Singing Along the Journey

Author: @susansevier

Lenten Thoughts…

When I grew up, every morning, next to my school books, I would find a cup with my daily vitamin supplements and, next to that, a copy of Unity School of Religious Science's The Daily Word, turned to the page of that day's devotional.  And there was no leaving the house until I downed the vitamins and read aloud that day's word and prayer. So, imagine my joy when, at my new spiritual home, I was asked to write a devotional entry for our congregation-created Lenten devotional book.  Then, imagine joy turned to panic when I received my assignment -- the 10 Commandments themselves, in 250 words or less. As…
Read More

Reminders…

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignright" width="281" caption=""I am half-sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shallott; painting by J.W. Waterhouse, Art Gallery of Ontario"][/caption] The problem of being,  perhaps for the first time in your life, clearly aware of that sense of calling that surrounds us all, is that -- well, you may be even more confused than you were before.  Honestly, that is what has happened to me. At first, I thought -- sweeping change is in order.  Give up opera, focus on sacred music, work on musical outreach, maybe even consider switching from my DMA program to a seminary program, dare I say it -- seek ordination?  All of these…
Read More

But, is it really art?

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Marcel Duschamp's "Fresh Widow""][/caption] Not an original question, but one I have been asking a lot lately -- AGAIN. Someone very dear to me has been, for the last year and a half, in the gruelling process of qualifying to be a Docent at the National Gallery of Art  in Washington, D.C.  And I do mean gruelling -- day long classes most Saturdays for nine months, and then torcherous research to develop each specialized tour, and finally, the nerve-wracking process of  "qualifying" for each tour category -- Introduction to Western Art, East Building Tour (20th century art), and on and on. And so, because my friend…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Greetings, fellow Traveller…

Well, I have finally succumbed.  For years, I have read the blogs of others (one of my particular favorites being  Talk with the Preacher ) and thought to myself, I could never do that...what would I say...who would care what I had to say? But lately,well, things have been changing.  And my own focus has changed, in ways, that I think, will become apparent as this blog develops and grows.  So, goodbye opera, and hello....well, we will see. In the mean time, I will listen to the urgings of my friends and my own deepest inner call, and share with whomever wishes to read, my thoughts on music, art, travel, and…
Read More

Lenten Thoughts…

When I grew up, every morning, next to my school books, I would find a cup with my daily vitamin supplements and, next to that, a copy of Unity School of Religious Science's The Daily Word, turned to the page of that day's devotional.  And there was no leaving the house until I downed the vitamins and read aloud that day's word and prayer. So, imagine my joy when, at my new spiritual home, I was asked to write a devotional entry for our congregation-created Lenten devotional book.  Then, imagine joy turned to panic when I received my assignment -- the 10 Commandments themselves, in 250 words or less. As…
Read More

Reminders…

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignright" width="281" caption=""I am half-sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shallott; painting by J.W. Waterhouse, Art Gallery of Ontario"][/caption] The problem of being,  perhaps for the first time in your life, clearly aware of that sense of calling that surrounds us all, is that -- well, you may be even more confused than you were before.  Honestly, that is what has happened to me. At first, I thought -- sweeping change is in order.  Give up opera, focus on sacred music, work on musical outreach, maybe even consider switching from my DMA program to a seminary program, dare I say it -- seek ordination?  All of these…
Read More

But, is it really art?

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Marcel Duschamp's "Fresh Widow""][/caption] Not an original question, but one I have been asking a lot lately -- AGAIN. Someone very dear to me has been, for the last year and a half, in the gruelling process of qualifying to be a Docent at the National Gallery of Art  in Washington, D.C.  And I do mean gruelling -- day long classes most Saturdays for nine months, and then torcherous research to develop each specialized tour, and finally, the nerve-wracking process of  "qualifying" for each tour category -- Introduction to Western Art, East Building Tour (20th century art), and on and on. And so, because my friend…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Greetings, fellow Traveller…

Well, I have finally succumbed.  For years, I have read the blogs of others (one of my particular favorites being  Talk with the Preacher ) and thought to myself, I could never do that...what would I say...who would care what I had to say? But lately,well, things have been changing.  And my own focus has changed, in ways, that I think, will become apparent as this blog develops and grows.  So, goodbye opera, and hello....well, we will see. In the mean time, I will listen to the urgings of my friends and my own deepest inner call, and share with whomever wishes to read, my thoughts on music, art, travel, and…
Read More

Lenten Thoughts…

When I grew up, every morning, next to my school books, I would find a cup with my daily vitamin supplements and, next to that, a copy of Unity School of Religious Science's The Daily Word, turned to the page of that day's devotional.  And there was no leaving the house until I downed the vitamins and read aloud that day's word and prayer. So, imagine my joy when, at my new spiritual home, I was asked to write a devotional entry for our congregation-created Lenten devotional book.  Then, imagine joy turned to panic when I received my assignment -- the 10 Commandments themselves, in 250 words or less. As…
Read More

Reminders…

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignright" width="281" caption=""I am half-sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shallott; painting by J.W. Waterhouse, Art Gallery of Ontario"][/caption] The problem of being,  perhaps for the first time in your life, clearly aware of that sense of calling that surrounds us all, is that -- well, you may be even more confused than you were before.  Honestly, that is what has happened to me. At first, I thought -- sweeping change is in order.  Give up opera, focus on sacred music, work on musical outreach, maybe even consider switching from my DMA program to a seminary program, dare I say it -- seek ordination?  All of these…
Read More

But, is it really art?

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Marcel Duschamp's "Fresh Widow""][/caption] Not an original question, but one I have been asking a lot lately -- AGAIN. Someone very dear to me has been, for the last year and a half, in the gruelling process of qualifying to be a Docent at the National Gallery of Art  in Washington, D.C.  And I do mean gruelling -- day long classes most Saturdays for nine months, and then torcherous research to develop each specialized tour, and finally, the nerve-wracking process of  "qualifying" for each tour category -- Introduction to Western Art, East Building Tour (20th century art), and on and on. And so, because my friend…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Greetings, fellow Traveller…

Well, I have finally succumbed.  For years, I have read the blogs of others (one of my particular favorites being  Talk with the Preacher ) and thought to myself, I could never do that...what would I say...who would care what I had to say? But lately,well, things have been changing.  And my own focus has changed, in ways, that I think, will become apparent as this blog develops and grows.  So, goodbye opera, and hello....well, we will see. In the mean time, I will listen to the urgings of my friends and my own deepest inner call, and share with whomever wishes to read, my thoughts on music, art, travel, and…
Read More

Lenten Thoughts…

When I grew up, every morning, next to my school books, I would find a cup with my daily vitamin supplements and, next to that, a copy of Unity School of Religious Science's The Daily Word, turned to the page of that day's devotional.  And there was no leaving the house until I downed the vitamins and read aloud that day's word and prayer. So, imagine my joy when, at my new spiritual home, I was asked to write a devotional entry for our congregation-created Lenten devotional book.  Then, imagine joy turned to panic when I received my assignment -- the 10 Commandments themselves, in 250 words or less. As…
Read More

Reminders…

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignright" width="281" caption=""I am half-sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shallott; painting by J.W. Waterhouse, Art Gallery of Ontario"][/caption] The problem of being,  perhaps for the first time in your life, clearly aware of that sense of calling that surrounds us all, is that -- well, you may be even more confused than you were before.  Honestly, that is what has happened to me. At first, I thought -- sweeping change is in order.  Give up opera, focus on sacred music, work on musical outreach, maybe even consider switching from my DMA program to a seminary program, dare I say it -- seek ordination?  All of these…
Read More

But, is it really art?

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Marcel Duschamp's "Fresh Widow""][/caption] Not an original question, but one I have been asking a lot lately -- AGAIN. Someone very dear to me has been, for the last year and a half, in the gruelling process of qualifying to be a Docent at the National Gallery of Art  in Washington, D.C.  And I do mean gruelling -- day long classes most Saturdays for nine months, and then torcherous research to develop each specialized tour, and finally, the nerve-wracking process of  "qualifying" for each tour category -- Introduction to Western Art, East Building Tour (20th century art), and on and on. And so, because my friend…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Greetings, fellow Traveller…

Well, I have finally succumbed.  For years, I have read the blogs of others (one of my particular favorites being  Talk with the Preacher ) and thought to myself, I could never do that...what would I say...who would care what I had to say? But lately,well, things have been changing.  And my own focus has changed, in ways, that I think, will become apparent as this blog develops and grows.  So, goodbye opera, and hello....well, we will see. In the mean time, I will listen to the urgings of my friends and my own deepest inner call, and share with whomever wishes to read, my thoughts on music, art, travel, and…
Read More

Lenten Thoughts…

When I grew up, every morning, next to my school books, I would find a cup with my daily vitamin supplements and, next to that, a copy of Unity School of Religious Science's The Daily Word, turned to the page of that day's devotional.  And there was no leaving the house until I downed the vitamins and read aloud that day's word and prayer. So, imagine my joy when, at my new spiritual home, I was asked to write a devotional entry for our congregation-created Lenten devotional book.  Then, imagine joy turned to panic when I received my assignment -- the 10 Commandments themselves, in 250 words or less. As…
Read More

Reminders…

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignright" width="281" caption=""I am half-sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shallott; painting by J.W. Waterhouse, Art Gallery of Ontario"][/caption] The problem of being,  perhaps for the first time in your life, clearly aware of that sense of calling that surrounds us all, is that -- well, you may be even more confused than you were before.  Honestly, that is what has happened to me. At first, I thought -- sweeping change is in order.  Give up opera, focus on sacred music, work on musical outreach, maybe even consider switching from my DMA program to a seminary program, dare I say it -- seek ordination?  All of these…
Read More

But, is it really art?

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Marcel Duschamp's "Fresh Widow""][/caption] Not an original question, but one I have been asking a lot lately -- AGAIN. Someone very dear to me has been, for the last year and a half, in the gruelling process of qualifying to be a Docent at the National Gallery of Art  in Washington, D.C.  And I do mean gruelling -- day long classes most Saturdays for nine months, and then torcherous research to develop each specialized tour, and finally, the nerve-wracking process of  "qualifying" for each tour category -- Introduction to Western Art, East Building Tour (20th century art), and on and on. And so, because my friend…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Greetings, fellow Traveller…

Well, I have finally succumbed.  For years, I have read the blogs of others (one of my particular favorites being  Talk with the Preacher ) and thought to myself, I could never do that...what would I say...who would care what I had to say? But lately,well, things have been changing.  And my own focus has changed, in ways, that I think, will become apparent as this blog develops and grows.  So, goodbye opera, and hello....well, we will see. In the mean time, I will listen to the urgings of my friends and my own deepest inner call, and share with whomever wishes to read, my thoughts on music, art, travel, and…
Read More