Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Spiritual Journey

Lookin' out over Jordan, all I could see:

A band of angels comin' after me.

Gabriel was playin' the trumpet.

David was playin' the harp.

Someday my soul shall be free.

I shall be free.

-- (from "Jordan's Angels" -- Words and music by Rollo Dilworth)



Now that we've undecked the halls and packed up the boughs of holly -- fa la la la la -- TinyTuna and the Children's Touring Choir have a series of Martin Luther King and Black History Month concerts over the next couple of months, which means it's time for new songs. Time is short, so these kids will be doing a wee bit of cramming to learn an enormous amount of music quickly.



This morning I spent some time hunting down some CDs so she could be a true multitasker and learn the first rule of musicianship: the car is an awesome practice room. As a result I've spent the morning listening to spirituals.



Lookin' out over Jordan, all I could see:

A band of angels comin' after me.



I've always loved spirituals. Whether they are upbeat, foot stomping, hand clapping expressions of joy; gentle waltzes filled with quiet conviction, or plaintive laments begging for release; they are incredibly expressive. Singing spirituals is like turning yourself inside-out so your soul can dance.



Gabriel was playin' the trumpet.

David was playin' the harp.



Listening to a children's choir sing spirituals adds an interesting dimension. These aren't singers who have lived the hardships and struggles and defeats and celebrations of life -- the very material from which Spirituals were born. Children cannot sing from those kind of life experiences, so they sing what they know. They sing from an innate sense of joy and beauty. They sing with a pure and innocent certainty that angels will come and there will be freedom.



It's impossible not to believe it. By just hearing their voices and seeing their faces you know it's true. You know that somehow they know it's true. It's belief without the baggage of life.



As TinyTuna sings works like Marchin' to Freedom, Music Down in my Soul, and Hope for Resolution, I am reminded how wonderfully diverse her childhood has been. I am grateful for classrooms that have been filled with children whose backgrounds span both economic and global spectrums. I am hopeful that she will always sing from that pure sense of joy and assured belief in better things. Most of all, I am thankful that she loves nothing more than to turn herself inside-out and let her soul dance.



Someday my soul shall be free.

I shall be free.





1 comment:

Gary said...

Perfectly said, Tuna. What's great is, the choir I'm in is going to be doing all Bach and spirituals this Winter/Spring. It sounds like a great combination and I'm looking forward to it!