Category Archives: Music
Pandemic Playlist
Last year, Norm Frampton of the popular blog Norm 2.0 tweeted: If 2020 had a soundtrack I’m pretty sure it would be some ominous sounding Gregorian Chants. I think he’s on to something. I put together a playlist inspired by the Covid-19 … Continue reading
Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840—November 6, 1893) was the first Russian composer to achieve international recognition. Though musical from a young age, his parents encouraged him to study law so that he could enter the more lucrative profession of … Continue reading
Kids Making Music
Back in the day, I was an elementary general music teacher. It gives me great pleasure to see kids having fun making beautiful music. I’ve been bummed out by our long pandemic season. It’s affected my blogging in that I … Continue reading
The 30-Day Song Challenge
Thanks to Donna of MyOBT for this idea. She once published a post by the same name which caught my fancy. I chose to do the 30 daily challenges all in one post. A song you like with a color … Continue reading
Handbells for Christmas
I love handbells. I play in a handbell choir at my church. Here we are playing Advent Carol on December 1, 2019. (If you listen carefully, you may hear O Come, O Come Immanuel and a snippet of Let All … Continue reading
Tchaikovsky and The Nutcracker
Poor Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Following the huge success of The Sleeping Beauty ballet in 1890, the Tsar wanted another hit from Tchaikovsky and choreographer Marius Petipa. Petipa took charge of the storyline of the ballet and created two scenes based on the … Continue reading
Favorite Songs of the Season
This article appeared last year on ARHtistic License.
Two Years After Leaving My Church: Honest Reflections
I quit the worship band at my lifelong church a little more than two years ago. I typed the phrase “easily the most difficult and painful decision I’ve made” in that first sentence, and its sterility taunted me so I … Continue reading
Landfill Harmonic…by ARHuelsenbeck
This article previously appeared on ARHtistic License. You may have heard of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay. This YouTube video, posted in 2012, has been viewed more than seven million times: Cateura is the site of a huge garbage dump. … Continue reading