Voices of Angels

On Saturday children's choirs from twelve area churches gathered at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis for a workshop with Michael Wustrow, a clinician from New York. Thank you to Shirley Erickson and Easter Lutheran for taking the Choristers to this all day event. The children rehearsed off and on for several hours, a couple threw up and had to go home, the rest had lunch and continued rehearsing. The finale was a worship service led by the children, with a fine organist and pianist helping out. Children read the scripture and one young boy sang the Psalm. The music was really wonderful and the Lutheran, Methodist and Catholic children seemed oblivious to any theological conflicts amongst themselves.

I haven't been to any other children's choir festivals, but I thought they did a great job and what a great opportunity to sing with a pipe organ and a 9' Steinway in an awe inspiring cathedral.

I'm posting a link to thirty seconds of them singing, but before you watch it I'd like you to detour and read the "Bulletproof Musician" blog entry first. . .

Do We Have a Hidden Bias Against Creativity? Link

Now you can go to the clip of Mary singing. . .
Mary singing at the Choir Festival 2/22/14 Link

Great news! All my children's misbehaving is a direct result of their extreme creativity!  And don't you love the big white flower in her hair?

I'm only half joking. What a dance we teachers and parent do everyday. I love that she is so happy to be there and to see us. Obviously there will come an age where Mary should no longer wave to her mom and dad at the concert. But. . . I felt very convicted by the Bulletproof Musician blog. It's so much EASIER to teach compliant children. And I feel very strongly about my own children developing the self discipline to observe conformity when it is appropriate.

Laughing out loud.

Here's to finding a way to develop respect and self-control without swishing our children into conformity.

Good luck.