Wishing you a Peaceful, Lively, Prosperous and Musical New Year in 2011!

A relaxing rendition of Auld Lang Syne sung by children's performers from the UK.  Check out their website www.myvoxsongs.com.

How less Zen and more Busy is my secret to a happy life!

One of the blogs a I sometimes visit is Zen Habits.  I just went there today and came away thinking...I really am NOT looking for that type of Zen-ness!  (So minimalist that you have to be careful what you eat and you no longer have a car...)  I love my work and the busy-ness of my studio life working with busy, energized children.


It is not simple work that I do.  It is complex emotionally, spiritually, creatively and professionally.  I stay focussed simply because of the complexity of it all.  It is physical work so I eat well and do not worry about my weight.   I have a million things to do and I like doing them all.  I often wish I had more time in the day and more days in the week.  Sometimes I run from thing to thing.  I have energy and I feel good.  I sleep like a rock.  I feel I am doing something meaningful for families.

Having a car (not so green, I know!), running around planning, creating and collecting for my classes is a TOTAL THRILL for me.  It energizes me and I realize that after 18 years of building this business (busy-ness), I have built a life that completely reflects what I really LOVE about being on this planet...the JOY OF MAKING MUSIC!

Christmas Parties at Musicalia!

Last week was party week at Musicalia!

We celebrated the coming holidays with potluck feasts, instrument play, paperplate skating and dancing with the Northpole.

Some days we played with our favorite gingerbread boy puppets.

Some days the children and their families were greeted with the Orff Orchestra already set up as they entered the room.   Each child and parent would choose an instrument to play and then the storytelling would begin.  We'd get to the end of our story and then we'd all move around the room to find something new to play.  

We'd tell the story again...and again...until it was time to clean up!

Here I am...building excitement for something...

Musicalia classes are complete until January!

Now is the time to relax and enjoy the holidays...like Moka...except he is relaxed ALL the time. 

Everyone's favorite little puppy.

Now if only the rains would stop so our basement at home would stop flooding!

Yikes.

Christmas in Victoria.

Zen Habits Christmas ideas

I love giving and receiving gifts.  When I read this I wanted to share it.  It's a blog entry from Zen Habits but it is support for enjoying less gift buying.

I was reminded of a family that participated in Musicalia classes many years ago.  They decided in their extended and immediate family NOT to give gifts.  They would gather together as a family and they would sing and prepare a meal.  


The mom told me it took about 2-3 years for everyone to feel comfortable with this new tradition but they all became comfortable and their Christmas was transformed to something she felt was more human and more meaningful for them.

North Point's iBand

I just found this posted on one of my favorite blogs and thought I would share it here as well!  It's so inspiring and catchy!


Merry Christmas!

Symphony for children

My aunt plays violin with the Victoria Symphony and it's always such a treat to see and hear the symphony now.  

The Victoria Symphony, 2009 picture linked from their website

Not that it wasn't great before but when you know someone performing while you are in the audience, the experience somehow becomes filled with even more anticipation and positive expectation, not to mention all the opportunities to go backstage and take a peek as the performers pack up after the show.

Today the Victoria Symphony is performing a special Christmas show for children .  These performance take place throughout the year and last for 1 hour.  Just perfect for kids.

The event today is The Bear and The Snowman, both stories by Raymond Briggs.  

I have been excited for all the children at my studio who have parents who are taking them to see this show.  I've been hearing about it for weeks!  I think I might have been wishing I was a child and could go to the show too.

This morning at my weekly breakfast with my grandmother, my aunt and uncle show up with a ticket for me to the children's show!  They just tossed it onto the table...wahoo!

So...off I go to hear the magic of the symphony bring the magic of Raymond Briggs to life!

Christmas is coming!

We're getting ready for Christmas parties and performances at Musicalia!  The welcome room and entrance are festive with tree and lights and Christmas and Hannukah books for children.

The music room is garlanded and the tree is on top of the piano!  The children LOVE it and stand gazing at the little birds and the big owl sitting in its branches. 

The anticipation and excitement are building!