Holiday Music Adventures

Oh how I love music.  The past week barfed all over me with musical adventures and I've been anxious to write about them.  If I had my choice, I might choose to just sit and play the piano or guitar all day.  Or just listen to music.  Or listen to other people make music.  It definitely soothes the soul.  

Music At The Club

So you all know how much I love my job.  A few weeks ago I asked a few girls if they would choreograph a routine that we could perform at our Club Christmas party.  I chose Justin Bieber's "Drummer Boy" song because it has a funky hip hop beat and I wanted to have an excuse to bust out some moves.  Now when it comes to me and dancing... I'm not really a dancer.  I have to be "in the mood"... that was always my excuse at church dances.  But deep in my heart I feel like I could be a good dancer if I really knew how to do it.  Like, I have rhythm and what not and I'm not totally incapable.  Needless to say, I had a blast with my teens and we practiced quite a bit.  As other teens would watch us, they would say things like, "Wow Bree, I didn't know you could dance!" or "Hey I like your dance, you're good!"  These comments were completely surprising but I loved having zero insecurities and just dancing for the fun of it.  You can see my previous blog post for a complete view of our little performance at the Club party.  

Last week I took a group of teens to Canyon Creek Assisted Living Center for our monthly visit with the residents.  The activity director had planned a Christmas sing-a-long and provided lyrics to many well-known songs.  I took on the leadership role and sat up front and lead everyone in all the songs.  I told them about caroling every year with my family and how it has become such a fun tradition.  I sang a few versions of our "caroling songs" and loved sharing that part of my holiday joy with them.  My teens were good sports and they had fun acting goofy and humoring me with their singing voices.  When we came to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" I mentioned how I can play a fun jazzy piece on the piano, but there wasn't a piano in the room.  However, there was a tiny old organ and all the little old people were insistent that I play this song.  HAHA.  So turned on the organ, and even though the keyboard was missing at least 2 octaves that I use to play the song, I did my best.  The teens kind of laughed at me and I probably looked like a dork, but whatever.  Our last song was "Silent Night" and I sang a pretty descant song along with it.  Everyone else carried the melody really well and it sounded soooo good!  When it was over all of us kind of paused and said, "Wow... that was nice!"  I felt happy and proud of our little musical moment with the residents.

As we were leaving I remembered there was a grand piano in their dining room, and the residents were just going there for dinner.  I marched in there with my teens and asked if I could play a song on the piano.  They were more than happy to let me play.  I felt like I needed to redeem my jazzy piano song for the teens because that little organ didn't do it justice.  So I energetically played this song on the piano-- my favorite song to play on the piano-- and had a blast!  When I finished, a little old lady in the corner called out, "Play more!"  I didn't have any piano books with me so I made up a little version of "Silent Night" on the spot.  After that another lady requested "Away In a Manger" so I made up my own version of that as well.  It made me wish I could just sit there all day and play Christmas songs for these residents!  I actually did that when I lived in PA and loved providing that kind of entertainment for elderly people.  But alas... I didn't have time and we had to leave shortly after.  I loved it.

Music At Church

For weeks I'd been thinking about going to ward choir, but never made it to practice on Sundays.  A few weeks ago a girl in the ward approached me and asked if I could play the piano for the Christmas program.  Bingo!  I had to go now.  Each week my song load increased and luckily none of the songs were too difficult. Playing the piano is a "comfort zone" for me and I really enjoy doing it-- especially accompanying.  I wasn't always good at it though-- when I was younger my mom had to tell me to not play so loud.  She encouraged me to use the pedal and I hated it.  She tried to teach me how to accompany but I wanted to do my own thing.  I'm glad I finally learned the "right way" to accompany a choir or soloists and I'm grateful for that special talent!  I played the piano for 6 songs in the program on Sunday, and one of them was a piano solo.  I loved the opportunity to add to the spirit of the meeting and many people gave me nice compliments afterward.  I would play the piano over singing any day... but I do love both.  :)  

Music In My Car

One good thing about a 35 minute one-way commute each day is all the time I have to listen to music.  I am not a hater of Christmas music and have my radio tuned in to 100.3 or 106.5 all through December.  Non-stop Christmas favorites. :)  Let's be honest though... many of those songs are NOT my favorites, and that's when I bust out my iPod.  I have LOVED Justin Bieber's Christmas album this year, and have also listened to a Christmas mix collection I put together for Heather when she was in the hospital.  Another favorite is "Winter Song" by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson.  Just this weekend I finally downloaded Michael Buble's Christmas album.  I feel a connection to him because his pianist is Alan Chang, who was in Jazz Band with me all through middle school and high school in California.  Can you believe it?  I know that guy.  I played the drums for that guy.  And now he shares the stage with Michael Buble.  Son of a gun.  Anyway, we can't forget the smooth and perfect voices of Josh Groban and David Archuleta.  Last year I bought one of the GLEE Christmas cd's and think it's somewhere at Heather's house after I lent it to her last year.  In conclusion, I love all forms of Christmas music and love immersing myself in it all through December... and actually several weeks of November this year too. :)

Music At The Shelter

Last year one of my Club teens was living at the homeless shelter in Midvale.  He wanted to put on a Christmas concert for the shelter residents so we practiced tons and came up with a fun line-up of duets, sing-a-longs with the guitar, and solos.  The concert was a huge success and we left feeling totally happy and uplifted.  This same teen, who no longer lives at the shelter, wanted to put on another Christmas concert and I thought it was a great idea.  I thought maybe we would do a similar show like last year, but instead he had a cd line up of 19 songs and was basically going to sing to all of them.  He included me in 2 of them.  Sheesh!  Who just cuts me out of the program like that?!  Whatever. :)  He is a HUGE Mariah Carey fan so he asked me to sing part of "All I Want For Christmas."  Just as the judges on American Idol might say... not everyone can pull off Mariah Carey.  In fact, I'm pretty sure no one should try to pull off any of her songs.  But this kid was insistent on them.  So indeed, I did sing part of that song at our concert tonight.  It was actually fun going all out and singing all sassy and poppy.  I think it turned out well.  :)  The other song he asked me to sing was "You Raise Me Up."  I got to sing a verse and chorus, and then go all out on the last 2 choruses while he did random background vocals.  Oh, it was kind of humorous but I think the song turned out well.  The things I do to support my teens!  The shelter residents seemed to like it and the staff there said we should come again in February and do a "Love Songs" concert.  Haha.  Stay tuned!

I pretty much love everything about Christmas and the music is one of my favorite things for sure.  I look forward to going to Pennsylvania for the holidays and spending hours playing the piano.  It will be therapeutic and entertaining and definitely relaxing!  Merry Christmas to everyone.  

p.s.  Do you have a favorite Christmas song??  I think mine changes every year.  But as far as old songs go, I love "Silent Night" and "The First Noel."