I often write about those beautiful little moments in life that catch you unawares.
I guess it's the drama queen in me
My recent encounter with a kindness inside St. Asaph Cathedral was one I shall remember for quite some time but tonight's experience will rank a close second in that memory bank of moving moments.
In choir tonight we learned the Nigerian song Ise Oluwa -sing for water
And after a bit of a struggle we nailed it!!!!
Before we finished practice Jamie our eleven year old choir master asked us to sing it again, but this time very Gently and as we did he disappeared and turned off the lights of the little Welsh village hall.
In almost absolute darkness over fifty people sang without the chains of sight and competition and self consciousness and the noise we produced was simply magical.
And the silence after we had finished proved that we all had been moved in the same lovely way
This choir has nourished me
Beautiful music and beautiful moments are gifts we can treasure forever.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a precious deposit in your memory bank.
ReplyDeleteSo now I am crying. Good crying. Your 11 year old choir master turned off the lights. That boy should go far. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI think we all did,,,,,,
Deleteweeping ~ :)
DeleteWonderful! That is a powerful, that he turned down the lights to make it come from the heart. I love those kind of moments. Similarly, last night our choir director stood in tears as we sang our best practice so far, she just stood there welling up in the silence after the music faded off.
ReplyDeleteHe knew what he was doing
Deletei would have loved to be there!
ReplyDeleteI was so glad I was.......
DeleteSomething you will keep forever.
ReplyDeleteThis choir is a KEEPER!! So good for the soul.
Jimbo you are so right
DeleteWhat a beautiful moment John....and that choirmaster is a keeper. x
ReplyDeleteI emailed him a week or so ago explaining my situation and he was so supportive ...he's quite a delight
DeleteHe is not really 11 years old? Is he?
DeleteHe's probably 30 but has a 28 inch waist
DeleteOh, that sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience, one to be treasured for sure. Just listening to that music had me welling up.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that ought to happen on performance night? Or even just candlelight. A beautiful moment. xx
ReplyDeleteThat's a hell of a village hall.
ReplyDeleteI always saud it was
DeleteThere could be nothing more healing than being a part of a choir singing for the pure ethereal joy of it.
ReplyDeleteIs he really only 11...???
ReplyDelete32
DeleteThat's so lovely, John. Thank you for sharing it with us, I think we could all use a moment of beauty. Xoxox
ReplyDeleteWelsh choir singing west African song. Magical combination. MaggieB
ReplyDeleteA moment captured in all your hearts forever ❤️ Clever choirmaster.
ReplyDeleteHow marvelously ethereal and magical.
ReplyDeleteAs a choir member, you're also nourishing yourself, my friend. Long may it be so.
Hugs!
I'm glad you are getting so much from choir. Good move.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, John. I particularly enjoyed the video.
ReplyDeleteThere are more and more eleven year olds out in the working world each year it seems. It is very strange.
ReplyDeleteVoices lifted together can be very moving. Such beauty flowing from the human body...no tools, no instruments.
Just beautiful, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteso lovely
ReplyDeleteWonderful and lovely comments.
ReplyDeleteI was tearing up.
cheers, parsnip and badger
The choir is like medicine to ease the pain of severance.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a youngster the only Christmas songs I liked were the peppy ones ('Here Comes Santa Claus' comes to mind). Then, at the age of ten I stopped into the church in town and heard the choir singing 'Silent Night.' The lights were off and one candle was burning and I sat on the floor and wept. Every time I hear it (some 52 years later) I remember how I felt way back then....and I weep.
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful video.
ReplyDeleteJamie may be young but I suspect he has the understanding of an old soul. I am so glad you joined that choir. Music can be healing.
ReplyDeletePure magic!
ReplyDeleteI occasionally felt like that, singing in the cathedral when I was at school. Spiritual.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you have discovered the joy of singing with other people. It's a thing that happens in church but if you're not a church goer (fair enough!!) and you love a good harmony then this is the life. Big hugs. From a long time alto xo
ReplyDeleteYou have made my scalp prickle......
ReplyDeleteUplifting and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful. Wish I'd been there.
ReplyDeleteMagical. Choirs have changed lives x
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful. That’s quite a clever 11-year-old.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful moment maybe suggest that the lights are turned of for the concert as well. Glad that your enjoying the choir John.
ReplyDeleteMoved me to tears John. What a perceptive eleven year old your choir master must be and how very musical. My son is a musician and teaches music - I shall point him in the direction of your post so that he can hear it too.
ReplyDeleteGlad the choir is helping too.
He. Only looks11....he's in his late
DeleteTwenties
You said he was 32 in a reply a bit higher up. ...So, 11, 32, late twenties... Is he a time traveller?
DeleteI'm guessing don't get your knickers in a twist
DeleteNow that sounds like a moment . . .
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
Just beautiful!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful song- ubuntu!
ReplyDeleteall regards from across the pond-
barb in texas
That's a shared, healing moment.Thanks for sharing it with us. All the best,John.
ReplyDeleteoh John, I was thinking yesterday about how you became an integral part of the village in a way the Prof never did.
ReplyDeleteI don't cry easily, but this brought the tears. It was a God moment for sure. If what I'm reading is correct in the comments on youtube, Ise Oluwa is Yoruba meaning "the work of God." Thank you so very much for this, John. Being in that chorus is bringing blessings into your life - and ours!!
ReplyDeleteHere are the translated words of the song:
ReplyDeletehttps://lesleyscoble.com/2016/05/10/iseoluwa-traditional-yoroba-spiritual/
Lovely...this music penetrates the soul.
ReplyDeleteWow....this is such powerful music. Thank you for the beauty.
ReplyDeleteThe Loveny MV Choir from Cornwall used to sing an African Trilogy - it affected every member of the audience/congregation whenever they sang it. Because I was a regular follower, I got to know all the words of the African National Anthem - wow! what a rousing, inspiring and skin-tingling sound. I hope your choirmaster discovers it . . .
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful song and the timing couldn’t have been more appropriate. We have had our first rain in 6 months in my part of California. Hallelujah! Fire season is ending!
ReplyDeleteI really like your post good blog on site,Thanks for your sharing.
ReplyDeleteดูหนัง
John, don't know if you see comments on older blog posts, but this one sparked a lovely memory for me...
ReplyDeleteIn late high school and the first couple of years of college I was a counselor at a Girl Scout camp. Lots of singing all the time.
There was this one three part round that sounded like church bells.
Two friends and I were standing in the Main Camp area after a summer season was over, finishing up closing down the camp. As we stood there, in the cathedral of trees, we sang this song - probably for a good five minutes.
It was magical!
I do read them.....it sounds as though we had the same experience xx
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