Friday, October 07, 2011

Music and finding time

One of the interesting things about music is that it is both immediate and offers a long view. To play and to really become absorbed in listening to music, you have to be in the moment, with focus on what you are doing. Listening to and playing and sharing music also becomes a conversation with memory, across time, whether you are doing it in company or on your own, creating the music or creating the listening.
carlingford kettles co louth copyright kerry dexter



In a world which often seems to live at an ever increasing speed of technology, where gifts of solitude and contemplation, and connection at the natural pace of face to face conversation are at times challenging to find, music -- at least the sort of music we consider here along the music road -- is a way to make space for all those things, a threshold to them, if you will.


the photograph is of a view which has often struck me as a connection between present moment and ancient ones: winter winds kicking waves high in Carlingford Bay, with the mountains of Mourne as backdrop. the photo is copyrighted. thank you for respecting this.


On the American Public Media radio show Krista Tippett On Being, Tippett had a conversation with scholar Sherry Turkle with the two of them thinking about ways to integrate technology into living an examined life. You may listen to this conversation and read more about the background to it at the On Being web site.

music to go along with these ideas

Dancing Into Silence Carlos Nakai, William Easton, and Will Clipman use Native American flutes, harp guitars and other stringed instruments, and world percussion in exploration of Native American based sound and melody which they evolved in free form over recording session.

Music Road: Carrie Newcomer: Before & After other ways to look at being in the moment, recognizing that the next moment tings change. Newcomer has a new album coming out soon in which she explores her recent encounters with India. more on that to come. It will be called Everything Is Everywhere.

Close to Home on the Celtic side of things, Donal Clancy offers a meditative take on well known and lesser known Irish tunes. just the man and his guitar.

you may also wish to see

Delicious Baby's Photo Friday, where travelers offer new insights to the world each Friday.

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posted by Kerry Dexter at

3 Comments:

Anonymous Vera Marie Badertscher said...

What beautiful thoughts. I have always loved Carlos Nakai, and definitely am going to look for this album.

4:29 PM  
Anonymous Alexandra said...

Such thoughtful posts! Music Road always takes me in interesting places and makes me think about music in new ways.

12:35 PM  
Anonymous wandering educators said...

first, i LOVE that photo. it makes me happy. as does the music, but we all knew that. :) i agree, that to truly LISTEN, we need to be still.

3:20 PM  

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