Just finished a piano lesson with one of my brightest students. (Yeah, it's late...) We've really been driving and focused on an upcoming test this Spring where he'll be adjudicated on multiple classical pieces, theory and technique. It's a really good experience and he'll be a better musician for it, but the learning curve is steep and the road is long. This guy is very gifted in pop music as well, and has started writing music. (He also plays bass, guitar and drums. Yeah, one of THOSE kids.)

Unfortunately, yours truly has been so set in grinding away on the dead-people's music that I've kind of left his passion behind. I really noticed it last week as I presented him with a stack of books representing the music he's currently working on and what's coming soon. All classical. His face looked so sad.

Tonight he arrived and mentioned his day was hard. Instead of jumping into our usual warm-up, I encouraged him to talk about his day. After a while I asked if he had been writing anything lately, and he said he had. I asked him to share his new stuff with me at the end of the lesson. We worked through some technique and theory, then a new Bach Invention and a Debussy piece he started recently.

When the lesson normally would have ended we kept going. He played me a new original instrumental piece that was stunning (which he will now be playing in our next recital). Partially planned, partially improvised, it had some wonderful harmonies and melodies. Then he played and sang a new song he wrote last week. Dang it if it wasn't almost ready for radio! Amazing! I was moved. Great lyrics, great changes, well played and well sung. We banged around some arranging ideas, but by then my daughter was waiting for her bedtime snuggle and I really had to go.

The upshot is: I need to shut up and listen sometimes. I need to keep that balance. I pride myself on being a diverse teacher, but I had let a number of things cloud how I've approached this student's lessons. The end of this lesson was sooo much better than the last ten lessons have ended. I hope we can continue the dialogue.

(Thanks Micah. Sorry for the delay...)
n

Here it is, Christmas time again. And if that sounds like there's a tone of dread in it, then you're right. 'Tis the season of parties and concerts galore, and each event usually requires some kind of music. Enter, Yours, Truly. This is the biggest, busiest season of the year for Cathy and I. It's wonderful that God provides for us so plentifully during this time, but it is stressful, as well.

The downside is that I so quickly lose sight of what this is all about in the first place. (If you go to any Evangelical church during this season, you'll undoubtedly hear a sermon on this very topic...) I fall prey to the same thing that I so quickly criticize in others: the commercialization of Christmas. Heck, it provides food for my family! How can I not at least buy in on some level? "Just one more gig, and the bills will be paid and I can get Corrie that special gift she wanted..."

One payoff is that I so deeply love the music of this season. (The traditional music, mind you; not necessarily the soulless dreck that we hear more and more in our public school "winter concert" programs...) One of my favorite gigs this season is also the most grueling. I'll be playing for six hours at a local mall on the 20th. Six hours of Christmas music. But it's six hours of playing, improvising, riffing and journeying through music that so beautifully captures what this season is really about: Christ. Hey, I get to worship for six hours in the middle of a mall while people walk by and occasionally leave a tip in my jar!

After all the gigs are done, all the bills are paid and all the gifts are wrapped for my own tired family, I have one last "gig": the Christmas Eve service at my church. Usually a fun night of music and reflection, I really enjoy it and the music, as well as seeing my "family" of friends from EBF. When it's done, they all go home, and I tear down the equipment and say goodbye to the sound techs and other pastors. Then I'm finally alone.

My little tradition is to turn off all the lights except the white lights in the three trees up front. We also have a huge plain wooden cross on the wall, back-lit with some fluorescent bulbs. Quite plain until all the other lights are off.

I'm alone. Before me are the trees of Christmas and the cross of Good Friday.

And silence.

Finally a chance to stop, to reflect, to meditate on the Gift we celebrate maybe only once a year (what a pity). Where has God brought me this past year? Where might He take me this next year? Have I learned anything? Have I been willing to learn?

Blessed silence. And maybe a whisper...

Then I'm off to home and bouncing children and shredded wrapping paper and batteries to install.

And y'know? It's all OK.

Merry Christmas!
n

Hey, everyone,
Long time, no blog. Time to get back on this horse. I've spent the earlier part of this year trying to do the online music promotion game, and although I've reaped a few rewards form it, mostly I've come to the realization that I'm not really doing what I'm supposed to be doing: performing.

So starting this month, I'm getting the ball rolling with two concerts. More details are on my Calendar Page, which I hope will begin to fill up soon.

There's a lot to be gained from promoting yourself on the internet, but there's also a lot of fretting, and ego stroking that goes on, as well. Although I can't ignore the internet aspect of modern promotion, people need to see me in concert to fully get what I'm trying to do. And internet networks and charts won't get me gigs (or, frankly, many sales either).

I'm open to big or little shows; churches and performance halls or intimate house concerts. Got a piano and 20-30 friends you could invite? Let me know and we can set up a show! I can even bring the piano if necessary! I just want to play!

Tell your friends when you see a new show coming up. Tell 'em about my music and what it means to you. This works great when my friends and fans get involved. Your friendship means the world to me!

In addition, my music is now available at IndieHeaven.com. This is an organization for independent Christian music artists, and they pay me 100% of my sales (while charging you less than many of my other distributors). Go check it out if you have a chance, and you can even vote for my songs on their FanFaves charts to help get me more exposure.

That's all for now. I hope to see you all at the coming shows!

God bless,
n