April 16, 2012
Songweavers is an a cappella chorus of 130+ women, accompanied by African drums. There are no auditions. The women just love to sing.
Yesterday afternoon, we had our annual concert, entitled “Coming Home.” There was a coming home on many levels. At the most obvious, I had been away from Concord Community Music School for four years. Upon my return, I took over direction of Songweavers from the creator and only director, who retired. I came home to my music school and my hometown. It turns out; I really LOVE conducting a large group of eager, enthusiastic, ready-for-anything women!
In the music, we found home in heaven, heart and sanctuary. We discovered that home is the light within each of us, a candle in the window that beckons us to return and rest in the wonder of who we are.
In the middle of the word “home” is the sacred mantra “OM.” When I chant Om, the vibrations carry me home to the core of my being. Sound vibrates every cell in our bodies. The voice, especially, has the power to bring all our cells into harmonic vibration with each other. When the Songweavers sang, their eyes alight with focus and joy, their faces telling each story, that energy filled my heart with the power of our musical connection. We created a community of sound that vibrated singers and audience alike. Generated by each voice resonating with all the other voices, we brought us all into harmonic resonance with each other, a place that felt uplifting, sacred and totally present.
That is home! Singing together has the power to raise our vibration and bring us home. The women often tell me how much they love my smile. How could I not smile at such a gift, that they give me every week at rehearsal, that we give each other in our willingness to rise to our highest selves. I am smiling now remembering the electricity of yesterday’s concert.
Before we began the concert, I told the women that nothing in this life is perfect, complete or permanent. Certainly, our concert was not without mistakes, though we definitely peaked at the performance. There is always more we could have done and now our singing year is over. At this moment, my heart is still vibrating with the sure knowledge that I am home!
Peggo! I have jusT read all the blogs and am so delighted to continue learning from you through all the blogs! I love the one with your mother, so sad, but so uplifting as well. And what a beautiful quartet with your mother and sisters – stunning!
Your blog about The Concert was wonderful. Nicki and I have loved being part of it and I feel as though I have come home as well, after my own “sabbatical” a few years ago. The love and caring of our sister singers has clearly made a big difference in my healing from various oddments like new knee, new hip, a couple of dislocations, cracked footbone, and back in 2004, my novel experience of being (literally) run over by a truck! Just a bit much, but by now I’m feeling put back together and doing fine. And I am convinced that our singing along with the incredible Songweavers and you has been greatly instrumental (indeed) in personal health and attitude!
It has been an incredible work for you to take up such a group and such a change from your usual genres, and we have watched you bring your own style, enthusiasm, and glorious smile to the whole activity – and we enjoyed the whole process too.
Thank you so much, I am sure, from the elders to the youngers, and looking forward to next season !
with love,
Peg