the power of music

A Journey to America on NPR’s FROM THE TOP

1 Comment / Empowerment, Gratitude, Monday Musings / By

I shared this post on my other blog a couple of weeks ago, but its message is so important that I wanted to share it here, today, as well. Music can truly be like a candle lighting the darkness, whatever darkness might surround a person. This post will show how music created light in one young person’s life. Back in February of 2017, on my blog The Starborn Revue, I posted about the NPR program, From the Top, which celebrates “the power of music in the hands of America’s kids.” Kids from all over the United States — as young as 8, all the way up to those about to leave their teens — give amazing performances on many orchestral instruments, or vocally, or sometimes on other instruments, as in the performance I want to highlight today. I listen to From the Top online, at the website of Classical MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). On MPR, From the Top is heard on Sundays. Recently, one of the featured performers was a young classical guitarist, originally from Iran, named Parsa Sabet Rasekhi. The segment featuring him began with him telling his story — the story of how he came to be a guitarist, and the very moving story of how he left his home country and came to the United States. As he spoke, he softly played his guitar. After his story, he played the very beautiful “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” (Memories of the Alhambra), by Francisco Tárrega and “Danza in E Minor” by Jorge Morel. I was deeply moved by his words, and his music. I invite you to listen, as well. To do so, go to minute 31:20 in the podcast linked here. As we learn from his story, it is truly a privilege to have the freedom to study and learn and play and enjoy music and all forms of the arts. It’s a privilege we celebrate, and one we cannot take for granted.

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan — Book Recommendation

Ad-Lib Mondays, Book Recommendations, Empowerment, Starred Books, We Need Diverse Books / By

Title: Amina’s Voice Author: Hena Khan Publisher: New York: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2017 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction Audience Age: 9 to 12 Themes/Topics: empowerment, racism, feeling comfortable with who you are, lifting up your voice Opening Sentences: Something sharp pokes me in the rib. “You should totally sign up for a solo,” Soojin whispers from the seat behind me in music class. I shake my head. The mere thought of singing in front of a crowd makes my stomach twist into knots. Synopsis: Amina is a sixth-grade Muslim girl of Pakistani heritage, growing up in Greendale in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. She loves to sing, but is shy about singing by herself in front of others, no matter how many times her best friend, Soojin, urges her to. She doesn’t want to stand out. Still, she doesn’t want to go to the lengths Soojin is planning in order to fit in. Soojin’s family is about to gain their American citizenship, and Soojin wants an American name. This starts Amina thinking about her heritage, her faith, and where she fits. Another girl tries to become Soojin’s friend, and Amina wonders if she’s losing her best friend completely. A visit from her strict uncle gives her more to think about. He puts great value on strict obedience to the rules and priorities of their Muslim faith, more so than Mama or Baba (Mom or Dad). He starts coaching her so she’ll excel in singing a passage from the Koran in an upcoming competition at their mosque. But she just can’t get the pronunciation right – and she doesn’t want to stand up there in front of everyone. Amina is thoroughly muddled about where she fits, or if she fits at all. When their mosque is vandalized, she has to find out if she has it in her to speak out, to sing out, to make a difference, to show that she does fit. For Further Enrichment: Find the author’s website here. Read a review of this book on my friend Pat Tilton’s wonderful blog, Children’s Books Heal. There’s an excellent article in The Washington Post about Amina’s Voice and about diversity in children’s books. There is a reading guide at Simon and Schuster’s website and one at the TeacherVision website. Find even more at the TeachingBooks website. Availability: Should be readily available. Check your local independent bookstore, or find one online.

Turning the Spotlight on “Fireflies and Shooting Stars”

14 Comments / Ad-Lib Mondays, In The Spotlight / By

When I went to the SCBWI LA conference (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) in 2011, one of the first people I met was a tall, friendly man named Ed Raarup. I was immediately impressed by his warmth and his enthusiasm for his writing project, which he was working on with my friend and mentor, Emma Walton Hamilton. His project has come to fruition in a wonderful 144-page book, Fireflies and Shooting Stars: The Tale of Enzo, and after reading it, I can certainly understand his enthusiasm. I’d like to introduce Fireflies and Shooting Stars to you today.

Music in Films

12 Comments / Monday Musings / By

Knowing me, you likely expect this post to be about musicals — but that isn’t the focus of my thoughts today. (Although one of my favorite bits of film scoring is from a movie musical. More about that later.) On Saturday night, our local symphony orchestra presented their annual tribute to the Oscars concert, featuring music from Academy Award winning films, which got me thinking about the role music plays in our enjoyment, understanding, and memories of films.

We Shall Overcome…

11 Comments / Monday Musings / By

When I was growing up, I didn’t have many records to listen to, but those I had I listened to over and over again. I can honestly say they helped shape the person I am today, my likes and dislikes, and more significantly, my beliefs and the mores by which I live. One such record was Pete Seeger’s We Shall Overcome which included some of the songs he sang at his 1963 Carnegie Hall concert. I was 7 when this record, Pete Seeger’s commentary about the songs, and the songs themselves, such as If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus, I Ain’t Scared of Your Jail (‘Cause I Want My Freedom), Oh Freedom, and the wonderful We Shall Overcome, began to teach me about the struggles in the Southern United States, and began to shape my world view. Those songs also made Martin Luther King, Jr. my hero.

Simeon’s Gift — Perfect Picture Book Friday

29 Comments / Perfect Picture Book Fridays / By

  Since I interviewed one of the authors of this book, Emma Walton Hamilton, here on my blog on Wednesday, it seemed appropriate to share Simeon’s Gift today. In the interview, Emma mentioned that one of the books she and her mother have collaborated on had its origin in a story they wrote together when Emma was just five years old. That book was Simeon’s Gift.   Title: Simeon’s Gift Authors: Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton Illustrator: Gennady Spirin Publisher: New York: Harper Collins, 2003.

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