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Friday, September 2, 2011

Got Rhythm?

I am a music teacher. I love it. :o) I have taught music in many different ways over the years - church Christmas pageants, children's choir, piano lessons, etc. This year, I've started teaching music in a classroom again. I love it. Now, there are many aspects of music I love, but I think my very favorite concept is the one I always start the year with - rhythm. :o) Rhythm is a wonderful part of music that is the most versatile in my personal opinion. Let me show you something... :o) 




This is one of my favorite percussion pieces. Of course because it has kiddos in it! :o) But also, I think it's because it's so simple; however, let me tell you, it's not easy! Whew! I tried this particular piece with some students of my own and it was ALOT of work!  There are two things this piece employs.

A steady beat. An ostinato. These two things are not the same. One is an even pulse in which every beat has the same length. The other is a pattern that moves, and not every beat has the same length.The steady beat keeps the slow even tempo of the composition moving along, but can honestly be dead as a doornail all by itself. The ostinato keeps things interesting, gives you something to enjoy along the journey of the steady beat. However, if the ostinato didn't have the steady beat underneath it to give a firm footing, it would speed up or slow down and lose the continuity of the musical phrase. You can't have one without the other, they need each other.  

My faith is my steady beat. It's my even pulse that moves my journey of salvation along. My works in my faith are my ostinatos. They definitely keep my journey interesting. ;o) If I don't have the works to experience my faith in action, I am frustrated because God created us to be experiential, relational beings and something is definitely missing without my ostinatos in my faith walk. If I try to experience the journey of salvation without the firm footing of faith, my works fall apart and mean nothing and all I experience is frustration, again!  Isn't the Lord smart to remind us again and again we need both?

Like the piece above, it's so simple; however, that doesn't mean it's easy... ;o)
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
 - James 2:26 



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