Music

“I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed. Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells was a bridge. Madame C. J. Walker was a bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.” - Oprah Winfrey It’s the birthright of every human being to be free. Slavery is one of the darkest marks on human history and we have to be grateful for its abolition. Black History Month is a time to remember just how far from those days we are today and of the outstanding achievements made by the descendants of those slaves. There are still barriers today but many bridges have been successfully crossed by many people. Hurrah for Black History Month! ...

The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken. (Maya Angelou) I find cornbread wonderful with afternoon tea. I have to try it with greens and fried chicken one day. Anyways, the recipe I have is ever so simple and can be made in the microwave. “Corn bread is a reminder of the Native American contribution to the southern American diet. Corn served an important role in Native American life and early settlers learned to adapt this versatile food into their own dishes when wheat was not available for bread making.” (tribal directory.com) ...

[caption id=“attachment_2762” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] An operetta is simply a small and gay opera. (Gustav Mahler)[/caption] Sigmund Romberg’s Student Prince at the St. Lawrence Centre was one the highlights of the holidays for me. It was put on by the Toronto Operetta Theatre and we enjoyed every moment of it. A live performance! This was our family’s New Year’s Eve outing. It was delightful with all the singing, dancing, acting, beautiful costumes, and sets. The next best thing to doing the dancing and singing yourself is to get caught up in the excitement and magic happening on stage through the voices and movements of the professionals there. Since the music in this production has always been very special to me, I want to share some of my favourite music from Student Prince with you. I have never done a post in which I shared a You Tube video - this is a first. Hope you enjoy! ...

[caption id=“attachment_2662” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die. ~Thomas Campbell, “Hallowed Ground”[/caption] What a way to remember one’s dead! The Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos celebrations took place here in Toronto yesterday at Harbourfront and is taking place again today. It’s a two day Festival which has its roots in Mexico. The atmosphere was festive rather than mournful - although all the paraphernalia surrounding death was visible there. “The Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, takes place over the first two days of November. Its origins are a mixture of Native American traditions and a set of Catholic holidays. While the holiday’s observances include spending time in cemeteries, making shrines to the dead, and displaying artistic representations of skulls and skeletons, the occasion is festive, rather than morbid. Death isn’t seen as the end of one’s life, but as a natural part of the life cycle; the dead continue to exist much as they did in their lives, and come back to visit the living every year.” (Factmonster.com) Would that we would all be like the Mexicans who are able to have joyful and celebratory feelings about death and dying. This is truly a blessing. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2645” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ― Confucius, The Book of Rites[/caption] When two gifted Curtis Institute graduates take to the stage and combine their talents, you know you’re in for a memorable musical treat. Teng Li, the Principal violist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Meng-Chieh Liu, an international concert pianist, gave a rare performance last Thursday at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. It was the first time I experienced the viola as a musical instrument in its own right. ...

“Hula is the art of Hawaiian dance, which expresses all we see, smell, taste, touch, feel, and experience. It is joy, sorrow, courage, and fear. ” – Robert Cazimero Sometimes we don’t have to cross the ocean to have that “aloha” feeling. Last Saturday there was an amazing Hawaiian themed afternoon at the Grenadier right here in Toronto’s west end. It was a beautiful day and hula dancers graced the outdoor patio entertaining everyone with their gentle swaying movements. A professional hula dancer together with a vibrant, spirited musical accompanist, entertained in the social area upstairs as well. Two parties - both Hawaiian - taking place in the same building. The spirit of aloha abounded here. “The real meaning of Aloha in Hawaiian is that of Love, Peace, and Compassion. It’s the guidelines of how to live – a life of Aloha is one when the heart is so full it is overflowing with the ability to influence others around you with your spirit.” (Local’s Guide to Kauai) The staff at the Grenadier definitely created that Aloha spirit. ...

The images in the above collage were taken at the Cathedral which is also a parish church for the St. Lawrence neighborhood. I’ve visited the Cathedral before but never took a single picture. This time I had my camera along with me and stayed behind to take a few pictures. It’s a beautiful church and I’ll share the collages and save the story behind my visit for the end. ...

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. The above quote by George Moore came to mind as I admired how pretty and well-maintained the homes in the neighborhood look. This is a particularly lovely time of year with the Spirea in bloom. Many people have their hanging baskets and planters on their porches and their garden chairs out for when they are relaxing at home. As I get older, home is really the best place to be now for me. My own porch is just like going to a cottage for me. ...

[caption id=“attachment_1369” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Diwali Festival[/caption] Fill the Heart with the oil of love. Place in it the wick of single-pointed mind. Light it with the Knowledge of Truth and remove the darkness of ignorance around you. Just as one lamp can light many lamps; let each youth kindle this Light in many hearts. Diwali will be celebrated on November 2nd and 3rd this year in Toronto. Apart from India, where the biggest celebrations will be, other countries with South Asian populations will also be “lighting up” and participating in other ways in this Festival. It’s a New Year celebration. Many homes are lit up and special meals prepared for the occasion. It’s a time for lots of “sweet treats. “On the day of the Diwali festival, doorways are hung with torans of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis are drawn with different colored powders to welcome guests. The traditional motifs are often linked with auspicious symbols of good luck. Oil diyas are arranged in and around the house. Because of these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name : Dipawali or Diwali meaning ‘a rows of lamps’. On this day, people buy something for the house or some jewelry for the women of the house. It is auspicious to buy something metallic, such as silver. ...

[caption id=“attachment_873” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Rachel Persaud - Vocalist and Composer[/caption] “Music is the purest form of art…therefore true poets, they who are seers, seek to express the universe in terms of music…The singer has everything within him/her. The notes come out from his/her very life. They are not materials gathered from outside.” (Rabindranath Tagore) There is nothing that brightens my spirit like music. Last Saturday, I was treated to a concert experience that was uplifting for both soul and spirit and provided an avenue for healing as well. The vocalist was Rachel Persaud and her accompanists were a guitarist and an accordian player. Rachel was at peak performance as this concert was sung in memory of her grandmother who died a few weeks ago. The images in this collage were all taken at St. Matthias Church in Toronto, which was the venue for the concert. ...