Living
Music in Your Life
At the various fairs and festivals at
which 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
