Living Music in Your Life


At the various fairs and festivals at which I I play and sell, I take the harps and set up a little harp petting booth. Besides hoping that someone will want to buy one, my aim really is to support that connection so many people feel when they experience a harp up close. You'll see it as they walk by–people, especially little children, will stop to listen to me play the harp and stare with a certain longing. When I invite them to sit and play one themselves, they're often shy and delighted. Sometimes there are tears. They may be new to music, or they may be experienced musicians, but the effect is often the same. There's something about the harp that is direct and uncomplicated, and moves us. They provide an opportunity to experience music directly, and that's an antidote to the complexity of today's world.

Our modern world has more access to music in more forms than ever before. We think that this gives us more choice, and outwardly that’s true. But unless we experience music directly, it passes us by as a vague, half-remembered experience. But there are moments when a piece of music, or the tone of an instrument, or maybe just one note, moves us in ways we can’t explain. Such alive moments stay with us.

Music has the great gift of bringing our emotions together with our body. We dance, we cry, we laugh for sheer joy. It can propel us beyond sentimentality or diversion and remind us, through simple joy and longing, of our essential connectedness. Right then is an opportunity to taste life directly in the moment. The choice is to experience music not just in quantity but by quality. Of course, such moments are a gift, but we can do some simple things to be more available to such gifts. Try the following, for example:

• When you’re listening to a piece of music that moves you, and without changing anything, take one full inhalation and exhalation and know that you’re doing it.

• If you play a musical instrument, or get a chance to try one, take a breath before you start. As you exhale, let go of any judgement you may have about your skills or experience. Can you move a little in the direction of playing without preconceptions and expectations?

Playing a musical instrument, in addition to just listening to music, is a great support, but even then it can be tricky. Learning an instrument can involve a lot of work and concentration. Even the most experienced musician gets stuck in his or her ideas about music, instead of simply playing. One way out of that is to find the instrument that excites in you a passion to actually play it. If the harp is that instrument for you, I will do my best to support that passion, both with the instruments I make, and the service we provide.

Chris Caswell

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