Amazing Love! in G Major by Charles Wesley, just one of 6500 church hymns written during his lifetime. Learn more about this prolific hymn writer on Wikipedia. Tune in tomorrow for another performance. Wish you were here. Thanks for listening.

Make a choice: party all night or practice. When learning new songs, more sleep not less means greater progress because "practice makes permanent." This may seem boring in this season of celebration. Physical stamina and energy levels will be lowered. Thanks for listening.

How many times do we "lose our place" while reading sheet music? Too many times to count for all levels. Slow down, don't let mistakes get you rattled, keep going until the end of the song and begin again. Repeat. It works like a charm. Thanks for listening. 

One might describe rhythm in music as "motion" established when notes of equal or unequal duration are played or sung. Rhythm is irregular, free, and varied and commonly referred to as the time signature. The time signature is written with two numbers, one placed above the other, at the beginning of a piece of music, such as 2/2, 2/4 and 4/4. In a 2/2 time signature there are TWO BEATS to a measure with a half note receiving one beat. In a 4/4 time signature there are FOUR BEATS to a measure with a quarter note receiving one beat. Got it? Thank you for listening. 

John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him from his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford. This episode is about learning to play a song written in G Major and march tempo by Charles Wesley. Thank you for listening.

Charles Wesley was born just before Christmas in 1707. When he was eight years old, he was taken to London to attend Westminster School. At age thirteen, he became a King's Scholar at Westminster. Upon graduating, he enrolled at Oxford. He was nineteen and full of life. He later said, "My first year at college I lost in diversions." At age 31, he wrote, "I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ. I saw that by faith I stood." At about the same time he wrote in his journal, "I began a hymn upon my conversion." We aren't certain which hymn he meant, but many historians think it was "And Can It Be," because of the vivid testimony of verse 4:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

For listeners who are are over-worked, over-prepared, and over the moon about music and Thanksgiving today, FALSE ALARM. No mouse or mice in sight. The next episode picks up where I leave off and continues with music from Stuart Townend on YouTube. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1 NKJV. Thank you for listening.

Four days ago my right foot got caught in an area rug and sent me flying. The outcome was a sprained ankle, no broken bones. Be mindful of your surroundings this holiday and beware of what's underfoot. Please be safe wherever you are and slow down! Thank you for listening.

From Psychology Today: 5 Ways to Cope with Despair

These tips won’t resolve despair, but they can take the edge off and open up a space for healing.

1. Take your despair for a walk.

Once a day, try your best to get out of the house for some fresh air. A brisk walk raises your metabolism, boosts endorphins, and will give you much-needed headspace. Shaking off tension and gaining some vitamin D can also offer some relief.

2. Give your sorrow words.

When I can’t find the words for sadness, I always turn to poets and writers who are masters at capturing elusive feelings. Finding the words for your despair offers comfort and solace. As Shakespeare wrote in Macbeth: “Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.”

3. Honor your despair.

Please don’t deny it. Don’t push it away. When you acknowledge your despair, you take away some of its power over you.

Article posted on May 3, 2021. Author: Sean Grover L.C.S.W. Reviewed by Davia Sills for Psychology Today. Thanks for listening.

This January 2022, we could chase away the blues by placing colorful and bright shiny things around the house and office like we did to celebrate the upcoming holidays in 2021. Couldn't hurt. Thanks for listening.