A Night of Live Music
So for those of you who are already classical music fanatics: I apologize in advance for anything I may be mis-phrasing or not understanding. Kevin and I are both music lovers and appreciators, but not musicians ourselves. Sometimes we forget about how wonderful live music is to experience; it’s just one of those things that nurtures the soul. So when we learned our local orchestra was playing the Four Seasons, one of Vivaldi’s most famous works, we thought what a wonderful date night that would be.
And what a joy classical music can be. Both of our kids, when they were quite young, were introduced to Vivaldi's work alongside others through a series of Sunday afternoon concerts performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO). A dear family friend would purchase season tickets for the three of them as a special Christmas gift, and on the appointed Sundays off they would go. And when they arrived home after an afternoon and evening of learning and delight, they would regale us with their stories of the concert, what they had seen and leaned, and what they were going to see at the next concert. Their eyes would sparkle all the way through the story telling through the VSO, opened the doors to a lifelong love of beautiful music.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons moves, as one would think, through his musical rendition of the seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Many of the pieces that are performed are recognizable as “hits” from the past. What I mean by that is, , independent of the whole Four Seasons show, I recognized a few of the pieces I heard. They have been in my past in some way, and seeing it performed in that venue, with that lighting, was such a treat.
It really is a good idea to scout out local churches and theaters to see what the seasons’ lineup of live concert events are offering. Long gone are the days of our children having band and choir concerts we would attend, and I didn’t realize how much I missed it these past few years. There are some breath-taking venues, churches and cathedrals mostly, that really shine in every way during the Christmas season. And so many people work so hard to put a concert together. When one of our daughters was fully immersed in a very high end choir when she was young, that group performed A LOT during the Christmas season. They started their song rehearsals in August or September, and I remember her saying how weird it was singing Christmas songs before the school year officially started in September, only to be impressed by the musicianship that I would witness that would take place months later.
So, consider doing something that has a professional touch to it - where you only have to listen to engage. Treat yourself to a sensory delight. Hold hands. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes and feel the candlelight on your face as you listen to the music. You will never forget it and it may just spark a new yearly tradition.