My very talented daughter Cami is in her first year of teaching music at a charter school.  She teaches orchestra, band, choir and guitar.  I went to the first concert of the year, to support her and was delighted by the events of the evening.  This school caters to many students who have not had their needs met by traditional junior high schools in the area.  

​     That, said, I was surprised at how well the students did their jobs helping set up for the concert (chairs, instruments, stands, mics, etc.) and also taking roll, handing out programs, and managing themselves and their Halloween costumes.  All was not according to intent, though.  The microphones were not working.  Instead of panic, Cami came up with Plan B.  She noticed that the two body mics w/ packs she had for the acoustic guitar players were working.  So, she simply used one of them to make announcements and allow her soloists to sing amplified. The choir did very well.

     Then, she went over to the band.  This is a small school and the band was not made up of the typical ensemble.  She had 6 or 7 percussion players, 4-5 guitars and bass players, 4 clarinets, and one each of trumpet, baritone, flute, oboe, and piano players.  Somehow Cami made it all work.  They played movie score pieces that the kids really liked.  Though not as good as they are abound to get by the end of the year, they pulled off an enjoyable concert.

     And then they systematically joined together to put everything away.  I was so proud!  Good work all!

   But then, Cami surprised us by coming to visit for the weekend . She then proceeded to take apart a small violin.  (She wanted access to her dad's tools.) For her birthday, she got luthier tools and clamps for repairing violins, and by golly, she intended to use them!

   This little violin had a crack on the front.  Cami disassembled the parts and pieces, glued on some "band-aid" strips of thin wood along the underside of the crack, then glued the top back onto violin body.

     Amazing!

 Who knew that my "Tubateer" girl would grow up to also be a luthier (the fancy name for a violin maker and repairer)?  She says that she is expert at breaking instruments, so she thought she had better get some skills at fixing them.

       I read an article the other day about the devaluation of music in our society today.  The author made the case that with so many avenues to hear, enjoy, obtain, and otherwise consume music for free, it is little wonder why regular people have no "wonder" or appreciation for serious music.  They may hear bits and pieces of classical or jazz music in movie scores, video games and cartoons.  But they don't really listen to or appreciate the influences or herculean efforts the composers use to write this music or the incredible musicianship and effort required on the part of each member of the orchestra to play it.

     Serious musicians who have studied to perfect their artistry over many years can barely make a living doing music.  The digital age has changed all of the rules.  Consumers assume if they can hear the music over a device, it must be free.

     People generally admit that they have favorite music that forms a soundtrack for the lives, but they do not place any value to it.  They just assume that it will always be there.

        Many school districts have cut music programs along with many other fine art programs from their curriculum.  What that does is further the devaluing of music.  Fewer people now grow up with any idea of how music is created, or gain an understanding of the effort it takes to learn to play an instrument, sing well, or write a song.

       Composers who write music for choirs or instrumentalists or singers basically give their creations away.  If they publish, the publisher typically takes more than 50% of the royalties.  Then the consumer might buy the fewest number of copies allowed, because they can easily run off more copies on a copy machine charging their school or church with that cost.  They have absolutely no regard for copyright laws.  

         That is why it is so wonderful when occasionally some choir director will order a true amount of legal copies of a piece of music for her choir.  Or a couple of singers will order three copies of a Duet because they realize both singers need a copy plus one for the accompanist.  I praise those few honest people.  Thank you for being who you are and placing a real value on music and the people who create it!

     One grey, dreary December day I was sitting at the stoplight, waiting.  Into my mind ran a little melody.  To pass the time, I started developing that little melody, experimenting with what it would sound like in major.  "No, maybe I like it better in minor." Soon it became a being unto itself and then the words came.  I couldn't wait to get home to write it down.  Three hours later, "On a Sacred Still and Silent Night" was finished -- complete and beautifully poignant.  Three days later it was sung by our college kids just home for the Christmas break.  

         The experience of writing this song is one I will treasure forever.  It was a surely a Gift of Song directly from Heaven. ​

     Writing sacred music, particularly Christmas music, has been a wonderful opportunity for me throughout my life.  Sometimes I set out deliberately to write a sacred choral piece, but more often, as in the story above, the music came almost as if by accident.  But I know that inspiration comes to those who seek it and are ready to listen.  Many times, I have had deadlines to write something, and had desperately prayed for inspiration to get what I needed to do done.  Other times, I was just willing to allow inspiration to come and then made time to work with it.

      As a composer, you've got to be ready to jump when the inspiration comes.  It doesn't always come at convenient moments.  Once, I was up in through the night caring for the sick members of my family.  I had moved them all into the family room so that I could pass the bucket and clean up the messes easier.  I remember looking out the patio doors onto the sparkling snow and the brilliant night sky full of stars.  What a poetic, beautiful sight and in such contrast to the awful reality I was going through.  But it made me think of the new star that shone on the first Christmas night.  I actually found comfort and peace in serving my family as I contemplated the Savior of the world who was born into mortality to serve all of mankind.  

       And then came the music -- with the words.  I practiced and practiced in my mind what I was hearing so that when I could get a chance in the morning, I could write it all down.

​        Those are experiences never to be forgotten!  I am so happy to be able to share my testimony of the Savior, and his life and mission, though sacred Christmas Music.