Saline Fiddlers, Again
The wifeösphere teaches Sunday school, so we got to attend an appreciation party for the teachers Friday night. Just like last year, the Saline Fiddlers played a concert. I liked them very much last year; this year I was even more impressed. As usual, the kids (high-schoolers all) played with enormous energy and enthusiasm. They play at a high level of technical skill, but more importantly, they use their skill as an aid to emotional expression. So many performers let technique smother the emotion.
In the case of the best players of the group, the music seems to be generated by their whole bodies. Indeed, I noticed a few times a surge of emotion on a player's face that went beyond the goofy, joyful (indeed, near offal-ingesting) grins the kids keep on their faces. I saw the rapture that outwardly is hard to distinguish from pain. We call these moments "communication," but they less about a deliberate attempt to send a message, and more about a kind of accidental emotional sympathy. That, my friends, is music making.
Umie the Umlaut says, "ask your doctor about the Fredösphere!"
2 Comments:
hi, im a member of the fiddlers. im the senior dobro player and vocalist. i just wanted to say thanks for writing this entry. one of our board members emailed the kids your blog and i can now see why he has.
ive heard people tell us good things but they've mostly just been "hey good job" or "im impressed" or sometimes "you guys are amazing!". rarely do i, or we, get people saying such deep thoughts about how we really are in person and through journals. all of that you wrote is so true that i actually pictured myself at a show smiling when someone plays a note out of tune (it does happen) or does something really great musically or even just when one of us looks at another. it takes a lot out of us on days that we just dont feel like being anywhere but in the comfort of our homes and have to slap a fake smile on our faces. but after a while, we end up smiling out of enjoyment instead. we just love what we do and love performing to great audiences. and that, i agree, is music making. Thanks again
Hello!
I'm a junior in the Saline Fiddlers, and after reading your entry about the concert I just wanted to say "thank you." During a concert I feel like I'm flying and afterwards everyone is always hyped up, but a lot of times when a show ends, the crowd scurries out, and we're faced with tearing down a ton of sound equipment I get a little tired and depressed. It means so much to me, as well as to the other members of the group, to hear that people notice and appreciate all the effort and emotion we put into our music. We have a blast whenever we step onstage, but it's just as exciting as performing to hear that people really enjoyed it. You have paid us a high compliment, and we all sincerely appreciate it.
Thanks, and God Bless
Post a Comment
<< Home