Contemplative Musician, Soundwork Practitioner, Music Facilitator & Mixed Media Artist
"Music" by Anne Porter from Living Things: Collected Poems. © Steerforth Press, 2006. When I was a child I once sat sobbing on the floor Beside my mother’s piano As she played and sang For there was in her singing A shy yet solemn glory My smallness could not hold And when I... Continue Reading →
A wonderful way to wake up is to hum to yourself before even getting out of bed. Humming is a simple vibrational pattern with profound effects. "Sound vibrations move and alter matter. The purpose of sound has primarily been known as a mode of communication, forewarning, or entertainment, but the true benefits of sound are... Continue Reading →
Cultural walkabout. Dip in for some healing sounds.
Over 30 years ago, when my husband served as an ordained clergyman and we were poor church mice he came home bearing this boxed set of 5 vinyl albums. Christmas Through The Years was the quintessential Reader's Digest compendium of seasonal music. One of his parishioners gifted it to us. I guess they were downsizing... Continue Reading →
Christmas greetings from the church belfry. http://youtu.be/vJX7U1ngFjI
Tomorrow is the shortest day of the year. Winter Solstice.Peter Togni is a musician and composer and contributor to the CBC. He shares his musical playlist for the Winter Solstice. His picks are: - Symphony N5, 2nd movement by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius - Rainbow Voice by musical pioneer David Hykes - Magnificat by the Estonian composer Arvo... Continue Reading →
“…the drum has been used since time immemorial as a regular part of healing traditions…” (The Joy of Drumming: Drums and Percussion Instruments from Around the World By Töm Klöwer, Plym Peters, 1997). Emotional and creative expression: develops and encourages expression of all kinds of experience non-verbally; then enhances creative self-expression; develops creativity. Emotional release: helps us... Continue Reading →
Feel the sea spray on your cheeks. Sense the wind in your hair. Feel the sun on your shoulders. Feel the sand beneath your feet. Feel the water rush up between your toes and run back down the beach again. Smell the salt air. Listen to the pulsating sound of the waves. Sense the power.... Continue Reading →
I took my Oscar steel drum outside in -14C to see what it would do to the sound. First time I've played with mitts on. This is filmed with my new GoPro camera. It's sure better than trying hold a camera and a set of drumsticks at the same time. The pixie dust is from... Continue Reading →
Sitting in front of The Museum of Contemporary Art of Australia this captures a typical sunny day in Sydney Harbour. Just add a kalimba! I had just viewed an incredible exhibit called "String Theory" in the museum, a melding of basket weaving, dolls, and sculpture all involving string, thread or fibre. It particularly made my... Continue Reading →
I found much joy in listening to this amazing huge body of water, Lake Huron, as it bubbled and gurgled over the tessellated pavement around Big Tub Lighthouse near Tobermory, Ontario.
Try making some sounds today, other than talking. Magical Mind, Magical Body by Deepak Chopra, M.D. 1990
Mind, body, spirit, community. Christine Stevens talks about the healing power of drum circles. Mind: the self censoring part of your brain turns off when you improvise musically. Body: Natural killer cells which are an important part of circulating while blood cells increase after an hour of drumming. Spirit: the drum is one of the... Continue Reading →
Nelson Falls in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park in the Tasmanian wilderness is a gorgeous wall of water tumbling some 30m in an upside down wine glass shape. It was overflowing due to three days of rain. I was pleased that the falls overpowered my vocals. This is just a brief little sonic glimpse... Continue Reading →
Nelson Falls in Western Tasmania is in an old growth rainforest. The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service website says, "These delightful falls are reached after a very easy walk. Break the long drive and stretch your legs; you won't be disappointed." This is exactly what happened for me. We had spent a couple of days... Continue Reading →
A dear friend, Claire Verney, has been blogging about her journey caring for her husband diagnosed in 1994 with early onset Parkinson's Disease. In Day to Day with Parkinson's Disease her writing is a soulful sometimes heart wrenching reflection of her daily commitment to her marriage. Read her blog here. Their earthly walk is nearly... Continue Reading →
On a very windy day Lake Winnipeg kicks up a significant surf. I wanted to record this in the background while I sang my invented words or 'vocables'.
Last week we had the joy of being on Lake Superior for sunset. On a very rocky beach.
Evelyn Ward de Roo 