere, a larger audience? Will Mozart's 41st symphony always enjoy mass popularity (if it does!) or will there be a time when audiences are generally ho-hum toward another performance of the great work? How will the unforgiving and harsh test of time treat popular music of today?

But it does somehow seem elitist and snobby for trained musicians to concentrate all their attentions on performing music for a select few skilled appreciators. There is a balance needed in music curriculum and a consideration of all types of genres in music. To narrow the output to music that is acknowledged as the "great" works would be likened to watching only those movies deemed of the highest quality such as Casablanca or Citizen Kane or only reading Milton and Shakespeare. There is a lasting niche for the great works of art but to do only the great works and thereby limit the audience is to be comfortable living in a vacuum.

With these thoughts, I call to battle those trained, skilled, and academic musicians willing to put aside their inherent selfishness and work diligently and comprehensively toward an inclusive curriculum. A curriculum that does provide music merely for the musicians but also provides music for the people. In the end, it may not be time alone that determines quality, it may be the freedom and joy that comes from music for everyone. Quality art is art that is loved by many both yesterday and today. It is time to fish on the other side of the boat for more fish using large nets and not be satisfied with catching just a few. If our music only appeals to a few, we may be selfishly and irresponsibly rejecting our calling.

Almost Friday

2011-09-22T13:50:00.011-05:00

As I smiled at the lady and returned the item I had borrowed from her workplace, an office in the community, I asked her how she was doing. She looked at me with a kind of musty, disgusted grin and replied with a blended mix of optimism and pain, "I have almost made it to Friday." I smiled and said, "Yes, one more day."

Walking away and thinking on her response, I have to wonder about the sadness of our lives that depends on making it to Friday. Have we reached the point in society where the sole value, the ultimate happiness, the central goal is to make it to the end of the work week? Is this goal in order to have free time away from work? To accomplish some other thing? Or to do nothing at all? Or is it the idea of working that diminishes the joy of life? Is the formula for joy simply not to work? Or is misery likened primarily to a work situation?

She may have expressed the desire to "make it to Friday" as a way to share in her desire for a weekend, or she may have been making this type of conversation for many years and finding that everyone who heard the phrase agreed with her. It is always fun to say something and get everyone around you to nod in agreement. It could be enculturated in her to trudge in solemn despair to work every Monday morning and bounce in utter elation as Friday comes to a close. Of course, I have to wonder where the emotion lies on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Are we nearing happiness on Thursday? Are we still miserable on Wednesday? Maybe the peak of misery and pain occurs at 12 noon on Wednesday followed by a progressive, albeit quite slow, move toward happiness as the minutes wind themselves toward Friday at 5:00.

Making the assumption that a worker who is miserable is generally less productive than a happy worker, I would have to assume that our friend is unproductive. Of course it is possible that she has found a way to be a contributing, productive worker in spite of her pervading pain of having to work. But I suspect that her desire not to work is ironically her purpose for working. In other words, without the work, she has no joy in not working. The work is the impetus for the relishing of no work.

Curious as to her no work behavior, I think it would be beneficial to provide an environment for this lady that would cause her to enjoy her work. Unless she has a mental disorder or some physical anomaly that determines her attitude, I would guess that she would be more productive and certainly happier if she were doing something she enjoyed. It may not be possible, but it might be worth a try.

Because having a purpose is a motivation for success, I would take this scenario another step and say that I suspect she finds no purpose in her work and feels as though she does not make any kind of positive difference for anybody or anything, hence her misery in the workplace. Perhaps she had a purpose at one time, perhaps she entered the position believing she could make a difference only to have the challenges overcome the desire for success. Whatever the cause, I might recommend a change in venue or some kind of change in goals.

I further want to remind myself to avoid the trappings of working for the purpose of not working. Working is a joy and an opportunity. We are blessed to work and motivated by purpose, by a desire to make a difference in lives or in an institution or community. Let it not be said that he worked so as not to work. I wish instead to work in joy, to play in joy, and to live as a productive, contributing and joyful person making a difference in the world in some small way.

It's Not 8:00

2011-09-10T09:21:00.009-05:00

Driving into town this morning, I mentally listed the various errands for the morning including going by the office, stopping at the ATM, going to the grocery store, getting the mail, and having my car washed. Placing these errands in order by their location and convenience and after stopping at the office, I found myself at the car wash place. The bays were open, workers were walking about, there was an air of energy and expectation, the business appeared ready to operate, ready to wash and vacuum cars, adding scents and tire dressings and various appealing cleansers to vehicles.

I happily pulled into an open bay, near to the vacuum hoses, and expected several workers to materialize as I hopped out of my truck ready to hand it over for the cleaning experience. But nobody came. I waited about 2 minutes and got the attention of a worker who came over with a scowl on his face. Using my immense charm, I smiled my best smile and said "Good morning, how are you?" With an indirect glance my way and somehow increasing his scowl, he said, "What time do you have?" I glanced at my phone to check the time and said it was 7:58. He said "Two more minutes" and muttered something nearly unintelligible about not giving any time to this place. I nodded and said nothing.

Two minutes later he smiled and said, "How may we help you?" I smiled back (actually tried to hold in a sarcastic laugh) and told him what kind of car wash I wanted. He proceeded to begin the process and I headed to the cashier to pay and then wait for my vehicle.

Supply and demand is an economic truth that in a true market economy is a driving force toward success. This story told has many applications and suppositions. Please allow me a moment of prophecy regarding the young man who refused to work two minutes before official opening time. I predict he will not keep his job much longer, or if he does, he will alter his general practice of performing at a minimum. Because the most productive workers are the ones who work beyond their pay scale and give more to the business than they take, a worker who gives less is likely to find himself unemployed. If a business employs workers who take more than they give, that business will likely find itself struggling. In light of this idea, I predict that if this car wash continues to employ workers who give the minimum, then there becomes an opportunity for another car wash business to be successful. For it stands to reason that in the world of supply and demand and in a world of trading money in exchange for a good or service, the one with the money holds the upper hand.

This is not always true, but is generally true that the service or good should be of greater value than the money exchanged. For today I accepted his impudence, I mean after all the business was officially closed. But I now search for an alternate way to have my car washed, perhaps even my own hand! Will the business suffer at all in the loss of my monthly $14.95? Doubtful. But if nothing else, I am reminded that my goal is to give more than I receive. For me, it just might require working a few minutes before the official opening time.

Talking about health problems--redirection.

2011-09-05T10:05:00.008-05:00

Whine, whine, whine. That's what I feel like doing sometimes when I talk about my health problems. Not that they are serious, life-threatening, or debilitating problems. No, they are just nagging pains here and there that are fairly common to everyone. Granted it seems as though more of them showed up after I turned 50. But I have noticed the tendency for me and others to discuss our health problems more as we get older. This may be because there are more of them, or it could be that life has changed--kids are grown, settled in jobs, comfortable in our homes, and that these elements of security ironically exaggerate the other issues.

When we add aging to stability along with the proliferation of medical advice found on television and the internet we have a "perfect storm" of elements that cause those of us over the age of 50 to focus on our own health problems. And of course they are MY problems and I have a right to whine about them and share those problems with others if I so choose. Since we are mostly a self-centered bunch and since the word "I" is one of the most common words in our vocabulary, it stands to reason we would expend great energy discussing our own problems. I want everyone to know about me after all!

Try an experiment sometime. Ask everyone in a group to express something about himself or herself that hurts or is a problem. Aside from the momentary intrusion, which most of us quickly get over, we are eager to share our problems with others, at least unless the problems create social issues. I am reminded of the Far Side comic where a dog admits to having worms. The caption says, "Dog social blunders!" It is wise to avoid subjects that are severly private but it is also wise to avoid minor or innocuous problems such as the scrape on your knee or the sore elbow. And yet, it is sort of fun to whine about the general pains--feet, shoulder, back or whatever. Perhaps I could expend some time discussing my balding problem or knobby knees or a lack of earlobes or any number of anomalies on my person. Before becoming too righteous however, I should point out that sometimes people have a strong suggestion for improvement. Life's experiences are great teachers and those experiences should be shared and not hidden under a bush.

But it is time to eradicate my inherent selfishness--no talking about my health problems. No sharing of my sore feet or my sore shoulder or my occasional lack of sleep or even my expanding waistline due to a lack of running because of the feet problems. This week is not about me. Instead it is a time to focus on others and their problems. Maybe more outward concern will redirect the personal problems and hide them from myself! Doubtful but worth a try. Unfortunately it is hard to hide the limping due to the soreness of the heel caused from running. But it is worth a try. If someone says to me, "How are you?" should I lie? Or maybe a quick nod and a return of "Great, and how are you?" would be appropriate.

Onward to fewer health discussions about me and more discussions about others. In truth, my problems are pretty minor compared to some I know. Perhaps if I weren't so darn selfish I might actually be able to help someone else. Redirection can only be a positive step toward altruism and sincere concern for others. But before actuating my philosophy of the week, I must express irritation with my feet and my shoulder. Darn those pains!

Folk Music

2011-08-21T16:15:00.014-05:00

The trend toward folk music in society and in our churches is a fascinating development pointing toward a desire for simplicity and clarity in musical expression. Not that this is a new thing, music trends historically respond to complexity with a return to simpler forms, construction, and ease of expression. When we study the Baroque (1600-1750), we discover a type of music that seemed to thrive on its sophistication and complexity, a full blown approach to polyphony and intellectual craft. Fugues, episodes, stretto, tonal and real entrances, toccatas, figured bass, and techniques guaranteed to keep you thinking, fill up the sound and music of the Baroque. In reaction, at least to an extent, the Classical period jumped in.

Time for melody and harmony. Time for simplicity and clarity. Mozart and Haydn gave us a simpler form of music that did not necessarily defenestrate the older ways but it did allow for less intellectual rigor and sophisticated craftsmanship. Not to say the music of the Classical period is only for simpletons, some kind of naive child-like expression. In fact, a closer look simply finds an alternate way to express sound and joy.

Moving forward to music of today. I have often bemoaned the loss of American folk music in our society. Our rich heritage of music from the past, music of the folks, music indigenous to our native land has slowly fallen by the wayside and replaced with electronic gadgetry and big forms. We saw a revitalization of a type of folk music in the early 1960s with the hippie, beatnik generation creating music that expresses emotions and concern, music with a simplicity and honesty of heart-felt expression. Put a guitar in the hands of a talented, honest singer and you have folk music. The rise of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and later John Denver gave us a wealth of new folk music in the tradition of the past with current problems and social concerns being articulated. Pete Seeger continued to perform folk music from our history, discovering new gems from the past.

The Vietnam War may have given us cause for a new generation of folk music, but it was also partly a reaction to the complexity of music making in both popular and art cultures that gave it wings. As popular music once again grew in sound and complexity in the 70s onward to today, and although we never saw a complete lack of folk music, it was its very nature of a hammering pulse and added instruments that has caused a new kind of expression today.

The idea of complexity leading to simplicity may be true to an extent but we must be cautious in assuming that all folk music is simple. In fact, melodic and harmonic complexity is abundant although not always obvious. The charm of much of folk music is not necessarily its basic construction but rather its honest and deep emotional expression. Because folk music has not preconceived ideas of what music must be or what it should sound like, and because folk music is often a heart-felt expression emanating from the soul, the music itself is often new, fresh, and original.

Therein we find the joys of folk music--originality, honesty, and freedom. Regardless of the subject matter and regardless of the reaction, the music has an important and vital spot in our heritage and in our current presence. May folk songs reign at the forefront of our culture, taking their rightful place as music by the people and for the people.

Translating in Numbers

2011-08-13T12:19:00.011-05:00

Reasoning with Joel based on common sense procedures is a difficult endeavor due to his inability to accept cause and effect. He cannot understand how to improve efficiency or comfort or ease of practice. When one method has worked, whether our perception of success would be different or not, Joel tends to stay with that method regardless of the circumstances. As responsible guardians we continue to walk the tight-rope of giving him latitude and allowing him to make his own mistakes, hoping he will learn from the situation and improve the next time. We often remind him of ways to improve, of things to consider, of various methods to make his life easier, quicker, more convenient, but unfortunately, his natural inclination is to keep it the same way regardless of its efficacy.

We do have ways, however, of helping Joel deal with his general lack of common sense and awareness. We translate the experience into some kind of order, often using numbers to demonstrate the need. Rather than saying "go pack your bag for the upcoming trip," we will instead say, "go count the number of items you required for the upcoming trip." We then later remind him to pack the exact number needed. Obviously there are potential problems with this system in that he may leave something out or not count a needed item, and yet insist that he has the correct number. But the upside of this system is that he is able to order things in his mind and simplify the overriding goal into one aggregate.

Being autistic is often overwhelming with the sheer plethora of information coming at you constantly. An autistic cannot process everything around him quickly nor easily, and it becomes a tornado of sounds, sights, and images that have little to no cohesiveness in their delivery. The opportunity to reduce the unnecessary, paring down the essential information into a number or numbers is blissful to an autistic. This is true for nearly all situations, circumstances, and goals. We help him order his goals, aiming for one final number to be considered the main goal or purpose. When we express the objectives, the plans, the expectations in terms of a number, Joel's eyes light up and he quickly comprehends what is about to happen. He may not always understand how the ordered numbers work together to accomplish the necessary goal, but he is willing to and excited about taking those exact steps.

Sometimes this requires a great deal of specificity but at other times, it can be expressed in generalities. The more specific the expression, the better quality will be the results. Conversely, the more general is the list, the more breadth of accomplishment is performed. If cleaning his room is the requirement, we will see more accomplishment by listing the order of how to make that happen. "Joel, do five things: 1) make your bed, 2) pick up your clothes and put them in the hamper, 3) place your shoes in your closet, 4) stack your games on the night stand, 5) pick up any papers or trash on the floor and place in the trash can." We then follow up with: "Joel, please do those 5 things: bed, clothes, shoes, games, trash." We then anticipate success.

Or we could try the old unsuccessful method: (LOUD VOICE) "Joel, go clean up your room now and do it right." In a frustration moment, we might start listing all the things that should happen to get the room cleaned, but without a strict order of events, to an autistic it will feel like standing in an anthill wondering what is happening or a storm of oobleck falling upon his head and making everything sticky. The clarity of numbers provides clarity of thought for Joel.

We have learned to get his attention by taking away distractions, presenting the overall goal and purpose, then ordering and numbering the events. We wish we could always apply a time-table to the instructions but time remains a mysterious abstraction to Joel and likely always will. With this in mind, we allow greater time for accomplishment than would normally be needed and continually remind ourselves for patience, wisdom, and clarity.

Helpful Reviews

2011-08-12T14:53:00.006-05:00

Just received a vote on Amazon that a review I wrote was helpful. As an experienced reviewer, I have learned not to be overly reactive to the voting system and yet learn from it as I continue to write. If a review is "helpful," does that mean the reader appreciates the writing style, or the book itself, or the information found therein? Does that mean the reader already read the book in question or was considering it? Conversely if a vote is negative, that is that the review was not helpful, what does that mean exactly? Did the reader not like the writing of the review or the content or it just did not meet the reader's expectations.

I suspect most people who read Amazon reviews are curious as to whether they should purchase the item or not. The review should provide a general summary of the item without giving away endings or spoiling anything for the reader or purchaser. But a good review is also a type of assessment tool of the book by one person who may or may not be qualified to pass judgment. I am certainly not qualified to give my expert opinion, especially given that I am not an expert, and yet I am qualified by virtue of my humanness, my experience, and the simple fact that I have used the product. Somebody hopefully values my opinion whether worthless or not and is willing to read my own slanted and narrow views of the item.

If in fact someone does find my review helpful, this becomes a strong vote of affirmation that I am meeting the needs of the reader in my reviews. It does not lift me to any kind of expertise level nor sustain every element of my ability as a reviewer, but it does provide supportive feedback for my effort. I cannot take the vote to the bank but I can make a small deposit of credit in my ego bank and use that to continue to review books and products. On the other side, a negative vote is like a withdrawal and while I choose not to allow one negative to withdraw too much from my esteem bank, it does have a slight affect.

But in truth, if there is a negative vote, perhaps there is something I can improve about my review or reviews. There must have been a tone or a flaw or a slight problem that caused the reader to shrug and decide the review was not helpful. I do not think one negative vote is worth a wholesale change in style, but I do think it should make me pause and study on how to improve. One positive vote should not make me feel like running for President, and one negative vote should not make me want to change professions or put myself in a cage, but at the same time feedback--good or bad--enables us to improve ourselves and grow regardless of what we are doing.

I enjoy writing reviews and I like to believe I am helping other people to read or not to read certain books or to buy or not to buy certain products, but it would be easier not to worry about what people think. Yet I feel compelled to continue to write, hoping to make some kind of difference for those seeking my opinion. It may be a slanted opinion or not based on any kind of expertise and it may not be valued by everyone but in some small way, it gives me an opportunity to express myself. Onward to more reviews!

Transformation

2011-08-10T07:51:00.004-05:00

After a nice dinner with a friend comprised of delicious bread and salad, we headed to the movie theater to see Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon. I never was a "transformers" kid or anything--maybe those little machine car things came out later or something. I have also not seen any of the movies. So this was my first experience with the world of transformers and what all that means. I think I can sum it up though pretty well: good transformers living on earth were abandoned by human leaders and bad transformers tried to take over the world. Lots of fights and explosions resulted in the good transformers and good humans defeating the bad transformers, demonstrating that man and machine can co-exist! Yea!

Speaking of defeat--my feet hurt. Or to say it another way--Duh feet (defeat) hurt! Okay, silly pun I know and seems rather incongruous with transformers. These massive machines with mechanical things all over them alter their shape to become other kinds of things--cars, trucks, tanks, gun things, and monster snake-like animals. They have eyes though and are vulnerable in their eyes. Also when they die or lose limbs, they kind of bleed odd red substance that may be blood or red oil maybe. Not sure. But it comes back to this--they transform. I may need to transform my exercise routine.

I have bruised my heel on one foot and the balls of my foot on the other. I enjoy running with the wind blowing on my face, the sun coming up over the horizon, the animals waking up and making sounds, the smells both good and bad, that permeate the natural world, the beautiful subleties of nature surrounding me with the glisten of dew, the slight breeze gently moving the blades of grass, the warming of the temperature, and the vastness of the sky as it shines with anticipation of a new day. But without healthy feet, I cannot run. Hurts too much.

Short of changing myself into a cool sports car with fast wheels and a glossy paint job, I must transform my exercise routine and make it something else. Running is dependent on strong, pain-free feet. So today I go to the gym (bah!) and exercise under a roof (bah!) and do some cycling and rowing junk. Where is the joy, where is the natural world, where is the running? The transformation is not of myself but simply how I do things.

Seems to me that change does not have to be wholesale to accomplish the goals. Change, transformation, altering certain things can make a significant difference in the outcomes. Change can be in diet, in life patterns, in thought-processing, in certain goals, and in apporaches to relationships, learning, behavior, and practice. It makes no sense to do the same thing in the same way over and over. Transforming yourself or even an institution does not have to mean changing your DNA (although some of that could occur I suppose, especially if you are a transformer), but it can mean changing the way you do something or seeking after alternate ways to deliver the same outcomes.

For me the transformation is to keep exercising but to do so in ways that save my feet! I sure don't like change though. It is always easiest to do the same thing in the same way. Sadly, it usually means the same results.

Dry Ramblings

2011-08-06T07:14:00.006-05:00

The dry weather seems to be affecting all of us lately. This area of Texas is as dry as I have ever experienced. The grass at our place is brown and the trees are struggling. We are on water restrictions now and the attitude is one of fear for the future. Without water, we cannot sustain the crops, the animals, or even our lives. It is an essential ingredient for living. Somehow I think too that the lack of water has zapped our energy. I find myself less productive in general due to the hot dry weather. Going outside feels like a wasteland and the beast of heat seems to be burden of depression working to infiltrate every pore, oppressing all in its path. It is just no fun at all.

Went to see Captain America the other day and was disappointed. Felt like a 4th grade comic book to me overall. I suppose it was well-done, energetic, lots of action, heroic, and intense, but also the emotional content was immature and shallow. Just another action film with too many computer graphics, flying things, kicking, shooting, getting the bad guys, etc. Kind of tired of the genre I guess.

I sure like the music of the Gettys. Keith and Krysten Getty continue to write and sing great songs of the faith. Their music is contemporary but retains the qualities of the great hymns. Melodic, textually driven, catchy, and creative, I like singing and leading their music. Speaking of music, I am bored with my playlist on my iPhone. Same old, same old. I am ready to listen to new things and seek out new sounds. Nothing is more boring to me than hearing and singing the same music over and over. Familiarity can breed respect and love but it can also breed contempt. Time to find something new.

This reminds me though of the great story, Bartholomew and the Oobleck. The King grows weary of the same kind of weather--rain, sunshine, snow, hail and urges his wisemen to invent something new. So they invent Oobleck, green globby things that eventually ruin the land and the people. Only when he apologizes does the Oobleck disappear. I hope my desire for new music does not end up like Oobleck. I suppose temperance for the new is always wise!

My running in the mornings is fairly consistent now but not quite what I seek. My goal is to run 5 miles a day, but I really struggle to make 4 every other day. Just not ready for the level of fitness 5 miles requires. But my heart rate is now below 60 and I generally feel energetic. Yet the darn feet hurt everyday also. It does take some kind of personal drive to run in the mornings. The easiest thing is to sit in my easy chair thinking of easy things. Running forces me to find something deeper inside me to come out. But it really is not all that fun. Is it really good for me?

No more overly processed, plastic tasting food. I almost cannot stand the idea of eating at a fast food restaurant these days. I think a diet of bread, water, leafy greens, fruits, fish, and other kind of organic foods is better. But finding good fish in this area is a toughie. We are pretty far from the ocean!

Kind of sad right now over Robert Parker. I think I have read every book he has written, or close to it. What a fine writer. On one level, his books are mystery/thrillers with plenty of action and violence. But on another level, his books are psychological and perceptive with a kind of social moralism not often found in action stories. Good stuff for sure.

Branded for Life

2011-07-21T08:15:00.011-05:00

In 1846 during the Mexican War, when President Polk sent an army into Mexico to end the tyranny and stop the takeover of Santa Anna, General Winfield Scott along with officers Robert E. Lee, Thomas Jackson, Franklin Pierce, and Ullyses Grant, led troops to a difficult but resounding victory, ending the reign of Santa Anna. Like all wars, there were times of bloodshed, fear, confusion, sorrow, challenges, and moments of great elation. For all its glory (if there is glory in war), unfortunately during one of the final battles, nearly 80 soldiers deserted the army.

We are not sure why there are deserters in war. Perhaps fear of death, or maybe even abhorence of killing, maybe indifference as to the outcome, maybe a girlfriend back home, maybe a broad questioning of why there are wars, fighting, death. Apparently many of the deserters were not of American descent and had migrated from foreign countries only to find themselves in the army, fighting a war over which they had no interest in being killed or killing for some strange mysterious property rights dispute they did not understand. Whatever the reason, 80 soldiers deserted. 50 of them were hanged due to their lack of contrite behavior, their satisfaction with their decision, their own indifference. But 30 of them displayed great humility and gave lip service to their own culpability and shame for deserting. General Scott decided to spare their lives but leave them branded forever. These 30 men were branded with the letter D on their cheek to display to the world for the rest of their lives that they were deserters.

What did those 30 do for a living after leaving the army? Did they live prosperous lives, terrible lives, isolated from humanity, productive lives, lives of despair and agony? We have no record of those 30 and it would only be conjecture to imagine their lives as branded deserters. Maybe they would have preferred death over permanent label or maybe it didn't matter all that much to them? Maybe the physical mark has no bearing on the character inside and nothing changed about the branded people. Since there is little to gain from this type of hypothetical theorizing, let's spend a moment of self-reflection.

What would your brand be if you had one? Is a tattoo a type of brand, a sign displayed for everyone to see? In some ways, are we all branded by our appearance? Tall, short, bald, blonde, glasses, beard, eye color, and the list continues. We carry with us a mark of some kind everywhere we go. It may not be a big "D" on the cheek, but it is something, and that something somehow, perhaps wrongly, represents something of ourselves to others.

For the Christian, we cannot nor should we brand a big "C" on our cheek for all to see, yet in my mind we should try to carry our faith with us everywhere we go. Not in an overt, offensive manner but rather in a comfortable display of who we are. That brand may be a smile, a sparkle, a joy, or a look of confidence, or contentment, or compassion, perhaps even courage. There are many ways to demonstrate the love of God in our lives. As the hymn says, maybe it is time to "Let Others See Jesus in You."

Keys, winds, and strings

2011-07-20T07:44:00.006-05:00

Many years ago a good friend of mine who is a very fine euphonium player and currently director of bands at a University in North Carolina mentioned that brass and woodwinds sound better playing in keys with flats. I asked him why he believed that and he reminded me that most instruments are built in flat keys.

For all its complexity and nearly unlimited combination of sounds, music--at least in our American world, given that other nationalities have a broader scale--is comprised of 12 tones before beginning to repeat itself. Because of the natural harmonic series, something that still gives me pause as I reflect on its remarkable properties, after 12 chromatic tones, the pitches sound the same except higher or lower. This is way we have a low A that sounds quite similar to a high A. The lower pitches use a slower vibration rate than the high pitches. When the vibrations double, the pitch sounds an octave higher. Although our system of 12 chromatic pitches has flaws and does not tell the full musical story, it is a fairly established system and gives us the variety of sound we generally require.

Music does not have to be in one particular key or another but most people seem to prefer what we call tonality in music, that is sound with a diatonic foundation to it. Composers and performers often branch out beyond a certain key and alter music chromatically to give it more variety and interest, but in the tonal world of music, they will gravitate to one key by the end of the song or piece. If all music were in the same key all the time, our ears would become desensitized to the same basic sound and we would likely lose interest in music. Being that boredom is the steroid of creativity, we enjoy hearing a variety of keys in music.

Back to woodwinds and brass sounding better in flat keys. I believe it is true. Instruments have the ability to play all the chromatic notes and great players can play comfortably in any key, but because woodwinds and brass are built at the factory in flat keys, the open sounds of these instruments provide more resonance than do sharp keys. Yet the converse is true for string instruments. They are built with open sounds that support sharp keys. This is why bands often play in flat keys and strings often play in sharp keys. The danger comes in the problem of all bands sounding similar due to their predictable usage of keys and all string music sounding similar for the same reason.

Now the issue comes when we mix the two. Excellent composers striving for musical variety yet still getting the best out of the musicians often insist on demanding performance that encompasses all keys and all notes available. This makes great music both challenging and musically satisfying. In the case of My Fair Lady, when we are in flat keys, the predominantly woodwind and brass sound is solid, full, comfortable to the ear. When we jump into sharp keys, the instrumentalists who are all professionals, do not sound quite as resonant, once again confirming the theory that winds and brass sound better in flat keys.

But as all great art must have tension, so too is music reliant on tension and repose. Thus this great musical, My Fair Lady, is strong due to its vast expression of sound of various keys. I applaud the composer and the arranger who put the music together. Now it is our responsibility to perform the music to the best of our ability regardless of the keys or the technical challenges demanded.

But bands need to beware of the problem of putting on the same clothes day in and day out over years. Eventually the clothes wear out and appear dull. So too is the use of the same few keys in band music. Thank goodness for aural variety as presented by great music. Strings have helped avoid the trappings of musical boredom.

My Fair Lady

2011-07-15T07:58:00.003-05:00

Once again this summer I am directing a musical. It is difficult, long, demanding, stressful, and I absolutely love it! I now have several musicals under my repertoire belt and feel confident I could direct almost any show now. The years have allowed me to direct Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Sound of Music, Oklahoma, Music Man, parts of Camelot, and Cinderella not to mention several operas. It has all been fun, educational, enriching, hard work, and at times deeply meaningful. It is a heavy responsibility to determine the right kind of orchestra and the personnel for the orchestra. Some shows need more strings--a tall order in our area--whereas other shows need more winds and rhythm. Some shows require woodwinds to double on saxophones but others need a more "classical" woodwind approach. Brass players usually need to be well-rounded players who can play a little jazz, show style, and classical style.

Forming the orchestra depends on the show as well as the available personnel but somehow each year it all comes together. Normally I suspect a town the size of Brownwood would be challenged to do a full-length musical, but in Brownwood the talent is deep. We hear great players, great singers, and impressive acting. The sets are lavish, efficient, and completely appropriate to the show. Lighting and sound, always challenging, are nevertheless done well. This year the My Fair Lady production is amazing. A well-crafted, classy show with lavish costumes, fastidious and accurate sets, and acting demands that would challenge professionals. On top of that, the music is wonderful and difficult, requiring full range and styles. The orchestra is asked to play under the singers but maintain the stylistic demands of the score.

Aside from some lengthy dialog and emotional ambiguity of the story line, My Fair Lady zings along at a fast pace with a myriad of great songs and serious moments balanced by hilarity. Tender love songs are juxtaposed with energetic happy songs only to be interrupted by yet another song of anger or concern. All comes together to form one of the great musicals of the 20th century. I am blessed to be the conductor of the orchestra and blessed to be part of this terrific show.

A little righteous irritation

2011-07-10T15:10:00.005-05:00

Getting up early Saturday morning, going for a fairly short run, and deciding to take care of a few things, I jumped in the truck and headed for town. But my jaunt ended up irritating me with several of my pet peeves about the modern world. Stopping at McDonalds, and I must apologize to my brother who is a big McDonald's fan due to the quick but consistently cheap and flavorful food, I ordered a yogurt parfait and a sausage biscuit and a small orange juice. It was a small order and I paid cash for the food, receiving a little change in the change tray, and was handed the blasted receipt. I didn't want the receipt. I hate receipts. Just a stupid piece of paper that ends up crumpled in the trash. Granted it had my order number on it which the cashier had stated, but I memorized that number quickly and had not need for the receipt. I suppose that were I on a business trip, I might need it for tax purposes or record keeping, but a quick glance around revealed that everyone in the restaurant threw the stupid waste of time receipt in the trash.

I know the cashiers are taught to give receipts to everyone and often we see a sign that says something to the effect of "If we fail to issue you a receipt, your meal will be free," but to me this is a huge waste of paper and time and energy. I really would like the choice to ask that I not be given a receipt. In fact, the next time I order something I am going to state, "No receipt" just to see what happens.

But I got over that moment of irritation and sat down to eat my food. The orange juice was very good which surprised me considering how lame was the sausage biscuit. It tasted and felt like some sort of rubberized piece of vinyl sandwiched by thin plastic flakes disguised as bread. The yogurt had some good fruit in it but lacked the zing of good yogurt and seemed mostly like instant milk developed from powder. I must admit to being a little bit of a food snob these days and prefer organic tasting food not overly preserved. Still, I am the one who chose to stop there and eat the inexpensive, though rather generic food. My choice for sure, and I will probably do so again, and I will probably keep complaining about it!

My last errand of the morning took me to the drug store for some necessary items. I didn't get much but as I was checking out, the inevitable question arose, "Do you have your plus card?" I quickly and a little emphatically said no. The friendly cashier said, "Would you like one, it is free?" I again said no. I finished paying and left. But I am sick and tired of the stupid card thing. Some stores give you a "discount" for the products by presenting your card. Other stores allow for the "earning of points" which supposedly will give you free stuff later. Other places simply issue a set of coupons for other items in the store. But the truth is that the card is a tracking device. It monitors and records your purchases in order to provide the kind of products customers are seeking as well as to find a way to get you back in the store using appropriate coupons to your needs. Now all that sounds innocuous until you realize they are actually spying on you. It erodes your freedom and categorizes you in a funny sort of way. You become a thing, a consumer, a spender of money and they are going to use this great card to help you spend more money.

Okay, enough ranting. My irritations are not unusual and I have contributed to them by frequenting those establishments. But I also have a right to complain about it and a right to find other places to spend my money.

Years of students

2011-07-06T13:13:00.018-05:00

Partly due to facebook and partly due to getting older, many of my former students have been getting in touch with me and saying hello. Some are in music, some are not. Many are now parents and meeting the obligations of families, paying bills, working, and being productive citizens. Some have remained single. All this to say they simply became people! Yes, of course they were people before, but in my role as a teacher, my responsiblity was to teach them the subject matter at hand, whether that be horn, band, conducting, composition, etc. But maybe, just maybe in the process of teaching the subject, we also learned about each other and learned how to be better musicians, to be better people, to be productive, successful, disciplined, organized, and compassionate.

And there is no doubt that I learned more and continue to learn more from my students than I have taught them. From my students I learned to find joy in others' success, to be sensitive, to understand, to see the world broadly, to respect all kinds of people, and to embrace our commonality as well as our differences. When I think back on Steven, Laurence, Kevin, John, and many others from the Louisiana days, I am hoping they are doing well. Great people and very focused on success. I also remember a talented young man named Chris and another talented young lady named Kristine. Both students of mine back in the 80s.

Then onward to Stanton, Texas where I became a band director and taught all the instruments. Along the way, I kept teaching horn and had several successful students such as Sally, Laurie, Misty, and Stephanie. Laura and Sande were great too not to mention the countless band students I taught such as Matt, Kenneth, Dustin, and Stacy. Amy came over from another school for lessons and occasionally there were drop-ins looking for a teacher. Those were some outstanding years of working with wonderful students. Kacie, Belinda, Matt, Jan, Jason, and Brandie were just a few of the wonderful students from those years.

Then my years at Howard Payne as horn teacher and band director where Kenneth grew to be one of the stars and is now a successful conductor. And of course Sally, Sam, Lydia, Alex, Kailey, Taylor, James, Crissy, Misty, Emily, Mary, and for a brief time Jeff, all great talents. In some ways Cara ended up being the top player since she now plays in the New York Philharmonic. Now a couple of bright high school students come to take lessons and I certainly expect great things from Cody and Karley!

Can't ignore all the band directors, elementary music teachers, choir directors, orchestra directors, pianists, and music ministers who were in my classes and who are now teaching and influencing countless lives. Preston is amazing and deserves accolades for his incredible teaching skills. But I am just as proud of Pedro, Rob, Shannon, Liz, Becky, John and Scot and Jason, Riley, Joe, and Michelle. Lacey was an awesome teacher and I suppose I can a thread of credit for Olivia's success.

But truthfully while my students mean everything to me, my success as a teacher is due to my own teachers, parents, and all those who helped me along the way. The list of teachers who made a difference in my life is lengthy including Kirke McKenzie, John Faraone, Mike Hatfield, Lawson Hager, Loyd Hawthorne, Lowell Greer, Orlando Calderon, Celeste Myall, Bill Woods, Dan McAlexander, Tom Lott, and of course my parents. Really this list could go on and on naming the many influences in my life. And I would suspect each person mentioned could mention several dozen teachers who influenced them. No teacher operates in a vacuum or on an island and the world remains interconnected through generations, history, and the future.

I give thanks to my teachers and I give thanks to my students. We have shaped each other and grown in the process. Sure there were challenges along the way but it was all worth the effort as we work together making a difference in lives.

Church, good grief

2011-07-05T07:27:00.013-05:00

It was with interest I read about the ousting of famed pastor Robert Schuller from the board. Having created a religious empire of sorts in California with a theology of trusting in the Lord, finding the good in all people, and demonstrating self-worth through positive thinking and lots of smiles, Schuller and his son are no longer a part of their original church. Schuller's daughters made some dramatic changes to the church, resulting in a drop in attendance, a decline in giving, and creditors calling for payback. Dependent on giving by members, if the people are not happy, the giving disappears. This is always true.

What went wrong? Was it a unique problem to that church? Or is it simply another manifestation of the two major issues facing the church today? I can sum up most problems with two words--style and inclusion (my analytical son will likely point out that I used three words!). According to the news article, Daddy Schuller practiced a form of worship in the old traditional model of hymns with an organ but daughters Schuller wanted something more contemporary and current. Daddy Schuller accepted all people in the church regardless of their sinful practices. Daughters Schuller wanted to exclude homosexuals based on Biblical principles. Style and Inclusion.

And the church divided on these issues, resulting in irreconcilable differences. Who was right? Which camp was the correct one? Maybe both are right and both are wrong. Or maybe there is no right or wrong, maybe just opinions and preferences. Maybe it essential to establish our personal standards, dig in our heels, and never sway from our perceived self-excellence. Or maybe we should have no standards of excellence and accept everything and anything in church? On the spectrum of total tolerance versus rigid behavioral expectations, what is the Christian approach? Or as Francis Schaeffer asks, "How should we then live?"

I adopt a personal standard that is based on my upbringing, my worldview, my own spiritual journey, and application of the Word. Yet I also seek truth and wisdom from many other sources, drawing from an eclectic mix of nationalities, religions, and practices. I contend that in some form or another, all of us do this very thing. We are products of our DNA and our environment, and our life experiences shape us and alter us over time. That said, while I do not subscribe to nor embrace homosexuality, I conversely do not disdane those who do. Other than believing it is not the preferred sexual approach and being aware of the Scriptural principal against homosexuality, at the same time I will never disallow nor condemn a practicing homosexual's right to live and worship in the way he or she sees fit. I am against it in philosophy and practice for myself, but also respect the rights of people to be who they wish to be as long as my own rights are not violated. Furthermore I posture that the church is the place for everyone and to exclude those not like ourselves is to create a small-minded, narrow theatrical facade with no more purpose than to be a kind of prison of like people. I am not interested in that church.

Regarding worship styles, I believe I am consistent in my views. Preferring an organ led hymn-based service, I have learned to enjoy and yes worship to other kinds of music. I am glad that people enjoy other kinds of music and remain convinced that it is our right to like what we like and to worship the way we want to worship. As a musician, I do tend to be rather opinionated about music and have great respect for those hymns with quality text and interesting music. And I do believe that the finest hymns are superior to the finest contemporary choruses, at least in terms of musical complexity and theological depth. But the poor hymns, and I recognize this is a subjective statement, are of little value, causing a higher regard for most modern choruses. In the end, regardless of one's opinion or preference, it belies a loving, tolerant practice to end a church over preference and over the inability to find common ground in worship styles.

It pains me to hear of a major church split or the closing of a church over these two issues, both of which are minor in the broad perspective of worshiping God. Church may indeed be frustrating and we will never agree on everything, but we can learn to tolerate our differences and turn the grief into good. It is worth holding onto the institution of the church. Each Sunday you may stand beside a homosexual or a radical contemporary or someone not like yourself, but I urge you to stay standing and remain firm to yourself while accepting others.

Marvelous Medema

2011-07-04T10:12:00.010-05:00

Driving to Abilene to hear the Ken Medema concert, I shared with the family my memories of Ken Medema in the 1970s. Having heard him several times while a teenager growing up in El Paso, I am convinced his music has made a profound impact on my own music and in some broad sense an impact on my life. Arriving 30 minutes early to the concert, we sat near the front so as to see the keys on the piano.

He arrived on stage at 7:00, sat down at the piano and began to play a medium paced funk-style song called "Texas Fourth of July." It was a fun little song intended to reach the audience of over a thousand people. He then moved into a furiously roiling mass of rhythmic and harmonic joy that served as an accompaniment to Brethren We Have Met to Worship. Covering the keyboard and shifting quickly and well in and out of tonality and altered chords, the piece was almost inhumanly performed by the singer/song-writer. With mind-boggling technqiue, creative harmonic development, and incredible rhythmic energy, Ken Medema never let up with displaying his remarkable musical gifts.

One great song after another and throughout each one Ken Medema dazzled the energized audience with his stunning prowess. An average but versatile singer, his voice is powerful but a little strident at times. But his music and his performance is not about a pretty voice, it instead is about the text, the creativity, the energy, and the rhythmic power of the entire experience. In the middle of the concert, Ken has audience members tell him a story and he then creates a song about the story. One story involved attending a baseball game when the fog moved in and the balls moved in and out of the fog. Following the game was a fireworks display through the fog. Ken's song creatively explored the relationship of baseballs and fireworks in the fog and how our lives sometimes seem to reside in the fog until the light shines forth. It was a gorgeous song and not easily forgotten.

He ended the concert with a new version of his I See America, a delicious treat of musical experimentation that enhanced the meaningful text. This marvelous song was followed by a fun African song called Ubuntu where we sang and danced. I was sorry the concert ended and could have started it again. He remains the king of improvisation and Christian concerts and I am blessed to have the opportunity to hear this amazingly gifted musician.

Odds and Ends

2011-07-03T15:18:00.004-05:00

Got up early and ran four miles this morning, but now am hurting some in the joints and muscles. It is that good kind of feeling of being sore but kind of physically productive at the same time. Running is liberating in many ways, outdoors, windy, primitive yet personal, and difficult without too much undue suffering. Yet, a physician mentioned this morning that running will inevitably harm the knees from the constant pounding. Makes me hesitate a little. Perhaps a few more years of this pounding and the knees will be okay. We'll see.

The church service was essentially patriotic this morning including Battle Hymn, National Anthem, Onward Christian Soldiers, and My Country Tis of Thee. The preacher spoke on our Christian and civic responsibility to society and to God, demonstrating through scripture God's reminders of our role as Christians. It all makes sense as we honor our country while giving thanks for the freedoms we enjoy. So why am I a little suspicious that we missed something today? Maybe it is my broad concern and question about people, believers, living in countries other than our own. It seems to be both arrogant and selfish to assume that we have it right, that our history did it all the right way, and we are doing everything correctly at the exclusion of other nationalities.

This is not to criticize our inherent patriotism, an essential ingredient in developing and maintaining national pride and dedication to democracy, but it is to question some of our assumptions that a militant Christianity is necessary for enjoying the privileges of living the way we do. It remains my contention that scripture, that all of Christianity, perhaps even all our lives, are about the Love of God and its working in the world. With love at the forefront, it makes war seem less ordained than previously suspected. Perhaps necessary at times but certainly not preferred, war and militance should never replace love and forgiveness--collectively or individually. With this conclusion, I find myself uncomfortable expending great energy singing about war regardless of its results. That said, I can never get enough study of American history and do indeed consider myself fortunate to live in this great land.

Reading Jeff Shaara's historical novel on the Mexican War. My namesake Robert E. Lee was an amazingly courageous and wise leader. But once again I am disappointed to learn how politics and political leaders often make decisions that hurt the individuals without any kind of help to the greater good. This is true regardless of which side of any war one studies.

Bored with discussions of the weather and wishing people could find more common ground in conversation than current climate conditions, it is true that the hot, extremely dry weather is contributing to our economic woes in this part of the world. The dangers of fires, the depleting drinking water, and the unplanted crops are playing havoc with our daily lives as well as the future. No matter how much technology improves our lives, without water we are nothing. Scary thought.

Proud of my son Jordan. He composed a beautiful piece for band called The Spirit Descending. It can be heard on youtube. A quick search for Jordan Tucker and The Spirit Descending will reveal a nice recording of the piece played by the top band at Howard Payne's Band Leadership Camp. Jordan is a remarkable talent with a bright future as a composer. It may be a tough road to "make it" but he certainly is capable.

Enough rambling for today. About to go hear Ken Medema who is giving a concert in Abilene. Wonderful pianist and vastly creative. Should be great!

Thoughts on Classical Music

2011-06-29T07:45:00.004-05:00

Running a few miles this morning and listening to music through my headphones, with the shuffle setting on my ipod, I realized that I was working harder to listen when the classical music was being played. Let me digress for a minute as I pontificate about the term classical. In most ways I do not like this term and prefer art music or cultured music or cultivated or academic music but as I write those various terms, I found myself in personal disagreement since each term feels somewhat exclusionary. My dream, naive as it may be, is to embrace the totality of music with its myriad styles, instrumentation, background, and variety. But realistically that dream defies the idea of creating categories and labels. Are we a society of labeling and compartmentalization? Absolutely, but this is another subject for another day.

And so I return once again to the term classical knowing the fundamental flaws of the term. Classical music has a small but appreciative audience these days. I contend that some of the problem is related to our constant mobility and sound byte mentality. We love music as a society and can hear virtually anything at a moment's notice. We may only have 3-5 minutes to hear something or we might prefer sound while doing another activity. Classical music by its nature demands concentrated listening and a quiet environment. It tends to be sensitive, complicated, emotional, dramatic, and unpredictable. Classical music is also primarily acoustic, meaning that live instruments, real humans, have generated the sounds being heard. A great sound space with ideal acoustics allows for real human experience that is not electronically delivered.

Back to running. So I am listening to my iPod which is an app on my iPhone while pounding the pavement with my feet. It is sort of a fun adventure to hear the next selection since I have no idea what that will be. It could be a Michael Jackson song or a Stravinsky ballet or a part of a film score by Lalo Schifrin or a cowboy song by Michael Martin Murphey. Or it could be a Rachmaninoff symphony or a Claude Bolling jazz piece. Or a beautiful piano treatment of a Michel Legrand piece. The player "shuffles" around giving me something from my listening library. All great fun.

But in truth, as much as I love Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Corigliano, and Brahms, I have a difficult time enjoying their music while running. It is too expressive with too great a dynamic range. I strain to hear the softs and dread hearing the louds. I suddenly start worrying about the volume and cannot enjoy the music from constantly adjusting it. Plus my love of the sounds of Corigliano is without realization due to my huffing and puffing while running. Classical music does not work for every situation. Its power and expression, its complexity, its demands are not suited for driving, running, outdoor events, even social engagements are questionable. Our mobile world demands sound that is balanced, pulsated, electronically generated, and all one dynamic. Our lives ask for selections that are about 3 minutes--more than that does not fit our lifestyle. Classical music is losing the battle due its very nature!

I hit the pavement for a run and hope that I don't hear Rachmaninoff this time. I run better to Michael Jackson with its rock beat and driving rhythms. I must apologize to classical music--you are better for another day and time.

Some more economic concerns

2011-06-19T16:49:00.008-05:00

Reading an article on the demise of several commonplace items, I remain concerned about the economy, particularly as related to the long-term future. Things are changing and much of it relates to the burgeoning usage of technology and its far-ranging benefits. Some of it also relates to people and how society will respond to various opportunities. Know that I am generally optimistic about the future, confident that initiative, ingenuity, and creativity will correct the growing economic concerns. Yet for the short haul, the economic challenges are likely to continue. What follows may seem trivial in some ways until we think of the mass globalization of the products and the changes thereto.

Television sets. We are nearing the point when episodes, concerts, and unlimited movies are available on tablet computers, internet resources, cell phones, and virtually any electronic device with access to the net. The result of this kind of instant entertainment may likely be similar to holding a book or keeping a wallet with you at at all times. This may devalue those wonderful moments of group movie watching family get togethers for television show, but with projection and a computer, and with all movies and shows available with a click or two, the idea of a television set is mobile. Anywhere, anytime. There may be a day when the television is a horse and buggy.

Watches. Sitting in the waiting room at the oil change place, I glanced at cell phone to check the time. A man I did not know began to chuckle and mentioned that he quit wearing his watch several months earlier due to looking at his phone for the time. Without realizing it, I was doing the same thing. I came home, took off my nice watch, placed it in the drawer, and have not worn it since. My watch is my phone. No longer concerned with finding my watch in the mornings, awkwardly putting it around my wrist, and worrying about it catching on something in the day, I now do not need it. Watch sells are plummeting and people are beginning to recognize they do not need a watch. Obviously some still prefer a watch on the wrist, and many treat a watch as a form of a decoration such as a necklace or a ring. But the future for watches is dismal, being replaced by mobile technology.

Wallets. This one is still out of my reach since I use my wallet for so much including carrying cash, pictures, credit cards, gift cards, drivers license, and various discount cards. But with a cash free world right around the corner, and with scanning systems that rival real physical cards, there is no doubt that the future of the wallet is at stake. Most, if not all cards, can be be on a cell phone and there is no need for real-time swiping with accuracte access codes. Pictures and licenses can all be on a cell phone not to mention codes and apps for almost anything needed.

If we then consider the factories, the workers, the multitude of tasks required to make the three products mentioned, and we add in packaging, delivery, shelf space, repairmen, parts, time spent, we suddenly realize the dramatic economic change that technology is exacting on the world. It all takes its toll on labor, on supply and demand, and ultimately the economy.

A word about Judas--Lady Gaga

2011-06-18T07:30:00.006-05:00

Listening again to Judas by Lady Gaga, I have decided to express myself a little about this song and the video. At this point, most of my friends will probably give up on me and wonder if I have lost my head this time. Why in the world would I take any time at all to discuss something like this video?

For one thing, I think we in the classical world, working hard to help future musicians, cannot ignore nor should we ignore mass popular appeal. We need to address, consider it, reject it if necessary, embrace it at times, and mostly exam it. We also need to wrestle with several concepts that popular music presents, especially the overall sound, style, and texts. Do we need to spend all our time analyzing this music and discussing why it is popular among youth? Likely not. There are too many things to learn in the musical world and residing on one song or one type of music is educationally weak. Yet here is my analytical side coming through as I struggle to understand the appeal of this song. Mostly I have to wonder if this song is "good" for society? Bad for society? Or simply another song with little lasting value?

Lady Gaga is a fine singer with an diverse voice, full range, and lots of vocal energy. She sings with a slight reedy quality that is engaging and has a bluesy approach that is captivating. Her lows and highs are well-balanced and her hint of an unusual accent gives her a personal connection--almost as though she is communicating to individuals in a small setting. Her voice is pleasant and likeable.

She is also a fine song-writer with interesting ideas, nice melodies, rhythmic pulse, and harmonies that while a little predictable are several notches above most popular music heard on the radio today. I really enjoy the opening chorus idea, moving into the verse later. I also enjoy the moment of note repetition that then soars to a singable melody. She has an innate understanding of melody, of when to sustain and when to move quickly. Her band is terrific and aside from the non-stop pounding of the beat and the roar of guitars (both things that bore me after a few minutes), they seem to work well together and serve the best of the music. Overall Lady Gaga is a good musician, maybe not on the par with Stevie Wonder or even Elton John but maybe getting there someday.

As a dancer, she is average and a little awkward. Michael Jackson was amazing for sure. Lady Gaga is not. She almost looks uncomfortable dancing and gyrating about on stage and she struggles to keep her motions in sync with the others and with the music. Somewhat leggy and gangly, she is much more comfortable behind a piano where her fingers do the dancing. More on this later.

The stage antics. These are overall okay, sort of creative at times with funny costumes (remember Cher and Elton John!), eggs, fire, risers, face paint, all designed to get your attention. None of it appeals to me, but I suppose in our visual world, most successful performers need a visual gimic. I wonder if she comes up with this stuff or if her managers sit around trying to think of the next crazed look. Not sure. Her presentation is highly energized, creative, and a little unique at this time demonstrating that she is not inhibited at all and holds back very little in her concerts. This again gives her a connection to everyone present as though she is willing to share her musicianship with all the individuals in the room.

Now as far as the song Judas goes, I think it is an okay song. It sounds to me like a sidewise version of Bad Romance, the same structure, same minor chorus, the same guttural sounds of roaring and uhhhing. The catchy phrases are similar and it is easy to dictate on paper the melodies being sung. It is a fun, energetic song that interests me a little for its musical content. The words are another matter. What do they mean? Is this offensive to a Christian? At first I thought so, but further examination and I am not so sure. They seem nonsensical to me, so I am not sure what the purpose is? Are we supposed to laud and respect Judas for his betrayal of our Lord? Or are we saying he is a demon and we should filter out demons in our lives? I honestly cannot tell what any of this means. Because of that, I have decided not to be offended, but to remain confused!

I would prefer Lady Gaga not try to mix religious icons in her performances (of course, she does so to push the envelope and get attention), but I suppose that for me I just simply do not take her presentation very seriously. I like her voice and like parts of her music, but am somewhat indifferent to the other things.

If you are now curious, simply go to Youtube and search for Lady Gaga Judas and you will find several videos.

What I look forward to is the day she stops the junk on the stage, goes to the piano and begins to sing the old ballads from the 40s-70s! That is when we will hear the magic in her voice.

Economy, Sports, Exercise

2011-06-16T05:50:00.010-05:00

Those Mavericks were really something the other night, winning the championship and once again surging in the 4th quarter. Not an obsessed fan, but nevertheless always enjoying a good game, I was glued to the set and responded emotionally to every play. Great game for sure. And I love to see an exciting sports game of almost any kind. Good athletes are artists in a way with their ability to jump, shoot, run, move quickly, react, hit, throw--always impressive.

The economy is confusing me right now. Just read about the housing bust taking place in our country with values dropping almost daily and foreclosures at a high level. Visited with several unemployed people yesterday going about town hoping for nearly any job that is available. Unemployment is frightening on several levels as they seek to put food on the table, pay the rent, support themselves and their spouses in some instances.

Father's Day is coming up and I just read about the exhorbitant spending for iPads and accessories. The iGrill app is $99 and is selling rampantly right now, not to mention all the little stands and additions for the iPad. Plus most iPads are over $500 and supposedly 12 million have been sold the last couple of years. Hmmm...how does this demonstrate a struggling economy? On the other hand, I do love my iPad.

Took a break for a few minutes and ran a mile in 9 1/4 minutes. Now to me I felt as though I were sprinting the whole time, but to a real runner or an athlete my time is laughable especially considering how many run miles in under 5 minutes these days. Yesterday I ran a slow 3 miles but today I went for speed over distance and it felt good. Tomorrow will be another 3 mile run. My days of football playing are long over (okay, they never really started!) and my basketball game is pretty weak and clumsy. But I like to stay in shape and believe that life sports and exercise are valuable. Truthfully I don't enjoy exercising very much, huffing and puffing, muscles aching, losing time to read or write or practice, but I suppose it is all good for me. As a friend told me once--after a workout, you feel like you took a happy pill!

With the awful economy and unemployment and housing foreclosures and people struggling everywhere, how do we as a society justify the vast amount of money spent on professional and collegiate sports, for that matter even high school sports? I just read where collegiate spending has increased and we all hear about college head coaches making salaries beyond most Presidents. Add to this the stadiums, the trips, the meals, the uniforms, the facilities, and we see spending that is mind-boggling. A recent trip to experience a commencement at a large state school reminded me of the millions spent on upgrading the stadium, which is absolutely stunning in all respects.

Again, let me reiterate how much I love a good game and do not begrudge the success of others or the success of any discipline. As a believer in the free market system of supply and demand, I must conclude that sports is in high demand at all levels thereby resulting in a great supply. As long as we as a society are willing to pay to see a game, there will always be a game to see. As long as we encourage, support, and believe in sports, there will be money poured into it. If people are willing to spend over a thousand dollars to sit in a parking lot and watch a football game on the screen, a game taking place in the nearby stadium, there will be sports.

Yes, I enjoy it, maybe not enough to spend that much money to sit in a parking lot, but certainly enough to be a fan and spend some money for the entertainment of organized sports. Yes, I do keep up with the great players and love hearing statistics, those Reds are going to have a good season if they keep up the pitching. Colleges and Universities have gained greatly from the spirit and energy of their sports teams, a concept that somehow unifies and defines colleges throughout the country. Yet, I have to wonder a little at the excesses I see, and I have to wonder a little if it is bubble about to burst?

What if our energies, our money, our fun were spent on life health, on education, on relationships, on families, on the arts, or on pursuing Godly matters? How would these and more affect our economy, our culture, our world?

Keep the great teams playing, keep the athletes moving, keep the entertainment of sports, but as Aristotle once said, "Moderation in all things."

Just a few thoughts today

2011-06-14T05:18:00.005-05:00

Having returned from Ruidoso, New Mexico where the family visited to watch my Aunt get married, I am once again thinking about the complexity and joys of the musical world. A friend recently played an all Brahms concert with an orchestra where he experienced the Brahms Serenade in D, a movement of Brahms Symphony No. 4, and parts of the German Requiem. All great music and worth hearing for sure. I am encouraged that a community gathering wanted to hear music by the great master rather than relying on all popular music to reach the masses.

Sometimes I think we are too quick to find music that casts a wide net of influence and pleasure for people. It is nice to program great music that has withstood the test of time and is considered some of finest music written. So kudos to the community that supported the recent Brahms concert. May others continue to do the same. Keep Brahms alive!

But at the same time, whatever music was selected, I am glad that live music is still regarded for its emotional power and content. While we know that art music tends to reach an older audience, and that appreciation for it comes over time, it is mainly comforting to know that audiences will support the arts even if those occurrences are fairly rare. There are magnificent musicians working daily to hone their craft in order to have the opportunity to perform at a high level. Without those opportunities, the musicians will have no outlet and more importantly no economic support for their chosen profession.

But herein lies the dilemma: supply and demand will determine the course for the arts in the future and we must remain sensitive to this fact. The audience for classical art music is very small and the more trained musicians alienate themselves from popular music, the smaller the audience will be. It is time to draw eclectically from the vast array of music and present a mosaic of musical colors to the audiences of today. That may include a Brahms concert or it could include a Bach organ concert or Mozart or Beethoven. But it also may be some Stevie Wonder or Lady Gaga or Broadway musicals or Eric Clapton. All of it is worth exploring. Let's don't lose the Brahms, but let's also don't lose the audience.

Speaking of Lady Gaga, I am a fan. Taking away the antics, the trickery, the questionable moral fiber, the latest fad, the visual excesses, and you have a fine musician. She has a wonderful blues, velvety voice with great range and communication, interesting melodic lines, high energy, and intriguing harmonic motion in her music. I anticipate the day when she gives up on the crazed presentation and simply becomes a piano playing singer. She is really outstanding and will one day be a fine song interpreter of her own music as well as others.

New Mexico was nice but very dry and hot. Ruidoso feels generally dusty without the magic I once remembered from my childhood. A little rain would refresh that land, giving it the charm it had many years ago. For now though the people seem nervous about fires and the lack of water. But we still had a nice time with the family. Lots of good food, fun games, reading, and just being together. My aunt got married in a brief but very nice ceremony where she looked beautiful and glowed with joy. It was also great to see my very successful cousin at this celebration event. He exudes confidence and contentment in his demeanor and totally at ease with himself. Great guy in all respects.

Finished two books recently and nearing a third completion. Wrote two reviews and about to start a third one. Meanwhile I am working on a new piece of music, getting ready to play a horn concerto, continuing some research in African-American music, and trying to reorganize my book I am writing. Lots to do these days.

Horn Shopping

2011-06-06T20:47:00.005-05:00

Went horn shopping today at Houghton Horns in Ft. Worth/Keller area. Took youngest son Jordan and student from Eastland Karley Simmons. They both ended up with nice horns after a day of trying various instruments and two happy horn players are now home practicing!

I enjoyed the day immensely, even got in a little bit of book shopping and completed my collection of Jeff Shaara books, and was treated to an opportunity to play several different horns. Each horn is slightly different in terms of shape, design, style, sound, tuning, and yes price. I love the warmth of the Alexander but am intrigued with the power of the Conn 3D. I can sense the sparkle of a Yamaha and revel in the precision of a Hoyer. All great horns for sure. But then the magic arrived.

The owner brought out a small Alexander horn that looked quite old and somehow different. He then held it out to me and said it was once owned by Dennis Brain. My eyes bugged out and my hands suddenly felt sweaty and awkward as I looked upon an instrument once touched by a master. Dennis Brain died in a tragic auto accident exactly 3 years before I was born. He was a marvel of horn playing with a beauty of phrasing, accuracy, charm, and technique rarely equaled even by today's standards. A lighter style of playing, Dennis Brain approached horn playing with ease and joy, as though the horn world were completely at his fingertips, commanding each note and each nuance with total confidence.

I informed the owner that I was not worthy to touch the instrument and he smiled and said that's what he said as well. Finally in abject humility I held the horn and began to play it. Nice instrument, very responsive and fun. Sort of playful in feel and instant joy. Like a happy, barking puppy ready to play! I loved the instrument and spent some time reflecting on the incredibly fantastic but short career of the master horn artist Dennis Brain. His Mozart Horn Concerto recording remains one of my favorite recordings of all time.

My own playing is a little weak right now, having not practiced enough lately. But I can hold my own when in shape. I heartily enjoy playing my horn and receive great satisfaction in playing, a kind of security blanket of happiness that musicians can appreciate. When I pick up a horn, particularly my own Alexander, I feel very much at home with my old friend and am ready to make music. In spite of my eclectic career that is now more or less administrative, I plan to be a horn player until the end, if for no other reason than it is great fun.

Back to horn shopping. We had a good day at the shop and it made me miss my horn obsessed days. It can really get in your blood. The owner of the shop was very helpful, quite knowledgable, and generously patient with us as we played horns. I am smiling when I think about the moment I cranked up the volume and heard the dog whine! Mostly I'm happy Jordan and Karley ended up with some good horns. Kudos to all the horn players in the world that keep this great instrument alive!

Books and Life

2011-06-04T07:29:00.005-05:00

Reading seven different books right now and alternating between them. This is a form of Attention Deficit Disorder caused by the some kind of inherent weakness, the tendency to jack rabbit between projects and avoid completion. Yet it is kind of fun and each book meets some kind of niche for reading. Fiction and non-fiction, old and new, it's all great.

Sure is dry and windy outside. The grass is brown and crackly with large divets in the terrain. Reminds me of when our youngest son Jordan was about 6 and started a club called the "Alberticus" club. The goal was to look inside the cracks in the ground and see if any animals or insects lived in the cracks. He named the club after his grandfather Albert Tucker. Not sure if he had any members though.

A child's perspective is special and based partly on his size and partly on his experience. Living in the desert of New Mexico, I recall being a child of 5 and stepping out on our front porch one morning. In the corner of the porch, near the railing was a black furry creature. Intrigued but a little nervous, I went back inside, woke up Mom and Dad and told them a baby bear was on the porch. Now of course there were no baby bears in that part of New Mexico and besides a baby bear would be about the size of a 5 year old child. But in my perspective, the creature was black and furry making it a baby bear. And as we learned from Walt Disney, we were not supposed to play with baby bears since their mothers would be angry.

My parents looked at each other rather curiously and Dad headed out to the front porch. Glancing at the furry object, he grabbed a boot and disposed of the large black turantula! It was all rather adventurous to a 5 year old.

Reading "Is God a Christian" by R. Kirby Godsey and enjoying the ecumenical view of the author. Also reading through short stories by Reynolds Price, an outstanding writer whose personal approach is uncomfortably vulnerable and sensitive but also gentle. Still trying to get through the massive book by Ken Follett called "Fall of Giants." Strong writing but a little bit lacking in personal connection. "Passport to Peril" by Robert Parker (not of detective story fame) is an older spy novel setting in post WWII times. Kind of Graham Greene in style but very concise and entertaining. "The Alto Wore Tweed" is a Kindle download written by Mark Schweizer. Very fun, light detective reading with musical and religious allusions. Good for several smiles that's for sure. Still trying to finish another biography of Theodore Roosevelt. Should be done this week. Found another Robert Parker (different from the Passport Robert Parker) I hadn't read so jumped in and got through nearly half the book.

Had a bad day yesterday due partly to my own making. Started rough by not sleeping well and then running nearly 3 miles and felt terrible. Spent the rest of the day not making great decisions. I'll need to fix some problems next week. I guess not every day is a perfect day. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes. Life sure is humbling at times.

Liebestod, Beethoven, and Brahms

2011-06-02T05:16:00.012-05:00

The incredible moment arrived and the grand 6-5 appogiatura captured my heart once again followed by the unnerving and relentlessly pulsating anticipations of the progressive melody in Liebestod. Suffering from what I have identified as analytical boredom from particular pieces of music, a malady that consists of hearing something, understanding it, and then no longer being interested in it, I have never grown tired of hearing Liebestod by Richard Wagner. It is one of and perhaps my favorite piece of music in all of music literature. Listening to the remarkable counterpoint of augmentation and diminution, thematic alteration, and expansive melodic lines is to hear the music within the music. Hearing it is to be transformed to another world, a sublimely perfect world made of everything beautiful and enchanting, a world of hope and peace and a world of perfect purity in all things. Every time I hear Liebestod, I experience an indescribable emotion that somehow alters and improves the inner being. A work of musical art unequaled and sitting on a throne of beauty.

Some of Beethoven affects me nearly as much and some of Brahms as well. I enjoy the music of Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and yes even Lady Gaga, in fact the list of music I enjoy seems to be nearly infinite, but the music of the masters goes beyond that of enjoyment and enters a different realm. And as I reflect on Liebestod, I wonder if I disagree with my earlier post on entertainment? Was I entertained by Liebestod? Am I entertained by Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Brahms' First Symphony? Is there an emotional response that is deeper from listening to Wagner as related to listening to Sondheim or Michael Jackson? I think so. Does this mean that the music goes beyond that of entertainment? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Sure I was entertained, received pleasure from hearing Liebestod, but somehow it feels cheap to relegate the music into a classification of music for entertainment. Yet I suppose that no matter how it is expressed, how many ways I can describe the feeling, in spite of its longevity, its craftmanship, its sincerity and depth of emotions, in the end the music is still entertaining on some level. Hard to acknowledge this truth since the music has a greater depth of meaning to me well beyond that of most entertainment I see and experience around me.

The music of Wagner, Beethoven, Brahms is entertaining, but designating it as such is to diminish its power and significance. So please forgive my equivocation and pandering to the academic community, but I am having trouble attributing the magnificence of this music to fit into the concept of entertainment. On the other hand, to say it is not entertaining is to diminish its purpose. So all this to say that music can be and should be entertaining. Perhaps great music also reaches yet another level.

Music as Entertainment

2011-05-31T05:26:00.018-05:00

Returning home from a week in Nashville where I learned about equalization, compression, recording techniques, eccentric people, and music curriculum, I have been reflecting on the power of the entertainment industry and how that relates to my world as a classically trained musician. Somehow I have resisted the idea that music is solely for the purpose of entertainment, that music has a power and a scope beyond and deeper than providing a good moment of happy feelings, of emotional cathartic release. As I learn and subsequently teach the craft of what music is and encourage the creative expression of music in all its forms, I have to wonder if I have missed something along the way. Maybe music is primarily entertainment.

And Nashville certainly is about entertainment. Music Row is filled with recording studios and publishers adorn various parts of the city. Clearing houses for artist protection are scattered about and many restaurants include a form of live music. The number of garage bands, combos, song writers, singers, and instrumentalists is staggering and the entire city seems to have music coming out of its pores. The guitar is nearly an icon and can be found with the turn of a head or an open ear. Nashville embraced the idea of music as entertainment and has thrived from its musical economy. Rejecting the idea of music as an art form apart from its entertainment value, Nashville has produced an untold number of recordings and live musicians. Maybe they are right.

After all, the great operas were written as entertainment, ways to occupy the royalty, to unify the peasants, to gather all in one room for one artistic event. Broadway musicals, often considered the opera of America, are essentially entertainment, a glorious integration of the arts to tell a story in music. Marching bands entertain the crowd at football games, jazz combos entertain people in night clubs, American Idol and Glee are all about entertainment. The guitar player on the street, the accordion player in the doorway, the singer grabbing a microphone, the whistler in the hallway, all these and more are providing some level of musical entertainment. Is it possible that an aural experience, apart from the visual is entertaining? Is all music entertainment? Maybe.

But what about music for worship? What about a priest chanting in a mode to communicate the parts of a mass? What about the acapella choir in Westminster Abbey or the organist playing the prelude? Are these a form of entertainment? Arguable certainly but nevertheless true in a way. Sure these musicians are worshiping, but they are also entertaining the people who are in turn worshiping. A fine line is drawn between enhancing the experiencing, providing background music, or serving the emotional content of the experience, but in the end, it is still a form of entertainment although difficult to admit!

Let's take a look at a symphony orchestra concert. Is this entertainment? A collective set of musicians who worked together for a common goal of a performance of one person's creative expression reside on a stage to give an audience aural pleasure, emotional release, and personal amusement. The event may not elicit great laughter or wild expressions of joy or extrinisic physical responses, but it does satisfy something within the human spirit that is pleasurable. The concert may not have been a visual mosaic of colors or a smorgasbord of clever verbal quips or include dancing or theatre, but nevertheless the concert was a form of entertainment. Its depth of sound, preparation of the performers, formality of the environment, profound acceptance of great art, or historical acknowledgement of the literature, do not take the concert out of its intent--to entertain the audience.

And entertainment can be delivered to large a populous or to smaller units. Humming to oneself is solitary entertainment, a worthy goal in all respects. Taken on a broader scale, collective music making serves not just the performers but the listeners as well, causing a sense of pleasure in all constituencies involved. No matter what the level or sincerity of the music making, regardless of the setting or the intention, it remains a form of entertainment. We tend to view entertainment as requiring dancing or clowns or comedians or rock bands, but an expansion of the concept takes us down the road to include performance with its array of opportunities.

Musicians, trained or untrained, need to accept their role as delivering entertainment to other people. We trained musicians somehow prefer to think we are providing music at a deeper level than sheer entertainment, that we are delivering something more intentional, purposeful, and life-altering to the human spirit, but in the final analysis, music, regardless of its form, style, genre, quantity, or even quality, is ultimately about entertainment. Once we accept this outcome, we can begin to accept the many kinds of music that make up our culture and our world. An individual may prefer a quieter, contemplative form of music and may prefer music of a particular genre or time period, or may prefer a certain kind of instrumentation or text, or may prefer art music with its ability to reach an emotional depth not always found in other music, but regardless of the preference, music is pleasurable on many levels to millions of people. It may be true, and I subscribe to this conclusion as well, that quality music making begats quality listening experiences, and that greater preparation and greater craft of musicianship result in deeper pleasure for the listener, and trained musicians certainly seek to reach a profound level of expression, but the strategic goal remains that of entertainment.

This does not in any sense abdicate or even subjugate the need for quality musical experiences, and in fact it further demonstrates the value of training musicians to seek out profound forms of entertainment and emotional expression. But it does in a sense remind us in academia to be sensitive to the variety of preferences of music and never to disregard listener response to music. Without an audience, music resides in a vacuum, a vortex with no purpose and guaranteed to disappear into oblivion.

Traveling to Nashville

2011-05-24T09:21:00.006-05:00

Left the house at 3:30 on Sunday for a 1 1/2 hour drive to Abilene to fly to DFW and onward to Nashville with the goal of arriving in Nashville around 10 p.m. But several problems and planes later we arrived in Nashville the next day at 4:30 in our same clothes in which we began our journey. We left Abilene the first time but were not allowed to land due to weather so we returned to Abilene to wait for things to calm down. Waiting until 10, we left again for DFW and arrived safely but without a way to continue to Nashville. Staying in a motel for the night without our luggage, we got up early and fly to Memphis where we waited for several hours for the flight to Nashville.

Arriving in Nashville and having great concern about our luggage, we walked to the baggage office and there they were--our suitcases. Renting a car we headed to our conference and arrived successfully. Now we are at a conference that may or may not provide information that is useful to my profession. We shall see.

Nashville is beautiful with rolling green hills, tall full trees, and luscious flowers adorning the landscape. Warm outside and more humid than makes me comfortable, I am happy to be here experiencing a different part of the country. It is a musical world with strong emphases on country music and popular music, demonstrating once again the proliferation of music in our culture. All types of music are heard in Nashville including opera, ballet, and symphonic music not to mention the myriad of pop styles from bluegrass to fusion to jazz.

Cicadas are out of control in this fair city. Piercing, painful cacophony of sound pervades the environment everywhere we go, providing its own kind of natural beauty that although harsh is also ironically natural. As we learn about equalization, compression, and sequencing, it is strangely comforting to know that the insects equalize their world without the use of electronics. I wonder if the sounds of nature are somehow more prevalent in Nashville, driving the need for music and thereby lifting Nashville to its place as a musical mecca. I guess there is no way to know. Curious thought.

Fun place for sure and a great place to visit and probably a great place to live.

Learning to play an instrument

2011-05-17T05:18:00.010-05:00

The sound was painful to the ear, loud and obnoxious, accompanied by uncomfortable giggles of both fear and amazement as the student nervously with a degree of anxiety blended with joy returned the instrument back to the teacher. "Will I really get to play an instrument?" lurked inside each head, the secret longing to express emotions through music hoping to be unleashed in the form of band. Parents looked on wondering about the sound itself, the costs associated with band, the commitment, and also the ability of their child. Yet there was no denying the shimmering energy that abounded within their son or daughter when she held the instrument and made that sound. Pure joy alighted on her face as she imagined herself marching on the field making music.

Complete trust and faith in the teachers to help make the decision over which instrument was best occurred when the students and parents approached the band director wondering what would happen next. Assessing the child including his teeth, lips, general aptitude, musical aptitude, potential size, and mostly desire, the director educates them on what would be the best instrument. Sometimes the director misses the mark and places a student on the wrong instrument. Time usually reveals this problem and the wise director will encourage a change early enough to allow the student success. Meanwhile, the student anxiously awaits the moment he can hold the instrument and play a melody.

The process is a shade laborious at first, learning to hold the instrument correctly, learning how to care for it, finding what makes it tick, adjusting your body to fit the instrument, applying what you see on the written page to the actual instrument. Attempting to make the darn thing sound good, pleasing to the ear, matching the music, doing the rhythm correctly, making your fingers accurate, hoping for success. It is an emotional experience in all respects. In some ways similar to hitting the ball when it crosses the plate or getting the math problem right or asking someone on a date, it is all frightening and wildly vulnerable.

But wow--it is worth the anxiety! The feeling deep inside that comes rushing out as you learn to play an instrument is overwhelmingly joyous and fulfilling. Everything right that exists inside the heart and soul is outwardly expressed through the strange object being held in your hand. The neurons come alive and your body energy becomes a rushing river of rapids gliding effortlessly and unbridled toward the goal of music. That first sound and later that first melody is one of those experiences to be treasured and remembered forever.

To the students thinking about playing: your parents and your grandparents will love every sound you make and every attempt at music that you experience. Let not your fear and anxiety inhibit your desire for music. Music is for everyone.

There is a marvelous song by Elton John called Electricity. It is a song that a boy sings describing the feeling he gets when he starts dancing. The song is from the amazingly inspiring musical called Billy Elliot. The words and music describe the same feeling one gets when playing an instrument, which is all about the personal expression of music.

Savant Gifts in Autism

2011-05-15T06:12:00.008-05:00

Having written several times on the myth of latent gifts and unusual abilities associated with autism, and working to alleviate the fallacies of thinking that many people have toward autism, I now find myself taking the other position. While it is true that movies such as Rain Man and Mercury Rising demonstrate the amazing prowess of certain autistic people, it would be wise to remember that those rare people are exceptional. It is anecdotally rewarding to imagine the "trapped" genius residing within a shell of autism that if given the right environmental circumstances can contribute intellectually to modern culture, but the reality dictates that most autistic children and adults are of average intelligence and aptitude, similar to the averages of normal people. It makes sense that there are and always will be the exceptions on both ends of the intelligence spectrum to include brilliant and gifted autistics as well as those with significant learning challenges.

If the outside world expects a high level of savant intelligence in some specialized area, then disappointment will usually be the result. I have known blind people who often felt the expectation of musical gifts to be a frustration since they may or may not have the same kind of musical abilities we hear about in the media. Stevie Wonder and Ken Medema are exceptions to the rule and it is grossly unfair to make them the standard for all sight-challenged people. The same is true in autism. Rain Man was exceptional and to impose that kind of expectation on all autistic people is to set them up for failure and disappointment.

Autism is a neurological disorder that can have related issues with cognition or in many cases simply communication. Much has been written on the characteristics of autism so there is no need to dwell on previous knowledge. What I do want to mention is that in spite of my belief in the generally average gifts of most autistic children, there are indeed often latent abilities that manifest themselves in the behavior and practice of autistic adults. Because of the nature of autism being more concrete and less abstract, order and systemization are necessary for their success. In some ways, this is oddly instinctual in the manner that forces us to respond to our environment out of survival. Although non-autistics develop a kind of social contract to "fit in" to the world around them, an autistic must find other means. One of the ways this happens is to compartmentalize different events and knowledge. They work hard to give a sense of order to everything they encounter. This helps them cope and understand the complex world around them.

Joel has an unusual ability to hear numbers, see them in his head, and recall them back with great accuracy. He also does this with books at the library, placing books in the correct order based on their originally correct location. Over time, he has no need to read the call number, he simply knows where the book belongs and takes it to its spot. He tells me that he knows where every book belongs and has never made a mistake in placing a book on the shelf.

For most of us, we are slowly losing the ability to recall phone numbers. Our tendency to place all numbers in a phone directory on our cell phones is likely subverting the need to recall the numbers. It is not unusual for us to falter when asked the numbers of people we contact everyday. There is no need to memorize the number as long it is one click away on the phone. For Joel, however, he does not place numbers in his directory. Instead he memorizes the numbers and recalls them in his head. My suspicion is that he visualizes the precise order of the number and associates that order with a particular person. It is an unusual ability and one that makes us pause as we realize very few of us have that ability. Yet in spite of that remarkable skill, Joel does not have great short-term memory for other things. If something cannot be ordered, he cannot recall it in his mind.

There is little doubt that autism remains a mystery to most people, perhaps everyone at least to an extent. Yet the more we understand, the better we can help autistics adjust to the complex world. Part of our job as guardians of our adult son is to show him ways to use his abilities and his disabilities that will help him be successful. But part of our job is also to educate the world on ways to help and understand him. At times this is a full-time job!

The GTO

2011-05-12T12:52:00.003-05:00

It was gold and new and sat in the parking lot representing everything grand and perfect about the world. The year was 1965, a year Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays were the heroes of baseball, the Vietnam War seemed upsetting to our parents, we enjoyed our black and white television set with 3 channels and an antenna that required adjustment frequently, and Dr. Seuss books were an adventure in reading (that mean Grinch!). We played hard at recess, usually getting angry about the rules of the game, disagreeing on who touched whom, wondering about our friends, filthy from falling on the dirt, most often bleeding somewhere, fascinated with beetles, spiders, and mostly the horny toads that scurried everywhere we went, dispensing an odd brown substance from their eyes when cornered (later we were told it was blood--neato!). We walked home each day regardless of the distance, not knowing that walking home would one day be an unusual practice, and we hoped to get some guys together for a game of army men in someone's backyard.

And the object of our love and adoration sat in the parking lot day after day, shining in all its glory, teasing us, winking at us, playing hard to get, shimmering with wavy gold polish, supported by tires guaranteed to win every race, and demonstrating an elegance beyond the normal world. Its very elite luster shouted a type of disdain toward the common, with a masked sneer lying just below its golden surface. A sneer that gave it yet another dimension of being untouchable and beyond our imagination. It was a Pontiac GTO and it was perfect in all respects.

http://ultimategto.com/carshows/gtoaa05/65_jk055_2.jpg

We assumed it was owned and driven by a goddess (of course that word was not in our vocabulary back then), or at least someone not of this mortal world. In fact it was difficult to associate the perfection of the GTO with a human being. We spent most of our time staring at it and trying to relate it to our lives as first graders. The GTO was better than our playground, smarter than Mrs. Farnsworth our teacher, faster than Willie Mays, tougher than John Wayne, more exotic than a Dr. Seuss book, and without a doubt prettier than Valerie Johnson. Valerie was amazing, a blond angel in first grade who always got the answers right. She wore a yellow dress everyday and was never dirty. Her smile was magical and she must have lived in a castle with people serving her everything. We were in love with Valerie (even though we never would talk to her--after all she was a girl), but we were also in love with the GTO.

Therein was the dilemma. GTO or Valerie? Who was better? Several weeks of discussion went by while staring at both and each day we came to the same conclusion--the GTO was superior. Valerie was close, but she paled in comparison. Our object of desire, the unquestioned treasure, the motivation for our future, was the GTO. In spite of the perfection of Valerie, she just simply was not the GTO. And as we decided upon the GTO, it became the example for everything good and every victory in the playground or on the sandlot was about the GTO. "We won, we get the GTO" was heard everyday in some way. The world was right because the GTO was the goal for everything we did.

Valerie was quickly forgotten, she was a girl after all, until the terrible thing happened. One morning as we gathered before school started, we went over to the fence that separated the parking lot from the gathering area, and there we saw a sight that no 5 year old boy should ever have to see: the GTO was dirty and had a dent in the fender. Something horrible had happened, a wreck of some kind and the beautiful object of perfection was damaged. It was human and showed dirt and was no longer perfect. It was just another car and with it went all our hopes and dreams for the future. It was as common as we were and nothing special. Acknowledging this horrific reality was a little difficult for a few minutes, until we were back on the playground talking about Sandy Koufax and John Wayne and looking for horny toads. The year was 1965 and the GTO was dirty. That same day, Valerie Johnson had messed up hair and missed some answers when the teacher called on her, plus she lost a couple of teeth and looked funny. Our world had fallen apart.

But our army men were the same and they awaited our next war, full of sound effects that five year old boys enjoy and disagreements on where the bullets were landing. Life returned to normal and we had other objects to admire. Admittedly, I still glanced at Valerie occasionally and in a moment of weakness might look over at the dirty GTO, but life went on and there was too much to do to dwell on what might have been. Our dreams may have been interrupted with a dose of reality, but dreams have a way of returning in different forms, lying just below the surface anxiously hoping for another opportunity. Plenty of dreams abounded over the years, but I never forgot that GTO and all it represented.

Moral Decline of Society

2011-05-09T06:04:00.008-05:00

I heard yet another sermon on the moral decline of society. Regretfully, I have not counted the number of similar sermons I have heard in my life, a life committed to God, to church, to Christian higher education, but I suspect having heard approximately 10 of these kinds of sermons per year. Given my 50 years, this means I have heard this sermon and its variation more or less 500 times. Of course there are many variations of this sermon and it is categorically unfair to group them together as one under the umbrella of "here is another moral decline of society" sermon, but given my propensity for encapsulation and idea labeling, I find myself comfortably assigning thematic sermons into a particular theatre.

Please know I am not criticizing this choice of sermon. Not being a preacher, I would think it is often difficult to preach without having a few minutes of "moral decline of society" verbage. Just like any good piece music, a strong sermon requires a little tension before providing a release of the positive. This concept is tried and true and generally works. People need to hear ideas for improvement, and what better way than to point out the things to avoid. When I go running, I avoid the spots on the road that will cause me to fall or get hurt, preferring to stay on the normal road as I continue toward the goal of completion.

But I am a little bored with the recurring theme of we are in a "moral decline of society" as exemplified by the following: drugs, sex, alcohol, crime. Or let's take it further: terrorism, taxes, welfare, loud music, pants that are too big, clothes not covering well, high gas prices, homosexuality, swearing, global warming, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, ice, bugs, snakes, disease, and the list is unending. All these and more have plenty of examples as you pick up the newspaper or listen to the radio or simply look around. A person can always find the negative in all things and it is easy to enumerate the onslaught of moral problems. People are flawed and society is flawed and culture is messed up and institutions are a disaster and in truth everything is bad. Regardless of one's definition of moral behavior, there is always an example to support a position.

I do have a friend who considers me to be an optimist, a Pollyana, a rose-tinted glasses person, a find the good in everyone kind of guy, and I suppose I can accept this criticism and am strangely comfortable with the label. This does not mean that I am not aware of the constant and disturbing problems I see and hear everyday, but it does mean that I work to think broadly, focusing on the general refinement of our world, seeking to experience joy over sorrow, love over hate, improvement over despair, and progression over digression.

Call me cock-eyed, but I do not really believe we are seeing the moral decline of society. I do think the changes in culture, in lifestyle, and in practice are dramatic, perhaps revolutionary, but not necessarily vitriolic. There is a tendency to make our worldview rather limited, based primarily on our immediate senses, interpreting those events we see or experience as being representative of the collective culture, a culture that is steadily marching toward its own doom, destroying the essence of goodness through moral depravity and a kind of societal self-destruction. Our human concept of time is very small, relegated to our own lifespan and our own experience, an experience that may at least to an extent include our families, our education, and our own concepts and interests.

A study of history generally focuses on political structures, on governments, on states, and on broad decisions. Yet if we begin to think microscopically on the lives of people, and then add in a lateral progression of time, we discover something different. We find a very slow, deliberate, refinement and improvement of life. In fact we discover a higher respect for the living and a greater commitment to the value of life with all its complexities. Society is waxing better and better not worse and worse. But like a bull market where in spite of general growth and steady increases, we will occasionally find decline, spikes downward, pain instead of joy, discomfort, evil, sorrow, and destruction. All these and more are and always will be a part of our lives, no question about that.

Yet regardless of those who insist upon preaching the moral decline of society, and I certainly respect them, I must take the other side and preach the moral good, the moral melioration of society. We may see what we want to see, and believe me there are plenty of problems, but as for me, I see a plethora of love and blessings abundant.

Supplementing the Rabbit Post

2011-05-08T07:19:00.005-05:00

Two rabbits were frantically running, using their odd zig-zag motion of hopping quickly and deftly avoiding cactus, mesquite, and sharp boulders, when they spied a hollowed out log. Without hesitation, they got inside, knowing it was a matter of time before the pack of coyotes found them, yet confident the log would provide a temporary respite from the inevitable, but quite sad rabbit feast that would most likely occur pretty soon. As the loud, screaming coyotes gathered outside the log waiting for the rabbits to come out, the little rabbits had a discussion.

Rabbit One: I'm frightened and am not sure what to do.
Rabbit Two: The way I figure it, we have two choices.
Rabbit One: What are the choices?
Rabbit Two: We could try to outrun them or we can stay here until we outnumber them!

Rabbits and Leadership

2011-05-05T20:50:00.008-05:00

Running down the road in our country neighborhood, I enjoy watching the little rabbits scurry around and hop back and forth. Their colors are quite similar to the terrain with its light brown almost tanned look with an occasional branch, leaf, and a little grass creeping through the foliage. As they hop, they will suddenly stop, not moving a muscle until it is time to return to rabbit form in a seemingly random zig zag pattern. Preferring groups, they are not afraid to venture out alone, but somehow are always aware of their friends.

Cute yes. Annoying? Maybe a little. Intriguing? All the time! Rabbits are prolific little things offering much to the eco-system and finding ways to protect themselves when necessary. They move quickly with a kind of life energy that says, "We love life and approach it with happy zeal, curiously embracing our world with a dashing flare." They hop about looking for food, absorbing the outdoors and almost sense their own entertainment value to others. Yet at the slightest sense of danger, they freeze, look around, listen carefully, then without hesitation, they thump the ground and take off to another location. The thump is to warn fellow rabbits of impending danger, of the possible foe, of the need to get away quickly.

The sudden stop and remarkable statuesque pose allow rabbits to blend in with the surroundings. The advanced hearing and unusual visual awareness give them the ability to see above and around them, hearing the slightest change in sound, seeking for the source of the change in the environment. Because we see movement before we see stationary, it is often difficult to see rabbits being still due to their blending in with the surroundings.

Yet rabbits have their weaknesses as I discerned on my recent run. I came around the bend to see several rabbits hopping across the road. One froze in the way nature demands it to do, and stood stock still in the middle of the road as I ran toward it. While this would have been effective in the grass or trees, it was rather ridiculous on the road. No blending in for this guy this time. He was obviously a rabbit standing in the road. Furthermore when I was quite near and he realized the danger (I am quite scary when I run!), he thumped and took off. But thumping on pavement does nothing but hurt your paws. No sound or vibration can be experienced by other rabbits.

I find college administration to be the life of a rabbit in some ways. It is easier to stand still and do nothing, cautiously looking around for any dangers and warning others when something seems amiss. When nothing is done, I blend in the surroundings, hoping not to be noticed, making no difference in the world but also remaining comfortably hidden. Easy to do and quite innocuous, often preferred and certainly satisfying. Ah, the joys of blending in and being assimilated into the environment, of keeping a low profile and not being noticed.

But it seems to me that administration should be about leading, about finding something new, about moving forward and about discovery, curiosity, creativity, wisdom, and discernment. Of course hopping from one thing to another has little value and occasionally the wise leader should stand very still, looking for the pitfalls that exist. But very little has ever been accomplished by doing nothing. So I may hop about at times, I may stand still at times, I might even stand still in the road if I am not careful, but mostly I hope to move forward, making a positive difference for others. Perhaps this is the calling not just for administrators but for all of us.

Acquiring facts in education

2011-05-03T06:02:00.017-05:00

One of the most dramatic inventions in history occurred just prior to the Reformation. That is the invention of the printing press. Before this amazing tool, people relied on the experts, the scholars, the literate, the privileged few to give them the facts and the knowledge needed. The role of an education was to impart the truth to the unlearned and teach them an objective awareness through the acquisition of knowledge of the world. In terms of spirituality and Biblical truth, the printing press placed the Bible in the hands of people. No longer did people have to rely on some kind of special, mysterious ability and knowledge about the Bible that resided in the chosen few. Now suddenly people could read for themselves and make their own decisions. In spite of the inherent stickiness of this new opportunity (we all know the joys and pitfalls of everyone having free and open access to the Bible!), in the end it is the best way to ensure the future of a refined and knowledgable culture. Did the printing press revolutionize education? Absolutely.

The next great invention: the internet. With a touch and click, most, maybe all, facts are revealed in today's modern world. Who is considered the Father of the String Quartet? How many string quartets did he write? What is the formal structure of the first movements of most of his string quartets? What transitional chord is used in the 32nd String Quartet in 2nd movement? (this is harder to find but is available).

Or let's look at some other quick questions: How many apples are generally on a full grown apple tree? What is probably causing my shoulder pain? What stocks are in a bear decline? Why is Francis Marion called the Swamp Fox? What kind of television should I purchase? Why do cats have rough tongues? What is the best way to cook Salmon? What is the significance of the relationship between Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot?

At one time we depended on the experts to tell us things, to inform us about knowledge, to provide the facts that would help us to better our lives and become more educated. They were the mystics, the scholars, the professors, and the brilliant thinkers. They were the source of knowledge and with knowledge comes power. They held the keys to the past and subsequently to the future and mostly they held the keys to the success of everyone.

Are those days gone? In a sense yes. The power is at your fingertips as they caress the keys of a computer. Knowledge is available to all with very little effort. So why are we in education still teaching the facts when the facts are no longer a mystery? The age of the mysterious, brilliant intellect with special knowledge hidden in the depths of his superior brain is slowly giving way to the realization that everyone can be that person. The potential for the contagious spreading of experts in virtually all fields is now in front of us. While in some ways the very ease of information access diminishes its appeal, in other ways it allows us greater freedom from ignorance enslavement.

It is not a stretch to recognize that power belongs to those with the knowledge and the strength to keep the minions from knowing. Knowing you have the cards in your hand to win the game is to have the confidence to play it to the end. The cards in your hand tell you the future just as knowledge at your fingertips provides a position of strength and confidence. The internet gives everyone, regardless of background, personality, limitations, and refinement, the cards to stay in the game to the end.

With this awareness, it is time for educators to rethink curriculum and how we teach our students. It no longer makes sense to stand in front of 30 students and teach them information that is readily available. Because the information is so accessible, it inadvertently becomes a form of superfluous trivia in many respects, at one time valued partly due to its rarity but now common and therefore a little innocuous, certainly valued but unnecessary for educational focus. We must examine everything we teach, reducing out the superfluous and prolonging that which is not readily accessible.

Those offering a knowledge base that is as common as hamburgers will quickly become dinosaurs in a time when people need something different. For colleges and universities, teachers and yes students, this means examining everything being taught and working with tenacious zeal toward a new approach. It is time to teach for potential, for discernment, for critical thinking, for application, for synthesis, for comprehension and meaning, for skill, and for creativity. Knowledge is present, but let us ask ourselves how it will be used.

Church music and congregational response

2011-05-01T19:02:00.013-05:00

Loving the old hymns and encouraging respect for great music, I incorporated two classy hymns within the worship today, O God Our Help in Ages Past and Crown Him with Many Crowns. Both of these hymns have withstood the test of time and are highly regarded for their quality, their ageless texts, and their musical depth. Plus, I cannot help but mention my own respect and preference for these great hymns. Obviously my opinion is simply my own but is partly based on years of experience and training in high musical art.

Thinking I had found the recipe for the "blended" idea of worship, I surrounded these wonderful hymns with a few modern praise and worship choruses. And the congregation joined in, young and old, singing and praising the Lord. That is until we started the hymns, and suddenly the energy, the singing, the excitement disappeared. Gone. Very few people singing and nobody engaged in the process. Became distraught since I love those hymns. But I must ask the question, Why?

Are hymns old hat? Dinosaurs in an age of pop music? Anachronisms that have some kind of historical significance but little application in today's world? What has gone wrong? Can anything be done about this or should anything be done? Perhaps hymns have had their heyday and that day is gone. Not sure, and I certainly do not have the answers. What follows is conjecture.

Initially I would like to blame the lack of a powerful pipe organ for the problem. A pipe organ can lead a hymn, providing variety of voicing and sound on each stanza that allow for robust, expressive singing from congregants. In an acoustically sound environment, a pipe organ is the grandest of all instruments, bestowing comfort and excitement to anyone listening or singing. While I have mentioned before, and still stand by my assertion, that modern worship is governed at least to an extent by the architecture of the modern church, there remains, regardless of the acoustical properties or lack thereof, validity and power for an organ to lead out on hymns, imparting a high level of musical energy for proper hymn singing. Yet, this argument does not tell the whole story of the perceived problem of poor hymn singing.

I also would like to blame an ironic lack of familiarity on the poor singing. Maybe music ministers, committees, have shied away from singing the great hymns due to their complexity or label of being "high church." The less a particular hymn is sung, the less successful it will be upon its reintroduction. This is human nature in music and is true for hymns and choruses. Crown Him with Many Crowns may indeed be a great hymn but if people have rarely if ever heard it, then it stands to reason people will not sing it well. Point well taken. But in an odd "market" sense, this argument is rather weak. If demand for the so-called "great" hymn were high, would not people want to sing it? If time and value determine great art, then Crown Him ought to, by market rights, be sung with gusto in all churches.

This is not to say that great hymns are solely determined by their popularity, but it would be anathema to ignore popular inclusion of music. An individual can claim the Corvair was an outstanding vehicle, but time and public perception have stated it was not. The same could be true with music, at least to some extent, unless one is comfortable providing leadership to a small niche of people. In that case, a church would need to divide in groups, finding the ones who respond well to Crown Him with Many Crowns. Of course that never happens in our churches...or does it?

But the main problem, if it is a problem, or maybe it is simply a reality, is that congregants are seeking after a different mode of emotional expression in their music preference. Not all people necessarily, for I personally know of many who are comfortable in an entirely hymn-based high church approach, but certainly most, particularly protestants in the evangelical tradition. The world in terms of society and culture has simply progressed and this progress includes music. Rather than culture refining itself in a traditional, embracing of past musical expression mode, society has progressed to desiring a more popular sound, even in our churches.

If this is true, and it seems to be, then part of my responsibility as a music minister is to find music or create experiences using current and past music that will elicit some kind of congregational response--preferably singing to God's Glory. The mistake may not have been in doing two classic hymns, but it could have been not keeping them in the forefront of the experience plus trying to sing them in an older model. Time to reconsider.

But please do not take away the great classical hymns! Change them, add to them, recreate them, but let's keep them active.

Joel at McDonalds

2011-05-01T06:35:00.003-05:00

I enjoy taking Joel to McDonalds for breakfast and then running errands with him, but there are several challenges that accompany the experience. In the truck, Joel insists on listening to the Symphony station and really does not like any other kind of music. I have worked hard to teach him to accept other kinds of music, but mostly he just tolerates it, frustrated until we return to the Symphony station. I think he enjoys "picking" out the various kinds of instruments being played. He does not like the sounds of a trap set or an electric guitar. Related to this idea of the Symphony station is his hope to hear music composed by an Italian. When he does, that sets of a series off "Italian" discussions about food, composers, and "when are we going to Italy, Dad?"

When we get in the truck, he immediately puts the climate control on 70 degrees on his side and 74 on my side. Not sure why. He then begins counting the number of places and runs through them for me later in the day. "Dad, we went to 8 places--convenient store, McDonalds, bank, grocery store, AT&T store, laundromat, grocery store, and Home Depot." Joel tends to number things in his mind that fit broad categories. He does this with food, steps, movies, and various kinds of events.

Arriving at McDonalds, I order the same thing as always for him: hotcakes and sausage with a medium Mocha Frappe. We then sit down with our food and I cut up the hotcakes and sausage and pour syrup on everything. He then stares at me until I remember to go back and ask for a spoon. He insists on eating the Frappe with a spoon and to do so before eating the hotcakes and sausage. Once he gets a spoon, it all happens quickly until the Frappe followed by the food is completely gone. Happy, we head back to the truck for the errands, listening to Symphonies, talking about Italian music, and me explaining why we can't live in Italy next year.

We have learned to accept Joel for who he is and to enjoy his quirks at least to an extent. Sometimes they are frustrating and are always rather confusing and mysterious, but they also remind us that Joel is not wired like most people. He looks at life differently and has his own kind of ordering system. He struggles with time and space and has very little concept of the passing of time or why we cannot simply move to Italy. In his world, his goals tend to be immediate and are based primarily on his own narrow preferences. Generally unaware of his surroundings, he requires a great deal of routine and security. At the same time, he loves seeing friends and will often be the one "working the crowd" everywhere we go. The "Sunny Sparkle" smile continues to work magic in social settings. People may not understand the quirks and odd preferences, but they do understand the smile!

Music Boy

2011-04-28T05:57:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday morning, Easter Sunday, the preacher who is an elderly gentleman with a long career in evangelism, stepped up to the pulpit to give the morning announcements. In an effort to compliment me for our opening hymn, he forgot my name and called me the "music boy!" Somewhat incensed, I was tempted to respond back to the "preacher boy," but I wisely held my tongue and went on with the service. Of course the service was not about my bruised ego nor was it about my embarrassment nor was the service about what people were thinking. The service was about Jesus Christ and the events of the Resurrection.

Later the preacher apologized to me for his statement, which meant no harm, and explained that in his casual country background, he tended to called everybody a "boy." And in thinking about it more, I realize I have heard people refer to each other as "old boy" many times. So I suppose music boy makes a little bit of sense in some ways. All is forgiven and I am over it.

I have always resisted being labeled a "music person" or a "music" expert or even a musician in that it makes me feel rather limited and narrow, which could be true in some ways but certainly not in others. In fact I resist labels (I sound exactly like my father!) and would prefer to go another direction than be labeled a certain type of person. Truthfully, a complete musician is also knowledgable in poetry, literature, theater, art, sports, math, science, education, computers, and often business. In today's world, one cannot be a musician without having some kind of knowledge in other disciplines. Not to mention the need to be sensitive, emotional, bold, communicative, profound, confident, compassionate, and healthy. Being a music boy is to synthesize knowledge and perception, melding skill with experience, embracing humanity, and communicating emotions to the world. To be a musician is to be more than a musician, applying depth of thought and intrinsic expression to extrinsic practice.

I like being a musician but I want to be known as more than a musician. Yet because of the abstract qualities associated with music, because music is inherently mysterious in many ways, because music is powerfully emotional, musicians tend to be placed myopically into small compartments. Bursting out of my compartment is easy since for me it never was a compartment. For others to see me as greater than my compartment is difficult, but worth the effort.

We tend to become or at least attempt to be whatever others project for us. Which is one reason I enjoy a moment to project success to my students by calling them "famous" or "skilled" or "wealthy" or "educated." In my case, I suppose I am the music boy, but I sure hope one day to grow up and simply be a man!

Raccoons, skunks, birds

2011-04-24T18:01:00.004-05:00

We used to feed our cat (we used to have lots of cats but they dissipated into the unknown, perhaps finding better fare elsewhere or succumbing to the ecological world of the outdoors) at night, but the raccoons and skunks sent messages out and took over the cat food. Of course our cat just stands there staring as her food disappears. When I open the door to get rid of the animals, the raccoons run away but the skunks just stare at me, daring me to come outside.

But who is going to walk outside to confront a skunk? Not I, said the wise one. The raccoons eventually make their way back to the food which is pretty well gone. So now we feed the cat in the morning and laugh uproariously when the night creatures come looking for food. No food for them anymore!

Meanwhile during the day, the birds love our back porch. They love the fan, the bricks, the bushes nearby, the grill, and the eaves. We do not permit nests on the porch or on the columns, but for some reason the birds do not follow the Tucker policies of the house. And of course when I went to get rid of the nests, there were eggs. My soft-hearted nature decided to wait until later. This means the birds are near to taking over. But we will stop them and we will win. No birds at our house.

But I must say that I like birds quite a bit. I love the sounds they make, the chirping, twittering, crowing, really all of it. I am completely in awe over the sounds of birds and nature and believe the sounds to be the finest of all music in the world. Intriguing are the multitude of sounds offered by birds that include low tones, high tones, repetition, intensity, and all manner of emotion. Yes, I realize that birds are simply being birds and not responding emotionally to anything in particular, but I do enjoy ascribing human musical terms to nature. I prefer the sounds of morning birds over the evening and I prefer sounds of many species of birds over singular species. But preference aside, it is all rather fascinating, satisfying, and immensely musical.

Another glorious natural sound (and we have heard a lot of it lately) is wind. Wind creates vibration in the trees, grass, and even the atmosphere. Since sound comes from vibration, we hear lots of it during the wind. The musical sounds alter with speed and yes with a little imagination to create a wonderful symphony of natural sounds in the world.

If you ever need a break from the proliferation of electronic music you hear on the radio, cds, television, movies, ipods, itunes, and everything else, then take a few minutes to experience the natural musical world. Pretty amazing and at times preferred!

Just a few thoughts...

2011-04-22T21:15:00.004-05:00

Today is Good Friday, but really it is the Friday we acknowledge as the day Christ was crucified. As a faithful believer, the idea that Christ was crucified is a stunning reality of the Christian faith. A man was killed for being the son of God and then subsequently arose demonstrating the ultimate salvation. What a magnificent gift He gave to us in the form of his son who lived, died, and was resurrected.

But even for those who are not believers and cannot seem to grasp the events of Christendom, it should be abhorrent to imagine anyone being crucified. For men to cause another man to suffer deliberately is among the most barbaric of actions and completely antithetical to the concept of love of humanity or refinement of culture.

We drove to Abilene to look at a computer, get some dinner, and take care of a couple of things. Nice little trip but I missed a performance of the Requiem by John Rutter. I have played it twice and sung it once. Very nice music. Rutter is an idiomatic composer for voices who has branched into children's music, folk music, and instrumental music. Will his music stand the test of time? Not sure, probably not, but for now is great stuff. Very singable, catchy, well-crafted but at times a little predictable and simplistic. Still...as I have mentioned before who am I to criticize a composer of Rutter's stature and fame?

Moths are irritating us. They seem to multiply fast and have no purpose. They flit around bumping into things and then die. We get rid of them but more show up. What is the deal with the moths this year? Has the dry weather contributed to their invasion of our lives? Down with moths. I'm sure they have some purpose but I cannot figure it out. Knowing me, this will bother me until I do some research as to the ecological reason for the moth's existence.

Going to finish another book today I suspect. It is Bound for the Promised Land by Richard Marius. What a great writer. Engaging stories, rich human insights, beautiful descriptions of the land, accurate portrayal of fear, and sentences that flow like liquid gold through the pages. This book is a journey book, the people travel across the country in a couple of wagons to head to California. This is the fourth novel of his I have read. He also wrote a wonderful biography of Martin Luther and another one of Thomas More. After I finish this one, I am likely going to head back to TR for another biography. My collection of TR books is impressive and I have plenty to read!

Considering running a 5k. But am wondering if I am up to that. I can do a couple of miles but am huffing and puffing quite a bit by the end. I probably am going faster than I am ready to do. Don't really like running but with my hurting shoulder, I need to do something to stay in shape. Still, I do like the outdoors and running is a liberating and naturally intoxicating endeavor.

Might go see Water for Elephants today. Enjoyed the book and will probably enjoy the movie. All about the circus. More than that, it serves as a reminder that occasionally we need to clean up the mess in order to make things smoother for others and ourselves. Also the book has an altruistic message to look out for the weak. Hopefully the movie will bring some of these things out. We'll see.

Careers in Music--Beyond the Classical

2011-04-19T11:28:00.008-05:00

http://www.careersinmusic.com/

Looking at the link above and studying the 100+ jobs in music, it occurs to me that in academia, based on our curriculum, we are preparing students for approximately 11 of the positions listed. Before going further with this idea, let's take a step back for a minute to discuss academia as vocational training. I am not supportive of this concept, embracing a broader reason for a college degree as something necessary for quality of life, thinking skills, decision making ability, adaptability, and entrepreneurship. We are not, nor should we be in the business of vocational training, teaching skills that are functional for the work place immediately upon graduation. This defeats the totality of the educational process.

But the other extreme defies logic as well. Educating students for something that is narrowly focused with limited possibilities becomes irresponsible. To remove our process from the pragmatic need to make a living is to create a world that has no purpose or place for anyone. In that respect, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. We are to help our students achieve success in their discipline that will allow them the greatest possible options for careers. We are to hand them tools they can use in the discipline of music that can be applied comprehensively to any number of careers in music.

As I look at this remarkable list of professions in music, I begin to question the traditional training ground that has been established as the curriculum in music in universities. Are we truly preparing students for the complexity of the musical world that awaits them upon graduation?

Obviously it is impossible and not even wise to try to be all things to all people. At some point, a college curriculum must narrow its focus to try to prepare students for particular positions and upwardly mobile opportunities. This idea requires the identification of those professions deemed appropriate for collegiate study. A closer look at the list shows us some areas that either do not require advanced study or whose content is not rich enough to warrant a college degree.

In addition, there are several areas of specialization which demand a particularly substantive program and credentialed specialists in the field. The most obvious is a career in music therapy which involves music, psychology, special education, and social work. Much of the careers in marketing and web design require training in advertising, design, and communication, all of which are demanding disciplines outside of music. They may need some degree of music training and understanding but quickly move outside the regime of the musical mosaic.

Not all of the careers are within the scope of a small liberal arts institution, this much is certain. But perhaps there is way to encompass more than the usual 11 identified earlier. If we in academia are targeting our professions to cut into a sliver of the world of music under the auspices that the "classical" training and cognition imparted and subsequently received provides foundational informational applicable to all areas of music, then there is little doubt as to the efficacy of the academic program. But if, however, that idea does not hold up in light of the myriad opportunities in music, most of which do not have much to do with a stronghold built on classical music, then it stands to reason the training, the skills, the information received, does not have comprehensive application.

This therefore implies that colleges and universities who are steeped in a classically based model in music may need to reach beyond the traditional scope to encompass a broad-based professional world that touches, maybe not all, but certainly more, possibilities in the music profession than previously delivered. Down with a laborious and ancient rite of passage, we need to create a world that allows for industry, initiative, and entrepreneurship to find fruition for the musicians of the future.

Rather than this being debilitating to our programs in music, in fact it may be liberating in many ways. We in academia often feel constricted to a form and style that while meaningful in most ways is also oddly restrictive to the masses. Having an opportunity to teach music that garners acclaim from a wide audience may be a battery charge to the cause of music and higher education. We just need to be willing to take a risk.

Reinventing music curriculum

2011-04-19T06:20:00.009-05:00

The previous posts have primarily leveled an attack on music curriculum and its traditional prescription of theory, history, applied, ensembles, and technical courses all aimed to create a classical musician. But if the world no longer has interest in classical performance, what is a musician to do? Where are the positions in music and how should a university respond to the changes?

There is a temptation in the study of history, to increase the knowledge base to match the additional years as well as any current research. We may learn some new details about George Washington that need sharing or we may need to spend quite a bit of time discussing the current problems in the Middle East. Yet universities cannot keep adding history courses to match the growing knowledge. This means that professors have to make discerning judgments on the necessary information that is essential for students to receive a balanced and well-rounded liberal arts education. Affecting the teaching of history is the encyclopedia of information that is now found with a click or two on a computer or a cell phone. How necessary is it to teach broad general concepts of the causes of the civil war, when that information can be acquired instantly?

Why impart information that is readily available with a click and look? College professors at one time felt the responsibility to teach facts of the discipline, facts that were integral to the success of the student for the future. But the rules are changing with each passing hour as it becomes more apparent that learning the facts has no gain if all the information is there for everyone to see and experience. In that respect then, there is no reason for a college professor or even a college education. Time to close up shop!

Yet education is more than learning information and regurgitating it for a test. Education is the process of moving from the known to the unknown and acquiring the ability to process information that allows for quality judgment, critical thinking, and correct decisions. These are traits that cannot be delivered by the internet. These characteristics are developed over time and through the broad study of several disciplines, applying the knowledge in a collective package that allows for further development. Thus it takes several years of learning and maturity to actualize the potential and utilize the skills acquired. For example, the causes of the civil war are evident but not so obvious is how to avoid the same mistakes in the future, mistakes that resulted in pain and suffering for millions. What does it mean to have states rights and at what point does that concept interfere with the collective good of the centralized government? We ended slavery with the Civil War but can slavery be manifested in many other ways such as poverty, ignorance, fear? These are the kinds of questions that a college education seeks to resolve. In college work we learn the reasons, the results, the influences, the developments, and we begin to apply principles for the future.

Returning now to the music curriculum. We must broaden our scope and our purpose not just to meet the changing market demands but to be able to make informed decisions for the future. I am not advocating a moving away from a performance base but I am recommending varied performances. I am not suggesting a music curriculum devoid of music theory but I am suggesting a theory that encompasses vast styles of music. I am not a proponent of all that is past should be forgotten but I am pushing for a broader, comprehensive look at music history that goes beyond the facts and deals with developments, influences, reasons, and possible future experiences. A type of holistic music history sequence integral to the total musician regardless of what musical profession is desired. A program of study applicable to every student in music.

It is difficult to imagine a curriculum that fits all students and with the varying types of music professions available, it is nearly beyond the scope of an undergraduate degree to prepare completely music students for a career in music. Yet that is in fact what I advocate--a broad-based curriculum that is somehow comprehensive, specific, and general. A curriculum for the music "everyman," the student who can use the information, the skills, the knowledge, and with ingenuity, initiative, and industry meets the musical world of today head-on and ready.

We now seek to devise such a concept.

Justifying the Music Curriculum

2011-04-17T17:16:00.009-05:00

Previous blogs against the traditional music curriculum stand as stated. We need to make serious changes and we need to do so immediately. Reasons stated are based on market demand and the rapidly declining interest in classical music. To continue to teach our students in the same way we did 40 years ago is to promote that which has little to no place in modern culture.

Yet there are some reasons for maintaining at least some of what we do. It is true that knowledge and skills in music develop the "whole" person and emphasizes both right brain and left brain activities. The cognition of music allows for greater mathematical understanding, historical framework, and a form of another language. All these and more are integral to the educational process and help students understand not just themselves but other subjects as well. Music is a subject that encompasses so much education and provides a necessary balance to the objective cognition of much of academia today.

Teaching students to sing or play well is to encourage them to reach their full potential as humans. The discipline required for musical success is applicable to any field. Employers are often looking for students who have paid the price for excellence and have achieved a high level of success in some area. It is remarkable how many politicians, doctors, actors, lawyers, and bankers are musical. They diligently applied themselves to excellence and achieved musical skills that propelled them to the kind of rigorous discipline that is required for all professions. The time and effort spent to be musical paid and continues to pay compound dividends in all walks of life.

Sometimes we do things in an excellent way regardless of who is present to share in our excellence. We choose to be the best we can be partly out of our own self-respect and desire to attain the highest level we can accomplish. Our audience may be small, minimal, or apathetic toward our accomplishment, but we act on our own desires rather than external rewards of applause or affirmation. Musicians must teach themselves to reach for the intrinsic, those emotional experiences that strengthen the inner self, the psyche, the soul. All of these and more make music one of the greatest, most rewarding experiences a human can have, and they all require relentless effort to achieve a high level of music making.

As I have written in the past, music is a human need that cannot be extracted from our culture. It is here to stay. People want it, people need it, society craves it, and it is everywhere. Audience or not, music is a ubiquitous event in our lives.

But none of this solves the problem of what are the necessary skills, the processes, the developments that are necessary for students to learn in music for today's and tomorrow's world. Does the training require music theory? Yes, most definitely. Does it require Music History? Sure. Does it require applied lessons and ensemble experiences? Yes. Will it require knowledge in all music styles, technology profiency, composition, improvisation, music business? Most likely. It is time to broaden our curriculum and provide student choice in what to pursue in music, giving them the fundamental tools that will catapult them to new careers and creative ways to approach music. Time to reinvent the music curriculum for the world of tomorrow (which, frighteningly enough, may in fact be the world of today!).

Declining Audience, Declining Market

2011-04-17T06:48:00.008-05:00

Reading through several articles about concert attendance, management is concerned about the declining audiences to all concerts. Rock concerts, jazz concerts, Christian artists, ensembles, symphony concerts, and musical events in general are down nearly 30% in attendance. Is this a trend or an anomaly? Why are athletic events so supported with over 50,000 attending a professional football game but auditoriums are rarely filled?

A performing musician works hard for years to develop skills, to achieve a high level, to communicate music to others, to offer his years of training and talent to the world. But what happens when the world is no longer interested? Where will those performers go? What will they do? Will they be found on youtube videos, recordings, mp3 files but not in the concert hall? If we look into the window of the future, it is starting to look dismal for performing musicians regardless of what they are bringing to the table.

As a classical musician, I accepted many years ago that I would have a limited but appreciative audience for my music. I recall working very hard for my Masters horn recital, only to have about 35 people in attendance. As a college teacher, most of my recitals were well-attended but I do not remember a full house. When I taught public school, every band concert was a guaranteed full house of parents, grandparents, friends, administration, and often other teachers. But when I returned to university teaching, once again the auditorium remained empty with the occasional 400+ audience for special events.

On the other side, I attended a Kansas concert last year with a packed house and a Stevie Wonder concert a few years ago where our seats seemed nearly a mile away. Knowing rock concerts will attract more people, it surprises me to read that even rock concerts are in decline. Perhaps it is the economy where people do not feel led to spend $50 or more for a ticket. Or maybe the proliferation of music on the web is interfering with the desire to attend live concerts. Or maybe people need more than just music for their experience. They may need a greater integration of the arts to include sound, media, theater, art, food, and social times.

Maybe the choices that are out there--go to a movie, go to a party, attend an athletic event, go to a play, go play golf, drink coffee with friends, go to the park, the mall, the museum, and the list continues--are so many that we are dividing our potential audience into small compartments. Or maybe the stresses of life make people prefer to stay home watching television or reading? I think the internet has brought every kind of music experience to everyone at a moments notice. There is no need to attend concerts other than to be supportive of the performer. This means parents will always attend but general appreciators have no need for the live experience.

It is a frightening thought to imagine an entirely digital world, a world with little need for live music. Thinking through this then, is it possible to create a music training world that is viable, educational, and necessary? Yes but it will take some creative thinking to reimagine a new musical world and how to approach that academically. The market for live performance may be in decline, but the market for music is at an all-time high. We simply need to fit into the changes.

Books and movies

2011-04-16T19:41:00.005-05:00

It is Saturday night and I am wishing Rio Bravo starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Walter Brennan were on the television. Fun western with entertaining songs, good story, comical balanced with serious moments, just a good old movie. I just came from the movie theater where I saw Hanna, a shoot-em-up movie about a little girl who is a trained assassin. She kills with the best of them and was trained in the cold forest by her father. Turns out she was genetically engineered and had no real father. The lady in charge of the initial project was mean and spent the movie chasing her to kill her. Lots of running, lots of fighting, lots of bad guys, very few good guys, and not much plot. Sweet little cute girl kills a bunch of people. Cool rock, techno-pop music accompanied the running and fighting.

Finished reading Water For Elephants. Great story and well-written. I read it as a Kindle download on my iPad. Big step for me as a lover of books and a collector of rare books. Once again, I let go of the past and forged ahead, forsaking my love of actual books in favor of the convenience of reading. Still it worked out okay. The fascinating plot of Water for Elephants surrounded the events of a traveling circus. Lots of endearing people and few that were not so charming, that's for sure. Ought to make a good movie.

Also finished The Lost City of Z, a non-fiction narrative following the famed explorer Percy Fawcett as he looks for the City of Z. Set in the Amazons, journalist David Grann attempts to unravel the mystery of the disappearance of Percy Fawcett by tracing his life and the events leading up to his vanishing. Good book with lots of history and information about tribes and nature in the Amazons.

Just read another article about ways a music conservatory is changing its degree offerings and programs for the future. We really need innovative thinking if we are going to survive the electic musical world in the future. It is a frightening and yes glorious time for musicians, as long as we recognize the changing world. We must hold on to the truths that make music so powerful but let go of the unnecesary but valued skills we so dearly love.

Thinking about church tomorrow. I was asked by someone I respect to use more hymns in the service. But a few weeks ago, I was asked to do more choruses by a committee. What a mess we have in our churches today. Fortunately I have the ability to lead music in any style preferred. Sadly enough, most churches do not know what is right nor what approach to take. With exceptions, the mature and giving group prefers a hymn-based service, whereas the less experienced but highly energetic group wants more contemporary choruses. Ironically, the mature group enjoys many of the older choruses and the other group is gravitating toward the hymns. There is no easy answer other than seeking the Lord's wisdom in all things.

Youngest son won a UIL event today and is headed to the State contest for creative writing. Meanwhile Joel acquired the Wheel of Fortune wii game and loves it. He would play all day if we let him. Oldest son is finishing up his Masters degree and about to do his defense of his thesis. Daughter-in-law continues to be successful in her job and is considering a career in administration someday. Family is happy which always makes Dad happy!

On the other hand, the air conditioner went out last week, the washing machine went out last week, wife's car needed a new battery, my truck needed a new headlight, Jordan's truck got a new transmission a few weeks ago, and today my tire got a screw in it and had to be repaired. Challenging financial requirements.

We are in a drought and lots of places are fighting fires. Yesterday, my All-State horn student lost her father in a tragic fire accident. He was a volunteer trying to help. He died bravely trying to help a community from being enveloped in a fire. Sad story for sure.

Music Curriculum--pushing forward

2011-04-16T07:37:00.010-05:00

Posturing that because classical music, at least as related to live performance, is dying, we in colleges and universities need to alter our educational approach to teaching young musicians. We are producing too many great performers who have almost no place to perform after they graduate from college. While it is comfortable to continue to teach the same things in the same way year after year, it is also irresponsible to produce a musician who cannot find employment in the field. The demand for live classical music is much smaller than the supply. This makes for an untenable economic position in classical music.

Ironically, classical music is loved by millions. A music appreciation teacher recently informed me that the favorite listening experience by his 70 students was the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5. I find people everyday who comment to me how much they like classical music (incidentally I am using this term to refer quite broadly to high art or cultured music. It is a poor term to use and is difficult to define, yet for my purposes, it will have to suffice.) and how enjoyable it is to hear in performance. They love Mozart or Brahms or Bach or great operas or the symphonies of Mahler or the tone poems of Strauss or a beautiful sounding choir. People quickly acknowedge the joy gained in hearing the classics at a wedding or a formal concert or in taking a few minutes to enjoy an orchestra on youtube play a piece that has withstood the test of time and is considered a classic. Classical music deserves its recognition as great art as exemplified by its longevity and ability to transcend time and space. Classical music is well-crafted, expressive, profound, emotionally satisfying, and requires great skill by performers.

But if classical music is loved by so many and acknowledged for its power and beauty, why is concert attendance and subsequently professional performance in decline? How do we deal with this in our universities? Should we work harder, battling the unknown forces, and insist that people once again support classical music? Or should we alter our philosophical approach to the arts?

If you the reader are seeking curriculum revolution, then please stop reading. I will not propose a radical revolutionary shift in what we do in academia. But I am proposing a broadening of our content and an acceptance of other means to accomplish the same goals--the education of students for today's eclectic world. We have for too long relied on a tried and true approach to teaching students music. Using a rigorous and prescriptive system of music theory, music history, applied music, ensembles, music classes, and various expansions of the aforementioned, we have molded the future musician. But now suddenly the future musician who looks great by the end, has no place in the world due to his myopic training.

Luckily, entreprenuership and self industry seem to propel students forward, resulting in musical success regardless of the initial personal goals. This means that graduates, recognizing the lack of professional opportunities due to declining audiences, will often furrow new ground, forging new opportunities to make a living in music. Many enter the world of music education where there is no lack of an audience. Parents always support their children! Or they may find themselves in the entertainment world where there is always a need for something new and exciting. Or they may go into music business or utilize music technology or for many who are called, they may be church employed, leading worship in church. Or they may recognize the mass appeal of music theatre and all that goes with that.

I do concede that for some, the professional world is ripe and there are certainly positions available for the finest performers. Opera companies, symphonies, universities, and military ensembles continue to support musicians and for the remarkable few, those opportunities are there. I further concede that we should do all we can to encourage excellence in all things musical. This includes music performance, music knowledge, and music creativitity. To do less is to accept mediocrity--a quality unacceptable at all times.

But a teacher has a tremendous responsibility to the student of the future. While we feel compelled to continue to advance the cause of classical music, at the same we must face reality: the future for classical music is found in old recordings not live performances. Yes, live performances will and should continue, and live performances are always (mostly always!) preferred to recordings. But in general, audiences seem content with recordings and are not supporting the live experience any longer at least not without some kind of special hook. What should that hook be? Orchestras continue to try different things--film music, video game music, media integration, dancing, popular music, rock music, audience participation, and lots of different thematic approaches to generating an audience. Pop artists as well are experimenting with including orchestras and choirs integrated with their popular music, in a kind of broad and eclectic blending of music styles.

Many of these approaches are working and orchestras that try different approaches are thriving. The players within these groups may not always be satisfied with the quality of literature or the depth of the musical experience, but at least they have an audience that appreciates their abilities. Keep an audience, keep your job! Or another way to express this: No audience, no job.

Back to curriculum. What are the essential skills, abilities, and knowledge required to ensure students will have a place in the musical world of the future? Are colleges and universities meeting the needs?

We can no longer pretend that the old world of classical music performances will return and be supported by the masses. That world is gone. But we can find new horizons, new hope, and new ways to bring quality music to the world, and we can as college professors teach our students what they need to know for the future. But we have to be willing to take the risk and take ourselves, at least to an extent, out of the equation.

No revolution is necessary, but change is essential. I am calling for a broad-based curriculum of music study, one that includes all styles and prepares students for the future. It is time to let go of the old and usher in the new. The new will include technology, media, pop music, integrated arts, entrepreneurship, and unbridled creativity. Can it be done? Yes, and it must be done. The time is nigh.

Supply and Demand--Classical Music almost out of business

2011-04-14T13:27:00.025-05:00

Hamburgers. As long as there is a demand for them, there will be supply. It is as simple as that. Economic success occurs when the demand is greater than the supply. Conversely, challenges occur when the supply is greater than the demand. This is true for all commodities, nations, people, industries, and schools. No matter how much manipulation of the situation occurs, over time supply and demand reigns supreme over the success or failure of any given entity. When the demand is there, the supply will respond. Businesses that fail simply do not have enough demand for their product. Walmart and McDonalds succeed due to having greater demand than their supply. They offer products in a price range and of the desired expectation to keep their businesses alive and thriving.

The question on the table is whether classical music has enough demand to generate the supply that is available. There are multitudes of examples of outstanding performing musicians who remain unemployed, performers with advanced degrees who have achieved a level of competence beyond that of most musicians. I recall a friend of mine, masters student, concerned that at a large university where he studied there were 18 graduate students in the field of horn performance. In addition there were 4 doctoral students. He mentioned that not only was the field saturated, the players were absolutely incredible. He then told me that any given year there are only about 2-4 openings for full-time employment in horn playing. He found himself working hard to develop skills that would likely rarely be used and certainly not in full-time employment. He is now in education.

This story is not unusual and there is merit to the argument that the more one develops his discipline, the better will be his teaching. Yet it also points to the truth that the supply of great musicians is greater than the demand. If cars suddenly no longer had to use tires and instead moved forward through light beams rather than rolling rubber tires on the pavement, stores selling tires would go out of business, having stock that is not usable.

Do colleges and universities offer a product that is no longer viable in the world? Are we teaching students to do something that is rapidly disappearing? If so, then we are being vastly irresponsible to our students. Yet we continue to do so with some arguments that at one time were valid. We may argue that students need to know foundations of music, or that we should only teach excellence, or we recognize the need for essential knowledge, or that there is a required canon of literature that educated musicians should know, but in the end those arguments are not strong enough to sustain the growing tide of music curriculum discontent. We cannot and should not continue to teach that which has almost no place in our modern culture. We must find a way to teach a broad range of skills that allows students the choice to find their way in the musical world.

We have to stop teaching one kind of music in one way that only allows students the ability to fit into one genre, one style, and one small culture. It is essential to rethink what we teach and how we teach in music that will enable students to be successful today. College teachers in universities are often guilty of two dramatic mistakes: 1) teaching the way they were taught and 2) teaching what they prefer. There was a time when this was an acceptable practice and for a world that more or less stays stagnate, these behaviors are ideal. A college teacher is (or maybe was) considered the expert in the field and has earned the right to pick the content of the class and teach it in any fashion he chooses. He has arrived at the peak of the discipline and therefore owns the discipline and all that goes with it. His training, his experience, his own remarkable abilities place him in the enviable position to do whatever he decides is the best for others. He is, after all, a college professor and all knowledge must come through him! How nice that would be.

But this idea defies reality, a reality where knowledge is available at the fingertips. The experts suddenly seem antiquated, limited, narrow, anachronisms in an age of omnipresent information. The experts know some things, in fact a lot of things and they are good at what they do, but the novices seem to know more (or think they do!), they at least suspect the experts may not be experts at all. The students may not have the skills of the experts, but they do recognize the world is not as it once was. It is absolutely frightening for us in the academic music field. Almost like the characters in Platos Cave who prefer to live in darkness, not wanting nor needing to know the truth of the world. And the truth may be lurking, or even shining right around the corner. Classical music is practically out of business. The demand is so small and is primarily found in the recording industry not in live concerts.

The supply far exceeds the demand, resulting in unemployed but incredible classical performing musicians. Connected to this reality comes the next realization, colleges and universities are teaching an old model, creating more great musicians for a world that does not demand it. The people, however, are unaware of this truth as long as they remain within the platonic walls of the academy. But a quick glance beyond reveals a world that is eye-opening. Classical music as a genre for live performance is dying a slow painful death. It desperately holds onto the ideal in select doses across the country most of which are in the academy.

In churches we can find live classical performances, in concert halls, in the public arena occasionally. But each year we read about another bankrupt orchestra, we watch our audiences diminishing, and we encounter fewer classical performances. The concept hemorrhages with the wound growing bigger all the time. People have little to no interest in the old ways. We must find something new before our store completely shuts its doors with excessive supply and no demand.

But what is new and how do we design it for the future generations of young musicians? Stay tuned!

Classical music, dead or just tired?

2011-04-13T07:13:00.016-05:00

Is classical music, art music, cultivated music, music for the elite, music for the mature, music for the refined, dead? The answer is complicated and requires a great deal of extrapolation. While much has been written about the death of classical music, I am not ready to accept this position. Rather than gone and buried, classical music may just be tired. It is suffering from exposure, from illness, from exhaustion, and from a lack of progression. Classical music is ancient history, and ancient history is always valued for what it teaches. But classical music is also current and vibrant, permeating our lives in subtle and magical ways. We cannot let it die, but we do need to face the truth. Classical music no longer has the impact on culture that it once did.

A moment for terminology. The term classical actually refers to a time period with reference to a style. In music, time periods more or less determine a style of music. It makes for a clean and decidedly pure approach to music history. To stand up and say, "All the music written between these dates sounds like this..." is just pure joy and teaching bliss. I love the idea and students love having objective truth of time and expectations of the music. We in academia work to codify learning into centralized and yes often generalized statements that define eras, genres, style, attitudes, and production. The study of music history is the study of time and developments. Or is it? But I better rein myself in and focus on the subject of this essay before I find myself questioning the entire system of music history we have devised.

For much of the world, however, the term classical refers to a broad, sweeping style of music that is not usually considered music for the popular masses. This is music by the masters of composition, music that has withstood the test of time, music performed by choirs, orchestras, opera companies, and small ensembles. Music for the formal concert hall and music that is not always instantly accessible. Music we love with beautiful melodies, majestic power, large forces, lengthy performances, and music that requires a great deal of craft, of training, of talent.

But this kind of classical music is not as sought after in our modern world. The musical climate of our culture demands a more popular, entertainment fare than previously demanded. Yes classical music can still be found in concert halls, on recordings, on the radio, and in academia. But the decline in new recordings and in concert attendance is pronounced. Brahms Second Symphony with its stunning fourth movement and gripping opening theme in the first movement is still loved by millions. It is still a great experience to perform and to hear in a concert hall for those who attend concerts.

But they can almost receive a similar experience listening to a recording. A performer may work all his life to be able to play a Brahms symphony, but if there is a limited audience, he may not have the opportunity to use his skill to play something very few go to hear. The work is loved, respected, admired. The musicianship and skill to play it respected and admired, but the market demand is very small. Sadly there are plenty willing and able but the audience is in decline, declining rapidly for live concert experiences.

This means that classical music is not dead but it is tired. It is valued but mainly through recordings and past experiences. Does it have a future? The future may seem bleak in many respects and any kind of progression of the love of classical music appears dismal at least to an extent. Classical music exists because of its greatness, because of its timelessness, because of its complexity, its depth and beauty, its ability to seem new even after years of performances. Yet maybe classical music has too long relied on these qualities of depth to keep it alive. Maybe that sense of timelessness is beginning to disappear. Let's consider for a moment, a great work of art. Can we actually grow weary of the Mona Lisa? In a way yes. We return to it again and again but knowing it will not change. Furthermore, we have little desire to visit the Louvre to gaze upon the magnificent work. A print or copy is fine. While seeing the original hanging on the wall would be ideal, we really do not feel a need to go to too much trouble, and have no desire to spend the money to get us to the locale.

Society still likes classical music but does not want to go to too much trouble to hear it. Turn on a recording, watch a video, sing a melody. These events are substituting for the actual performance. Of course a live performance is preferred but apparently not so much as to create a real audience that supports classical music. Most people enjoy classical music, but when given a choice of what to attend, most choose popular music over classical. Classical music is here to stay and remains an important part of our culture, a culture that values it through recordings.

So if this is true, and the signs are apparent, what does a college or university do about the teaching of classical music? Do we continue to teach it in the old way, knowing that very few of our students will have an opportunity to experience it after graduation? Is the meaning behind the music great enough to sustain a love and appreciation for classical music forever? Is it a myth that knowledge and training in the classics provide foundational support for all music? If we begin moving away from the classics, are we in effect lowering our standards and appealing to a low common denominator of music making? If we in academia embrace an eclectic curriculum that includes popular music, are we teaching a kind of music that is immature and simple?

Would a literature professor, a man with a doctorate who has specialized and published in the field of classic literature decide to start teaching comic books? Would that be an acceptable study for a college student? A literature professor chooses the classics as the basis for literature study with the idea that knowing and understanding the finest in the field allows students to understand all kinds of literature available. Further, a professor hopes that the truths found in the classics--after all, they have stood the test of time--are beneficial for all people in their lives.

Yet somehow these arguments are beginning to be weak. The information age allows knowledge to be at the fingertips. Wisdom may be lacking, discernment may be missing, but knowledge is obvious and easy. Also there is an unusual problem of paradox: do we give them what we think they need or give them what they want? Historically this problem was easy, give them what they need. Yet now the rules have changed. If we give them what we think they need, there is a serious risk of not finding employment. Our responsibility is to provide them with the skills needed for success as musicians but also to help them come to a strong philosophical position as to music's role in the world. But what if our own philosophical position is antiquated? Scary thought. In contrast, to teach them what they want is to abdicate the curriculum to students who are not ready for that degree of responsibility.

One answer is for college teachers to continue to stay current in the field of music by reading, learning, traveling, studying, and yes practicing. All of these and more form the musician.

Music Curriculum

2011-04-10T17:50:00.009-05:00

It's been said that classical music is in serious decline and I believe that is true. Not that the "classics" are less revered than in the past or that there are not many who love to hear the great music of the masters, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Wagner, and the list goes on. Or that classical music does not have meaning to thousands perhaps millions of people, people who love the depth and beauty found in Tschaikovsky or Rachmaninoff, people who are enriched by the majesty and power of Beethoven or the warm sensitivity of Ravel or Debussy, people who are enraptured by the songs of Schubert or the piano music of Chopin. All these and more continue to grace our concert halls and our listening at home.

Yet the entertainment industry has found a wide audience in music. Classically trained musicians living solely in a cultivated, artistic world are finding themselves without much of an audience. Amazingly gifted performers are unemployed or teaching privately in communities. String Quartets, trios, soloists, ensembles are without performing opportunities. A recent professional trio contacted me about performing at my school. A discussion ensued where it was discovered the rates were way beyond our financial scope. Plus the fact of attracting a very limited audience for the performance. It is not a responsible use of funding to bring in a top flight ensemble for the 50 people who would appreciate it.

Orchestras continue to struggle, many of them closing their doors to the future. Regional orchestras hold on desperately, depending on donations and foundations to support them. Rarely if ever does a singer get an opportunity to sing art songs outside of the university. Rarely if ever is an instrumentalist asked to play classical music in a setting apart from the academy. Are there people driving around hoping for an opportunity to hear a great horn recital or a song cycle or a violin sonata or a piano piece? I think not much. What about great choral music or even bands? Perhaps a military group continues to attract audiences or maybe the occasional boys choir or a choir from an exotic land. But in general, most art music happens in the academy and occasionally in our churches.

If this is true, then are universities creating an artificial environment that is primarily self-serving? We teach our students to play a Beethoven piano sonata by practicing several hours a day and studying the intracies of the work, finally delivering a steller performance of the work for other students who have to be present for college credit. Of course, the appreciative family members are excited and even a few supportive community members. But does this only happen in the academic setting?

It seems to me that creating a world, teaching a skill, providing an opportunity for something that is not valued outside of the bubble, is nearly an irresponsible endeavor. But let's look at some sideline benefits before leveling a diatribe against that which is considered tried and true. A college degree is not intended as a piece of paper demonstrating vocational skill. It instead is intended to show critical thinking skills, philosophical application, potential to learn, research capability, social interaction, writing abilities, and refinement. All these and more form the college graduate, a product of the unification of several disciplines.

A chef learns his skill through training and experimenting, ideally hoping to land that great position in New York serving the elite of the country the finest dishes made. Yet truthfully he knows that most of his time as a chef is making those foods people want and have had before including hamburgers, steaks, perhaps chocolate cake. He has the ability to produce at a higher level but spends much of his time creating simpler fare, fare desired by most people. He meets market demand by creating that which people want, perhaps desiring the opportunity to create a more elite dish.

A young journalist studies journalism, learning the trade that he can apply to his own profession. Yet he also studies the masters, great writers from the past. He knows he will not be writing like Shakespeare or Thomas Hardy, but his knowledge of their works improves his own writing. Sadly, until he makes it as a journalist, he may find himself writing promotional ads or brochures. He can do more and he understands great writing but feels relegated to that which pays him a living.

Back to music. Where are we going to land in this exploration of music curricula? Can we in academia go on teaching and preparing students for a world that is limited and nearly does not exist any longer? Is there a way to identify those essential skills necessary for all performing musicians regardless of the genre and offer training that can be a springboard for other types of music making?

We who are asked to help guide the next generation of young musicians must examine our curriculum, our purpose, our level of responsibility, and the market needs of the world. We cannot divorce social demands of music from our own personal preference. We may find greater meaning in Mozart or Stravinsky or Messiaen, but the popular masses have rejected such expressions from their musical world, at least to an extent. It is time to recognize this truth. In many ways, maybe our responsibility is to find people where they live and take them somewhere new. This is actually an essential truth of the educational process--from the known to the unknown, the concrete to the abstract.

But let us despair not for the demise of classical music. Rather let us redesign our curriculum, finding ways to help students discover their pathway be it contemporary popular music, sacred, classical, experimental, media related, theater, or maybe something new. I am posturing an advancement not abolishment of our current music curriculum and a moving away from an entirely classically based music curriculum. It is time to pull in all the styles, genres, developments in music and make them an integral part of the training.

More on this as thoughts get solidified.

Louisiana and the old days

2011-04-04T20:05:00.003-05:00

Drove to Louisiana today as a part of a visiting team to look at another institution. Came through torrential storms but arrived safely and am now at a lovely motel. After a nice dinner of sushi which included raw eel, squid, salmon, mackerel, and tuna, I took a long walk through the piney woods of the area. Enjoyed the plethora of bird sounds--quite rhythmic and musical--the smell of trees, the damp freshness of pine after a rain storm, and the gentle pulsation of water running down the hillside. My brisk 2 1/2 mile walk brought me back to the motel for reading, study, and relaxation in preparation for meetings tomorrow.

It all brings back memories. My first college position was in Lake Charles, Louisiana at McNeese State University where I had students older than I was, a young 24 years of age upon acceptance of the position. What an academic puppy, eager, bouncy, confused, talented but somewhat raw and certainly opinionated. Hard work, constant horn playing, lots of teaching, travel, and dedication to the cause in those days. Truth is I have not changed all that much--just more seasoned I suppose.

We had a nice church family and started our own family with the birth of Jacob in 1986 followed by Joel in 1989. Clairissa got her Masters degree at McNeese State and I played countless performances with orchestras, bands, and a very active brass quintet. Back then I had no interest in broadway musicals or any kind of pop music. I really only cared about symphonic music--Brahms, Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. All music for horn players! Maybe I dabbled in jazz every now and then, remembering a horn workshop where I actually improvised with a combo. But I learned how to play Mozart and remain a good Mozart interpreter today.

Mostly I learned how academia works--committee meetings, funding, curriculum, policies, expectations, evaluations, and learning outcomes. I recall my first year when my horn was stolen and I did not perform a recital. The department chair ranked me last among the other music faculty members based on not doing a recital. Tough lesson. Did get the horn back nearly 2 years later! Mainly I learned how to be an educator and how to help others succeed.

We left Louisiana in 1990 with lots of tears, leaving behind great friends, and a nice job. But it was time and I made a career adjustment, not knowing whether I would return to higher education. Taught public school for five years and then took a position at Howard Payne University where I am today.

Every now and then though I wonder about it and miss the tall trees, the rain, the bird calls, and the friends back then. But life goes on and I have no regrets. Still, nice to be back for a couple of days.

Food, Glorious Food

2011-04-03T20:41:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite musicals is Oliver. Every scene is special and emotionally gripping in some way. Quite a show and Ron Moody is absolutely amazing. In the opening, the orphans are in tattered work clothes and marching slowly to the meal, a bowl of gruel. Gruel is a soup looking creamy thing that sloshes around the bowl. Nothing substantial and obviously tasteless. As they march downward, they glance in the window at several overweight officials gorging themselves on meat, vegetables, and outrageous desserts. Very funny moment of great irony.

My tastes have changed. No longer does fast food interest me. The bread at various burger places tastes like soft vinyl, the meat like warmed up carpet squares, and the "fun" dessert drinks like cold cotton candy. Or one can try fast food tacos with cheese that tastes like newspaper, and shells like stale fritos. Or maybe some pizza from the massive pizza buffet. But wait? Is this plastic poured on cheap bread? Perhaps little chicken nuggets would suffice? But is it really chicken or little white balls of thread that somehow digest?

I have become a food snob. Some of this is due to having an amazing cook in the family--my wife. But some of it is due to being tired of cheap, processed food poorly flavored and guaranteed to leave a gut hanging over your belt. I find myself filling up on water so as to avoid the hungry feeling of wanting more. Satisfied with a fiber bar or some blueberries, I like to treat myself to an apple or some asparagus sprouts.

No I am not a vegan or whatever they are called. I simply no longer feel very good about running in a little fast food joint and eating the latest great combo deal with overly salted French fries and terrible tasting ketchup in little packages. All of it is just gross. My palate wants something better.

But I do love fish. A big piece of salmon grilled gently with butter, olive oil, and delicately spiced with thyme, garlic, lemon juice, and a splash of vinegar! Great stuff. Off-set with some high quality Gouda cheese and maybe some yogurt. Followed by a good cup of decaffeinated coffee. Now that is a meal.

Steak is good but it must be rare. Chicken is barely tolerable, and hamburgers almost not acceptable any longer. Mainly a nice mix of vegetables, fruit, and fish hits the spot every time.

Of course, not just food tastes have changed the last couple of years for me. I run consistently now. I prefer non-fiction over fiction, thrillers seem dull, television is a real sleeper, conversation should be directed and should avoid small-talk, never talk about the weather, and always seek opportunities to help others.

No more judging people unless they are hurting others in which case justice should be served. Leadership is about a broad, positive vision. Pray consistently and think logically. Don't let the negativity around you pull you down. Instead, exalt each other.

All these and more shape my world-view. What shapes yours?

Concerts

2011-04-02T07:06:00.003-05:00

I've been a little delinquent in blogging since returning from London. But I hit a pretty stressful week of concerts, reports, and lots of challenges. Next week I go to Louisiana for an evaluation.

Monday night began with a tremendous musical experience--Nielson and Young. This well-known duo has spent years playing concerts in churches and auditoriums all over the world. Often playing piano duets, they have also recorded extensively on the piano and organ. It was one of the finest concerts I have heard. Their sublime artistry and grace were matched with their professional demeanor and extraordinary musical gifts. Hymns, songs arrangements, and art music were delivered with beauty and musicianship the entire evening.

But only 75 people were present.

Tuesday we heard an incredible brass quintet--Synergy Brass. Their variety of genres, their wildly advanced technique, and their engaging personality on stage came together to provide the energized audience with music that seemed to send shimmering waves of joy into the fabric of people present.

About 125 people were present.

Thursday night we heard a bassoon recital. Chelsea Murphree is an impressive talent receiving a minor in music. She did not have to do a recital but wanted to and what a nice performance it was! Music by Villa-Lobos, Weber, and me were played with energy, expressiveness, and accuracy. She is a gifted young lady who keeps a smile on her face, providing model leadership for other students and applying herself completely to excellence in all areas of her life. I enjoyed writing music for her and hearing it performed so well was a treat. My piece was a light-hearted but quite challenging mix of gospel/jazz with a hint of pop style in the middle section. Mainly just fun!

About 85 people were present.

Friday night the music department did a movies concert. We played and sang various selections from famous movies including My Fair Lady, E.T., Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Pink Panther, Schindler's List, Pinocchio, Shawshank Redemption, The Mission, and Carousel. Rather than just performing movie themes, we also added a commentary to give it an academic purpose. The response was overwhelming as people seemed moved by the music and the information provided. Unlike other performances, we used some visuals, video, narration, and a touch of theatre to enhance the musical offering. This level of arts integration and collaboration is unusual but necessary in today's world.

About 150 were present.

Where are our concert audiences? What can we do to encourage live performance? Should we continue to push for more collaboration, more variety, less classical, more inclusive? It is difficult for trained classical musicians to branch out beyond the scope of their sophisticated training. Yet when we do so, we tend to get greater response from people. Is there a balance? Sure and we don't always find it. But as musicians our goal is not to satisfy ourselves (although to an extent, all of us need that as well) with high academic art, but rather to use our gifts to reach people, to provide others with a musical and emotional experience. Somehow we have forgotten our audience. Time to bring music to the people and for the people.

But every now and then, give me some Mozart please! I need that as well.

London V

2011-03-25T06:07:00.003-05:00

Works means not working. Any sign or announcement that states "...works" is a notification that there is repair taking place. This one took me awhile to understand since I assumed the object must have at one time been broken but now it works. Yet the sign "escalator works" obviously was wrong since the escalator was not working. Confusing, yes. But many things in London were different and adjusting to it was a matter of perception and open-mindedness. In the end, I truly enjoy my trip.

Taking the Piccadilly line to the Victoria Line and then hopping aboard the DLR line, I headed to the O2. http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/millenniumdome.htm. Quite a place, built at a cost of $750 million, it houses a massive arena, shops, restaurants, museums, and a movie house. I only had time to experience a small part of this astounding area, but it was sure a treat. I ran through the British Rock experience and learned much more than I expected. I particularly enjoyed a holographic presentation of how England and America influenced each other in Rock music. The final image showed a "tug-of-war" over who was the most influential or perhaps winner in Rock music. With amusement, I noticed that England won the contest!

After a nice lunch of raw eel and bean sprouts, I headed back. Stopping at Canary Wharf I was treated to yet another underground world of shopping, food, games, and every kind of modern convenience. So different from old London, Canary Wharf and the O2 demonstrate the changing world. It was nice to experience cutting edge technology and contemporary architecture, but I found myself longing to return to old London with its beautiful structures, great art, magnificent theaters and old style shops. Yes I found myself humming the children's song, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold!"

But while humming, my usual practice by the way, I noticed nobody else would hum. In fact, very few people make noise at all. On the long tube ride, nobody said a word to anyone. Just quiet, self-reflective riding on the tube. Lots of reading, some sleeping, but no talking. Other than the roar of the train and screech of the brakes, silence. I tried to smile at people and make eye contact but there was very little of that.

A brief stop at Covent Garden and I found myself in the market, a multi-level shopping treat. While picking through some gifts for the family, I heard a beautiful sound, the sound of Bach. Migrating that way, I found a quartet performing various Bach works. Gorgeous sounds by the highest of professional players. They were selling CDs as well. What is happening in the world where the finest performers are resorting to playing on street corners to make a living? About 30 minutes later I heard an opera singer. She was incredible and singing Carmen to an accompaniment track. Can she not get work? Are there too many great musicians for the market? Is supply and demand destroying classical music? Maybe.

A group of us attended "Flare Path" on Tuesday night and enjoyed it. Very professional with a nice blend of drama and comedy. Incredible actors, rich story, and a great theatre. Stopping at a bakery while walking back, we picked up some chocolate, some bread, and various pasties. Yes I said pasties not pastries. Same thing though. We returned to the motel, found a nice room, chatted awhile and turned in. London trip over.

The ride back was eventful but also normal travel inconveniences so I'll stop writing about London soon. But I must say that London changed me a little. Opened my eyes to a world of architecture, a world of the ancients, a world of artistic application to the mundane. I feel somehow enriched by my experience. Perhaps in the end, London reminds me to keep the petty problems in a small compartment while remembering the majesty of God's world. It's a grand world out there, no sense allowing the thorns to rule the day.

London IV

2011-03-22T03:39:00.002-05:00

Beginning at the end of the day: arrived back to the hotel almost at midnight after navigating the fun complicated world of the tube. Excuse the boring details but after the show I had to board the Victoria Line in order to get to "Green Park." At Green Park I hopped off ("mind the gap") and got on the Piccadilly line and took it straight up to Russell Square and walked here.

Okay, so it was a typical, ho-hum plot--boy without a mother but with a demanding father struggling to make ends meet, wants to be a dancer. Father is dealing with political problems in his job as a miner and forced to strike. Boy eventually gets accepted into dance school and is successful. Dull stuff that is a rehashing of several stories we have heard before.

Yet, what a fantastic show in all respects (okay, most). Billy Elliot is one of my favorite shows I have experienced. An eclectic and expressive musical score accompanies a host of fascinating scenes that alternate well between serious and light. Dance sequences are incredible and the scenery is picturesque without being lavish. Gritty when necessary, warm when appropriate, the music, the acting, and the story pull together to put the audience right in the middle of everything. Rather than becoming an objective disconnected series of songs, Billy Elliot is a whole package of emotional, energetic joy.

On the down side, I grew weary of the swearing (lots of f word usage) and struggle with the heavy English accent. Also the "gay" overtones were a little disturbing at times particularly in a young boy. Cute scenes but maybe a little bit of an agenda made me uncomfortable. Aside from those things, it was a great show made even better by a gifted singer/dancer in the form of a 12 year old boy.

I spent the afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum looking at everything imaginable including theatre history, silver, mosaics, paintings, tapestries, jewelry, and the list goes on. What a great place. Almost couldn't leave it but had to go get my tickets to the show.

The morning was spent at the British Museum where I saw Syrian art, Babylonian Art, Egyptian Art, and an amazing display of Afghanistan historical pieces. Learned much about history and mythology in this 2 mile long museum. Certainly one of the finest cultural museums in the world.

And that my friends was my day. Lots of walking, riding, and experiencing the city of London.

London III

2011-03-20T15:52:00.006-05:00

A fair nights sleep, a large tasty breakfast, and a small group headed to church. Nearly late due to the crowds at the Underground to get on the tube. But some brisk walking (and I mean brisk) and we arrived. I removed my hat, walked in, and nearly lost my breath.

We were at the Westminster Abby http://www.westminster-abbey.org/ and it was truly a stunning experience. The single most beautiful, ornate, magnificent structure I have ever seen. Almost unable to move and having trouble breathing, we were ushered to seats on the side and prepared our hearts for worship in one of the greatest churches on the planet. Often I have felt the presence of God when hiking or when praying or at particular moments that I treasure. That moment was nigh. If God were to choose one place on earth to reside, it just might be at the Westminster Abbey in London.

The service was an Anglican service (no need to extrapolate on what Anglican means. It would take several paragraphs of church history and would only scratch the surface of knowledge.) replete with call and response, organ music, readings, prayers, communion, confession, a hymn, meditation, and peace. No praise and worship, no guitars, no drums, no microphones, no wires of any kind, no clapping, no swaying, no hugging, no inordinate human activity that would detract from attention to the Lord, no self. Simply a time to worship God in the old liturgical tradition.

Beautiful choral music lightly accompanied by the warmest sounding organ I have ever heard. Each ending of the phrase reverberated gently but completely throughout the cathedral, providing a sense of the infinite glory of God. It was a humbling but inspiring experience and one that I will want to replicate someday in some way. Of course it also causes me pause as I reflect on contemporary worship and how different it is where we live. But I shall not simply give lip service to my belief there are many ways to worship the Lord Our Savior. In spite of my commitment to this ideal, and I do believe it, I can also see where there is great personal joy in a liturgical Anglican service in a glorious structure designed to reflect the majesty of God.

More on this later. After the service and a nice lunch of lamb, squid, and cod, we headed back to the room for a few moments of rest. I then jumped on a bus, landed in Leicester Square, found the theatre, and experienced STOMP! Wow, what a great show. Tremendous athletes with amazing rhythm and timing. Just a super great show and quite captivating to everyone present. Following the show was a taping for a television show the next day, but I would not get to see it and am not sure my Americanisms wouldn't mess it up anyway! So I left and walked around to experience Leicester Square. Pretty crazy stuff at night. Almost like Bourbon Street in some ways.

Headed back and correctly navigated the tube this time. Home for the night but am now tremendously sore in every muscle. Hope it is a good night's rest. Tomorrow is the British Museum and being a part of the college classes. Time to learn how to teach in London!

London II

2011-03-19T11:35:00.011-05:00

Long day of walking and sight-seeing. Lots of people and very large buses--gotta look right not left. Learning the lingo, the system, the city, and mostly the culture of London and there is plenty of it and plenty to learn. Got on the tube several times and realized the polite idea of "ladies first" is not applicable in this world. Whoever gets to the open seat first is the one who sits. So most people are standing and holding onto the steel bar. But yikes, how many years of hands have been in the same spot? Thousands upon thousands have touched the bar. Whew...trying not to think about it. Probably ought to carry some sanitizer or something.

Take away means to go. I ordered some coffee and the lady said, "take away?" I quickly said no that I will pay for it. A quizzical look followed my statement and she said "will you drink it here?" I realized my mistake and said "No, to go, I mean I will take it away." I'm sure she spent the day wondering about the dumb American.

"Way Out" does not mean far-fetched or New Age or anything. It simply means Exit. When you enter a large modern eating establishment, you should get a card. The card is used to figure out what you owe when you leave. However, if you simply walk in and use the restroom (which everyone refers to as a toilet), then you should still have a card. Nearly caused bedlam when I left the restaurant without a card. The cashier who was several feet away raised her voice and said "Stop, please turn in your card and pay." After my loud, nervous, and slightly embarrassing explanation, she smiled and said "Next time, please get a card." I took the "way out" very quickly at that point!

Apparently it is okay to be physically involved with a friend in public, provided you are in a park. This awkward moment change my mind about walking in the park or at least getting off the walking path. Enjoy the world but don't look at anyone. Nobody will say hello anyway and there are many with different lifestyles from myself. Lots of smokers I noticed and lots of "earthy" people not much concerned with appearance.

Stopped in at St. Martin in the Fields cathedral and noticed they were performing Mozart's Requiem today. Wow! I wanted to hear it and see the orchestra, but already made plans to go to Billy Elliot. Which should I do? I am a Mozartian, a Mozart fanatic, an obsessed lover of Mozart's music. But I am also a huge Broadway musical fan. Hmmmm....what a dilemma.

Okay, rather than go and on arguing with myself, I am electing to go see Billy Elliot. I have heard Mozart's Requiem many times plus have several recordings of it on iTunes. Still...a toughie for sure. Thinking more about church music, I am further convinced that architecture is driving church music. Who would want to hear or could even tolerate a minute of a praise band in a cathedral with perfect acoustics?

But my feet are sore, my legs hurt, and I am generally worn out. Is it worth it? You betcha! London, one of the greatest cities in the world.

London I

2011-03-19T02:01:00.002-05:00

Here I am in London staying at a quaint motel on Bedford Place around the corner from the massive British museum. Cold and loud with very little space but I still love it. Of course being a little spoiled with a large home, large vehicle, and unending Texas sky, everything seems close together in London. Narrow streets, halls, lots of people, fast walkers, old close buildings, it is all very different from my spacious Texas world.

Flight was tough though. 10 hours on the plane and ended up with stiffness in every joint. Plus a lack of sleep didn't help. Slept all night though and ready for the London experience. Today is a day of tubing (not innertubing!) where I learn how to navigate the city on the subway called a tube. Some sort of fun adventure of discovery on the tube.

One thing very different is my tendency to talk to strangers. Apparently it is not done in England. I know it is not done in New England so it makes sense not to do so in old England. Still it is my natural curiosity and friendliness that makes me want to talk to people. I may try it anyway and see what happens.

Eating: I stopped at a famous fish and chips place and ordered the premium item--fish and chips. They brought it and I thought there was a mistake. There on my plate sat a nice piece of fish and a bunch of fat french fries. Plus a small bowl of guacamole. That surprised me since in Texas guacamole is reserved for nachos and salads.

So a moment of thinking about it and I dipped the fat french fry into the guacamole. It was very good but very strange and I couldn't quite place it. Then I heard someone say at another table in a strong British accent--"That fellow is dipping his chip in the mushy peas." I looked around and realized the fellow was me! It was smashed peas not guacamole. The fat fries were the chips.

But it was delicious and I enjoyed my experience. So today is my first full day in this amazing town.

Response to Church Music Comments

2011-03-13T16:33:00.012-05:00

I made the comment that our national past was "dark and dramatic." I then related this to church music of the past 40 or 50 years. I was correctly questioned as to my comparison and asked for specific examples. In addition it was mentioned that today's choruses are often filled with "I" "Me" or self. I wish to respond to both of these.

In talking about our national past as being dark and dramatic, I wish to stand by these descriptors. Around the turn of the 20th century, our country was experiencing stark changes in transportation, in industry, in labor, in immigration, and race relations. Looking back we are chagrined at the treatment of people and the violence perpetrated on African-Americans, on children in factories, on the American Indian, and mostly on anyone not born in America. The struggles for a family from another country to buy a home, to make a living, and to receive an education are nearly criminal and a cause for great embarrassment at our past. Forcing children to work, knowing they would not receive an education, for the sake of putting food on the table demonstrates an economic situation caused from cheap labor and desire for increased production. This led of course to labor unions which although well-intentioned created another set of problems, problems we have today. Does the gain outweigh the costs? Maybe.

Not being of liberal mind-set, at the same time my compassion for people cannot condone a situation of pain and suffering that existed for many families in the early part of the 20th century. More could be said about this particularly as related to race relations, but I think I will spend more time on that at a later date. To generalize, over many years our incredible country and her people became more refined and tolerant of outsiders, resulting in our being one of the most powerful and compassionate countries in the world. We worked through the difficulties and in spite of the darkness emerged glowing. Not that all is perfect and we have a long way to go, but I certainly would not want to return to that time period. For more information, I recommend reading "Murdering McKinley" by Eric Rauchway.

How does this relate to church music? I do stand corrected that my comparison of being "dark and dramatic" in U.S. history is related to church music. That does seem a bit overstated. Yet I refer to the gnawing problem of worship wars driving churches apart and sending people out of our walls of the organized church. Who wants to worship in the house of the Lord when people are angry at each other? Who can focus on the Lord when we are focused on what we do not like? Who wants to be amid a body of believers who are intent on their own selfish agenda? Anne Rice, who denounced the church, while retaining her faith, was shocked at the internal hostility within churches today.

So yes, I do believe that our immediate past in churches and in church music is somewhat dark and dramatic in that division and polarization seem to be the norm. We chase people away by our judgments instead of drawing them in by our love. That is dark and it is dramatic.

Onward to lyrics of today. It does seem anecdotally true, albeit without empirical data to support the thesis, that lyrics today often dwell on "I" and "Me" rather than on the sovereignty and majesty of God. And we can certainly find several obvious examples. Think on the words found in Holy, Holy, Holy, or Come Thou Almighty King or A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. Now compare those to Tomlin's I Will Rise or Beautiful One or How Great Is Our God. All of these modern choruses reference I or me. In fact, studying the top 100 Praise choruses of today, many of them do seem rather self-oriented.

Now let us think about the hymns used today. We have established that the more established hymns from traditional hymnody do seem less self oriented than choruses of today. Yet a closer look at the hymnal reveals over 52 Hymns that begin with "I" and another 20 plus that reference "me" with many others talking about "I" somewhere in the hymn (Amazing Grace is an example). Furthermore a precursory look at the current top 100 choruses being sung in churches today, shows that about 40 do not use I or me but take a more collective approach and sovereignty of God idea. Of course this does mean that around 60 have a personal plea or personal look.

My suspicion is that it is true that today's music is more individualistic and less global although the percentage of this type of music is well within the bounds of balance of presentation. Yet maybe there is truth in the statement that older hymns acknowledge the majesty of the Lord over "how I feel" about God.

Perhaps there are two reasons for this trend: 1) Much of the music today was composed by an individual holding a guitar and singing about his relationship with God, and 2) Much of the music today has the same composer as the lyricist. When we look back on the great hymns, we notice a different poet/lyricist from the composer of the music. The melding of the two concepts is inherently collective and less personal than 1 person doing both music and words. So it is no surprise to find this trend today as musicians are creating their own songs in an individual framework.

To summarize: points given for mentioning the extreme of church music being as "dark and dramatic" as American history; and a point or two for the perception of today's music being individualistic and less global than hymns of the past. But here is the question--Is this a problem or simply a difference?

Generosity and Joel

2011-03-11T11:17:00.017-06:00

Questioning Joel as to why his money gets depleted so quickly, and assuming it was due to buying cokes and chips from a machine, he casually mentioned that a lady had needed $20 to help her grandson. Red flags went up in my mind and I began asking him more questions. Asking Joel questions is a delicate art and one I have not mastered as of yet. Too many questions often ends up having the reverse effect of no answers, usually resulting in Joel saying "Too many questions." So I have to ask questions slowly and very benignly, almost indirectly with the hope of determining the truth. While Joel cannot tell a lie, he does tend to leave out details and speak as though the event were typical of any other event. To him all situations are normal and do not warrant any kind of emotional reaction different from any other reaction. All things are the same.

Subscribing to the philosophy of "make all you can, save all you can, give away all you can," my boys have often seen me give money to the homeless, the indigent, and yes to those who ask. Sometimes I witness to them, sometimes remind them to use the money wisely, and sometimes simply say "God Bless You." While it is possible and maybe likely the receiver uses the money for something other than good, I let it go with the idea that I did the right thing and hopefully the person will share the same concept. But for better or worse my children are the same way. They tend to be generous when they can, making a difference in their small corner of the world. I am proud of them for this characteristic and would not want it any other way.

Back to Joel. Unlike my other two boys, he does not have any powers of discernment. I am generous with people but also am aware of the lies that rarely but possibly accompany the requests for money. I recall a dicey situation years ago in San Antonio when a man insisted I give him money to pay for a bus for his wife and child who was sick. He said that his car broke down and he could not get it fixed. I asked him where they were and why he had no grease on his hands. He became angry with me and threatened bodily harm. Luckily a police officer saw us and urged the fellow to leave the area.

Joel does not know the difference. He assumes everyone is telling the truth, all are honest, all are good, nobody would ever do anything wrong. We discussed the lady with the grandson only to discover that the child was not present in the car. The lady requested $20 and Joel gave it to her. I reminded him that while most people are honest it is possible to encounter someone who is lying. He said no. He told me that everyone is good and bad guys disappeared in the 1970s and now can only be found on television.

I do not want to erase Joel's inherent goodness and his positive belief in all people's honesty, but I do wish there were a way to teach him discernment. At this point however, I do not believe it is possible. Joel will always see the world through his own rose tinted glasses. This is a quality that makes Joel the innocent special child he is and the quality that draws people to him. It is also the quality we have to watch and protect him from the possible times that others may intend some kind of harm.

May the road Joel walks throughout his life be filled with people who intend good and may Joel always rise to the goodness he finds in others. Charity, a dangerously wonderful quality, and one that makes the world a better place.

A few thoughts on Church Music History

2011-03-06T16:33:00.011-06:00

Driving to Brady for the service this morning, I began thinking about church music and a little of the changes that have taken place the last few years. As a student of American history, focusing primarily on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I often contemplate how labor laws, government intervention, race relations, and wars have shaped our country and our culture. We cannot escape, nor should we, our National past, a past that although dark and dramatic replete with pain and suffering, joys and victories, labor and leisure, has made us the nation we are today. Looking a little more microscopically, the same is true in church music.

Superficially knowledgeable in the Reformation and the changes wrought in the Religious world following the escapades of the radical and brilliant monk Martin Luther, I choose to deal with, at least for now, the last 40 years of Protestant church music in America. Forgive me for ignoring other denominations and developments around the world and for imagining such a myopic time period, yet that is what I know. To quote from the intellectually sophisticated show Rugrats, "This is our world, and it is all we know!"

The anger rages forth in church music today as congregations grapple with their own personal preferences of church music, wondering what is right, what is best, and what will accomplish the greater good. That said, it seems to me that aside from the "youth" music that jumped into the mix in the late 60s and early 70s, most of the music of 40 or 50 years ago was designed around the organ, an instrument often considered the King of all instruments or the grandest of instruments. The organ, replete with a multitude of sounds and possibilities reigned supreme in the design of all church music dating back to its inception before the Baroque period. Not to say other instruments were not also used, but the music was typically suited and conceived with the organ as the centrality for the musical experience. The organ is a smooth, rich instrument with a wealth of sounds that allow for complex polyphony and a multitude of musical events at one time. I suppose mention should be made that prior to the use of the organ in churches, the human voice was the preferred medium. The organ came along and enhanced the vocal experience. But let's jump forward again to the 1970s!

As youth music began to move in and pianists found themselves in the forefront of artistry, composers of church music began writing music more for a piano. The piano became the central concept of church music, with the organ taking a back seat and not playing quite the dominant role it did earlier. Some of this is due to the percussive nature of the piano and some due to the sustaining of sounds while other sounds take place. Of course fine pianists do not blur the chords, preferring a cleaner approach to music, but many people almost embrace the idea of a "wash" of sustained sounds at times. Sadly, during this period, the organ began to be considered the instrument of choice for weddings and funerals. While certainly legitimate for this purpose, it did and does relegate the organ to a more functional role, far away from its value as a solo or accompanying instrument.

Time moved forward, as it is wont to do, and the organ and the piano remained true to church music. But soon another instrument jumped into the mix--the guitar and with it the trap set. Since composers do not and likely will not be able to design musical melodies around a trap set, the guitar became the driving central force. And we are in this world today. An added complexity, probably similar to the controversy that existed many years ago in the organ world is whether to use only acoustic guitars without extra amplification or should we allow electric guitars?

And now we live in this strangely wonderfully eclectic world with music designed around the guitar, some music around a piano, and still others emphasizing the organ. And sitting in our congregations are people who have a particular preference for a sound, a type of music, and a genre. While we can formulate a model church around something--organ music of mostly hymns, or piano music of a mix of hymns and older choruses, or guitar music of primarily modern choruses, it seems to me the best approach and likely the inevitable one is to create a gloriously complex church world that includes all three.

Although the risk involved is the possible alienation of those strongly preferring one over another, the gain is unification of the people and the ultimate cultural and spiritual growth. For each instrument, organ, piano, or guitar, has value and regardless of the choice, an expression of musical talent serving Christ's Kingdom in our church is a grand and glorious exercise. So I urge people to consider the role of the diversity in our church music and the inclusion of all kinds of instruments (apologies to my Church of Christ friends) in the worship of our Lord and Savior.