Sound Theology by Colleen Butcher

It’s that time of year. A subconscious desire begins to bubble. I feel restless. I want to spend more time outdoors. The combines have begun to harvest the late corn. I want to walk in the woods. There’s a crispness in the air . . .

The annual hunt for the perfectly turned red maple leaf has begun!

Having spent all of my life in the northeastern part of the continent, I have learned to love all of the seasons; yes, even winter! But autumn, autumn is a season that makes me restless. Spring is full of anticipation. Summer is a time for adventures, and winter is for hibernating. But autumn!

Everywhere you turn, fall colours explode, creating a gigantic game of hide-and-seek. Patience is required in this hunt. Knowing where the best trees are is important, but so is timing and serendipity. Just when you think you’ve found the perfect leaf, and entered it into the leaf-pressing book, you find another that might possibly be its’ superior. A drive in the country might be required, but you’re just as likely to find this year’s beauty lying in the gutter.

On the hunt for beauty. read more…

Last week we listened to music without words that told a story. In particular, we learned about a piece of music written to tell the story of climate change exclusively through climate data assigned to particular notes. Today I have a link to a graphic designer who tells the story of music on the album covers and liner notes of contemporary music CDs.

Denise Burt didn’t know anything about contemporary classical music when she started designing album covers. But, she was a good listener, and this skill helped her translate aural images into visual ones. The music itself spoke of metaphors and possibilities and pictures that she was able to decipher and transform into language that reflected the music and drew people into these possibilities as well. read more…

Can music tell a story?

Well, of course it can, as generations of pop music crooners have demonstrated. Telling a good love story with a musical sound track is a wonderful thing. Johnny Cash, Billy Joel, and Sarah Bareilles are three of my favourite musical story-tellers.

But can music without words tell a story? read more…

In the tough, male-dominated world of international orchestral conducting, one woman has captured the attention of both audiences and musicians: American conductor Marin Alsop. Equal parts approachable, astute, and accomplished, Ms. Alsop is dedicated to making amazing music, while at the same time, tireless in training and inspiring other women to take their place on the orchestral podium.

In 2013, Alsop became the first woman, in the 118-yr history of the BBC Proms, to conduct the famous “Last night of the Proms” concert. During that concert, she gave a speech (a tradition for the LNOP concert) that expressed “…shock that it can be 2013 and there can still be firsts for women.” She then added: “Here’s to the second, third, fourths, fifths, hundredths to come.” read more…

This week one of the giants of choral conducting died. Sir David Willcocks, an English composer, organist, and choirmaster, was well-known in the circles of both amateur and professional choirs around the globe. Although best known for his work with the King’s College Choir, Cambridge (which he led from 1957 to 1974), Willcocks spent the majority of his retirement travelling to choir workshops and festivals, dispensing his dry British humour and his coveted encouragement throughout the choral community. read more…