Humility, self-centeredness, and a discovery

Tags

Frank Bruni, John Boda, Maine Maritime Museum, New York Times

Shipwrights from Francisco de Orellana’s expedition building a small brigantine, the San Pedro. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of watching this television show about Bath and Camden, Maine.  

Dave Garrison, of maritimeme.org, provided the above link to the entire video on YouTube.  Length:  00:28:22.  Thanks so much, Dave!

The environs are truly gorgeous.  Building a replica of Maine’s First Ship appears to involve an entire town.  The seafood looks wonderful.  The Maine Maritime Museum looks intriguing!  Lighthouses are everywhere!

My interest in nautical subjects must be related to my Friesian ancestry.  I am an excellent swimmer, former lifeguard and Red Cross swimming instructor for children with cerebral palsy.  In addition, I worked at a maritime law firm in New York for two years.  Especially compared to corporate law, it was quite interesting.

A discovery

Last Sunday, a chance discovery started me thinking about how to write this blog post.  In choosing music for the service, there seemed to be less to go on than usual.  How to proceed?  I decided to look for a prelude and postlude to coordinate with the hymns.

The postlude I found was “He Who Would Valiant Be” by John Boda, based on a hymn with the same text.  (There is more than one musical setting.)  In order to ensure that there was a connection with my line of thinking concerning the service, I had to search for the hymn, which was unfamiliar to me.

Two versions are included in the “Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal,” 1958.

Two friends tell me they grew up singing the second version.

The conclusion I reached from the text is this:  no matter where you are in life, you did not arrive there solely under your own power.  Even if you think you had  little help, the obstacles standing in your way provided challenges to overcome.  You have never existed in a vacuum.

So why would you promote your own agenda in isolation?

Two essays in The New York Times caught my attention.  They focus on similar themes.  Both are by Frank Bruni:

• Ted Cruz’s Flinty Path   9/24/13
• The Pope’s Radical Whisper   9/22/13

How do these themes relate to each other?

My train of thought here is centered around the antithesis of egotism.  This does not mean denying one’s own talent or self-worth.  But if egotism is all there is, collaboration is impossible.

Can one be very self-confident and have humility?  I would cite two examples that say “yes.”

• Rafael Nadal certainly knows how talented he is.  If he constantly denied that, how many titles would he win?
• The ship building project in Bath provides a wonderful opportunity to observe collaboration on display.
  • The master shipbuilder who is leading the project is a volunteer.
  • When a huge beam needed to be placed, taking up the length of the ship, a large number of men worked together, making sure it was straight.  When they had finished, each pair of men shook hands, reaching over the beam.
  • The project features a training program, starting with children as young as middle school.  12-year-olds were shown working on the ship, completely focused on their tasks and doing exemplary work.

We have all encountered situations where collaboration would have been helpful.  From time to time, someone’s ego will get in the way, making the surrounding atmosphere uncomfortable for everyone involved.

My plan is to remain aware of how my own ego might interfere when working with others.  This has been an ongoing focus of mine for over a year.  I’m happy to say I’m improving!

What do you think?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Remembering my mother

Tags

Carthage, Carthage College, Friesland, Mother, Ohio River, Superman

Caroline Elise Moorman Saathoff

Since I am thinking about my mother this week and next, I thought I would repost this profile from last year.

Name: Caroline Elise Moorman Saathoff.  She had one or two more middle names which I no longer remember.  Her birth certificate lists only Elise.  Her brother Bill spelled their last name “Moormann,” with 2 “n’s,” while my mother stuck to using one.

City of birth: Metropolis, IL, all the way down on the southern border.  Yes, THAT Metropolis, home of Superman.   My mother grew up outside of town, and it’s pretty small (pop. 6,482 as of the year 2000 census).

Metropolis is across the Ohio River from Paducah, KY.

College: Carthage College, Carthage, IL
Music Education major, sang in college choir, where she met my father.  The college later moved to Kenosha, WI.

How she left home: my mother was the only one in her family to go to college.  She left home with $8 in her pocket, found a job, and sent home for her trunk.

Most distinguishing characteristic: her hair!  She had the same hair as mine.  Many people from Friesland, where my ancestors are from, have very finely textured blonde hair.  It’s slightly wavy, but the second the wind blows, it goes completely straight.

Most unusual word: cattywampus (means ”kitty corner,” and it’s not in the dictionary).  The only other person I’ve heard say this is from Lexington, KY.

Best spelling: M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I.  (Get it?  That spells “Mississippi.”)

Funny thing she did: She loved to write silly poems on family birthday cards.  They were really bad, eliciting groans every time.  And she knew they were bad.  But I know she had fun writing them.

How she got me to vacuum the furniture: by hiding change under the couch cushions!  I thought for a long time that people had lost change from their pockets.

When I was sick: whenever I had a fever, she would make orange-flavored slivered ice.  I still don’t know how she did it.  It was so good.

Favorite activity: riding her bike to the park and back with her friends Ellie and Edith.  On the final afternoon of her life, she was on her bike after school (she taught kindergarten), on the way to meet her friends.

Favorite food: tomatoes!  She was still eating entire platefuls in August, long after everyone else had tired of them.

Favorite flower: dogwood.

What I admired most: her unwavering integrity and incredible determination.

I miss you, Mom.  43 years is a long time.

Today is my birthday!

Tags

BBC Symphony, birthday, Slatkin, video

So I had some chocolate!

And now, for a fun rendition of “Happy Birthday,” a short video to enjoy:

The Churkendoose (1947)

Album cover

Please click on the image and wait a few seconds (about 15).

Ray Bolger, Mitch Miller
“It Depends on How You Look At Things”

92 – The Churkendoose (1947).

Our little choir’s 1st success of the new season

Tags

choral singing, Church, church choir, Church service

Copyright 1978 Maranatha! Music, admin. by The Copyright Co.

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord
And He shall lift you up, higher and higher,
And He shall lift you up.

Sources:
Celebration Hymnal  #622
Renew!  #188
Sing the Faith  #2131
Sing with Me  #201
Singing the New Testament  #230
The Faith We Sing  #2131
(as listed at Hymnary.org)

Background

Today was Kickoff Sunday at our church.  Some churches call it Homecoming Sunday, and there are many variations on the theme.  The designation denotes the first Sunday after Labor Day weekend, the beginning of school, the opening of church school, and the return of the choir.

Our “traditional” service began 1/2 hour earlier for the first time, which also moved choir rehearsal to 8:30 from 9:00.

Good morning!

When I arrived at 7:30 to practice, the chairs (a new experiment in lieu of pews) were in place for the parishioners.  The location of the choir was left for us to take care of.

The six people who sang today all arrived at 8:30!  Because of the earlier time, that could have presented a problem.

We welcomed Joyce, a new member who is trying out a new experience.

Logistics

We discussed where everyone would feel comfortable, moved a few chairs, moved the piano so we could all see each other, and had a terrific rehearsal!

The choir wanted to face the congregation throughout the service in order to lead the singing.  I couldn’t agree more!  Finding seats among the parishioners and then walking to the front for the anthem would have disrupted the flow of the service. 

Pam, a choir member, had suggested earlier in the week that we could spend less time rehearsing the hymns and more time looking ahead to the following week’s anthem.  She made a good point.  So today we warmed up on the sung response to a congregational reading.  That only took a minute or two, a good use of our time, as the congregation needed our leadership with the unfamiliar music.

The anthem

Our anthem was perfect for the offertory.  Written like a round, the choir sang the melody.  Sue, a soprano in the choir, handled the descant (essentially the 2nd entrance in the round) beautifully.

I came across this engaging piece while browsing through “The Faith We Sing,” an alternative to the standard hymnal.  Although I didn’t know it, I fell in love with it right away.  I was so happy when the choir had the same experience!

The congregation had a wonderful reaction to the choir’s singing today.

This piece, which can be done in many different ways, turned out to be a great way to begin the new season.  Any number of singers would be appropriate, the placement of the singers for the two parts of the round could be flexible, the number of repeats could be changed during the singing with no problem, and the keyboard part could either be played or omitted.

Compliments to the choir!

I am so proud of my little choir for their enthusiasm, wonderful suggestions, cooperation, and willingness to show up early!  The spirit of collaboration is wonderful, allowing everyone to feel a sense of ownership.

What’s next?

I can’t wait for next week!  We will be singing “Lead Me, Guide Me,” by Doris Akers, followed by “Over My Head,” an African-American spiritual arr. by John Bell, the next week.  “Over My Head” was suggested by a choir member last Spring. Thanks, Carolyn!

Bethel A.M.E. Church in Kirksville, Missouri, where Doris Akers first learned to sing and play Gospel music. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Please share your thoughts in the Comment Section below!

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Got a box? Here’s why you need one!

Tags

Andy Murray, Headache, sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, US Open

English: Bromo-Seltzer advertisement for headache medicine. Lottie Collins sings Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-de-ay! after being healed by the medicine and this effect makes her to dance and sing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Several years ago I went out to dinner with a singer/client.  Although she had a pounding headache, she was delightful company.  She was joking, laughing, and making wonderful contributions to our conversation.

How was she able to be so personable, considering that she had a headache?

Well, she was compartmentalizing.  I didn’t understand how to do that at the time. But I worked on it, and am now so much better!

Which brings me to the point:  What happened to Andy Murray in the quarterfinals at this year’s US Open?

He tanked!  There is plenty of video footage of him smashing his racquet against the court and screaming during his match with Stan Wawrinka. That was   between points. During play, he looked like a bump on a log. He let shots go without moving at all, netted several returns, and generally looked disengaged.

Don’t you think the spectators who paid for those expensive tickets expected to see both players at their best?

I should say that I have long thought Murray’s game was erratic.  He is extremely talented, but his widely variable focus and frequent lack of will make his game so inconsistent.

What would happen if he could put his frustrations in a box for the duration of the match?  Does he need to vent so much that it saps his concentration?

Try this:  When you are practicing and feel distracted, frustrated, angry at the company you spent an hour on hold with just now, or worried about something else, take out your imaginary box.  Put all of that in the box, then go to the front door.  Open the door, and place your imaginary box out in the hallway.

All your “stuff” will still be there when you’re finished practicing.  You can have it back if you want it.

By the way, the same procedure works just as well for rehearsals, auditions, juries, and performances!

Related article

Murray Loses Cool and, Soon, the Match

NYTimes.com 

Got a box?  Please share your thoughts in the Comment Section below!

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Q&A: One-handed lessons

Tags

Broken arm, Creative teaching, Education, Sight reading, student, teacher

US Congressman Donald Manzullo signs a short arm cast. (Photo: Wikipedia)

A reader asks:

One of my piano students broke her right arm.  Do you know of any method books to help improve her left hand during the 6 weeks she’ll be in a cast?

Response:

I understand your reasons for using this as an opportunity to address a common problem. However, you may want to put yourself in your student’s place for a moment first.

• Everyone’s left hand is 2 weeks behind the right.
• The left hand often learns by imitating the right.
• Someone who is forced to use only one hand is at risk of overuse and injury.  The uninjured hand is being used all day for everything.  That is tiring!  Have you ever tried it?

If this were my student, I would go with the situation instead.  There is so much variety to be found!  You and your student will both have fun, and your student will learn more than you imagine in the process.

A few suggestions:

• Duets
  • use music for 2 hands, with student playing one part and teacher playing the other.  Then switch parts.  (Your student will be playing the treble part with her left hand!  How unusual is that?)
  • play duets written for 4 hands, leaving 1 part out.  (You have 3 hands between you.)
• Chorus music or hymns
  • student can play all 4 parts, one at a time.  This is wonderful sight-reading practice.
• Teacher plays
  • student pedals
  • student walks around the room in rhythm, counts out loud, sings names of notes, plays triangle or drum with 1 hand
• Listen to a recording and talk about it
• Make up a piece

OK, now that I’ve gotten you started, it’s your turn!  I’m sure you will have more ideas.  Just go with it!  You can make up a lesson as you go along. Your student will have plenty of ideas, too.

Good luck, and have fun!

Have you taught a student who broke his/her arm?  What did you do?  Please share your thoughts in the Comment Section below!

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