Magical Container (MKE, Wk 6)

Sometimes music is simply fun, and sometimes it’s soul-stirring. We were stirred last Sunday.

I’m musical director of “Resonance”, the choir of the Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough (Ontario). The choir sings once a month, and Nov 5th was our day to sing. We chose a lovely piece, Jason Shelton’s “All Lifted Hearts”, for that day. We only had three weeks to learn it. In many ways it was too hard for that short amount of time, but there were important reasons why it was just the right piece for that day, so we forged ahead.

It included singing by the full choir, interspersed with spoken passages, a refrain for the congregation to join in, and piano accompaniment weaving through the whole thing. You can hear the composer’s choir sing it here.

On November 5th, in some ways we were barely ready to present this piece, but we were ready enough. Our narrators were excellent, the choir sang well, the piano music was effective. When the singing finished…

nobody….

moved….

The stillness was magical………….

Afterwards many people told me how deeply moved they were.

I’m struck by two key things: the unity of the performers and the potency of “the container”. People attend the Sunday service to explore spiritual connections and realities. That intent creates an openness that invites transcendence. Our music filled that open container. It was silently electric.

Everything came together in that rich musical moment. What a precious experience!