Workshops Day 1

We had a great first day working at the Ekhaya Arts Center! We had a slow start as people arrived somewhat slowly and a dance company from NYC attracted most of the kids away to the auditorium. However, after lunch we had an influx of kids arriving from school exams, and soon everyone was playing and teaching. Loud sounds echoed around the small complex...drums rocking out, brass playing out Lion King, woodwinds honking on the South African National anthem, and the Colorguard's sound system blazing. The five hour afternoon included playing, a little music theory, chatting, and a few breaks. The kids in Durban all have a very British music education, so what they do know in music is about crotchets, quavers, and solfege. This was an exciting challenge for us:) Ulalekahle!

Time to give back

This band is pretty amazing.  All of us love being in it and are so proud of the hard work we do to stay in it. I was listening to the drill for Winter Percussion. For kids to keep their mind concentrating on the movements of their feet and hands is really awesome and I bet their school teachers are noticing they can stay on task! Speaking of task, I'm looking forward to helping out at the Orleans Playground. We've been praticing there for years and it will be fun to give some time back to them.  Hope everyone in the Orleans community can help out some...it is more enjoyable that way. Click here for more information about the Playground.

Arrival in Africa

Africa! Here we are again! Last year, Spirit of America Band came to Durban, donated instruments, and spent a week teaching kids about the excitement of music. We promised that a contingency of the band would return every year for five years to the Ekhaya Arts Center of Durban and train students from the Umlazi Township in drumming, dancing, and wind playing. As we rekindle the hope that music has brought these impoverished kids, we will have a chance to remember for ourselves the South African "joie de vivre"  that defies poverty and celebrates life. Their happiness puts into perspective the petty difficulties of our comparatively opulent lives. It is good to be back!

Apart

While a group of us are on their way to South Africa, we are starting our winter percussion rehearsals with Grace and Alice this weekend. It's so awesome to be drumming again. Gotta go hit a drum...

Tomorrow we go !

We will get up before the sun and catch a plane and fly to South Africa again. We can't wait to catch up with our friends and spend some time with them.  We bring messages and hugs from the rest of the band for all the people we connected to the last time we were there. Now back to my packing...

Strength together

In the band world is expected that you follow codes of conduct.  Whatever group you are in, there are certain expectations that are usually unspoken, (sometimes have to be spoken), but are held by all those in the group as sacred. There is a security in agreeing what is right and wrong and that we are all in this together. Even simple things like buttoning your uniform the same or stepping off on the same foot.  You know if you are on the wrong foot right away. 
The movement is graceful, clear, majestic, and beautiful. There is a strength in committed movement as there is with a committed life.

Imagine what we could do if we would just all step out together.

Final auditions for Winter Percussion

On October 6th Spirit of America will be having their final auditions for the 2012-2013 season. 
 For the first time in many years I will not have a child in this year. More than a few years ago one of my children came home with an award.  I didn't understand what that meant until years later when I had the chance to go out and see what happens at Winter Guard International, known as WGI.  I had never seen so many young people in my life.  I was so proud of the behavior of our kids with each other, but also the way other kids treated each other.  With all of the behaviors of young people it was really remarkable how kind they were to each other. 
   Out of all the groups that Gloriae Dei Artes Foundation has Winter Percussion is one of my favorites.  It is so heart warming when you see a child bloom into a person with their own identity.  I think about one child last year that really got his groove on with the African beat and the Shakere...Every performance he would get lost in the joy of rhythm and sound. 

That is really something.