SD Stuff News and Views of Musicians Sharon Dennis and Doris MacDonald
April 26, 2008 Subject: Back from Hawaii!
We had a fantastic time-- good weather, good concerts, good conversations with good people. We're working on putting up a slide show about the trip. In the meantime, have a look at some of what went on, courtesy of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.
The following is the latest from SD Stuff, a bimonthly (sort of) e-newsletter from musicians Sharon Dennis and Doris Au MacDonald
Can’t believe it’s just a
couple of days before Sharon and I are off to Hawaii!And what a journey it’s been. Here’s a quick synopsis:
October – while visiting my mom in California, I
receive a phone call from my sister in Hawaii.We talk for over an hour (I think the most I’ve ever
spoken to her, as we did not get along when we were younger) and she invites
Sharon and I to begin writing music for her church.
November – The Lutheran Church of Honolulu
commissions us to write new music for their liturgy.Over the next few months, we
write, rewrite, score and record nine songs.
February – The church invites us to come to
Hawaii, work with their musicians and lead the Sunday early service.We prepare to leave April 16th.
April 4 – I learn that ATA, one of the carriers
for our itinerary, has declared bankruptcy and scramble to get new tickets
on United Airlines (thankfully, not American Airlines!)
April 13 – having learned that my keyboard case
is too large to fit the airlines’ new luggage policy, Sharon’s husband
Craig builds me a case that fits the specifications.
Now all that’s left to do is
pack!And finish up our work here,
in preparation for leaving our families and jobs for a week.I think it’s almost more work to get
ready to go, than to go!
We’ll be trying to let
you know how things are going, as they go—you can check our IH Blog at www.indieheaven.com (The Braeded Chord)
and we’ll try to keep you posted!
March 15, 2008
Subject: Beauty in the Barrenness
Everyone lives through seasons of barrenness.Recently, I have been struggling through a time when creativity is work, and words come hard – balancing on a fragile bubble of vulnerability where I could easily slide into the meltdown I probably need.The one thing I notice about barrenness is that the tiniest sprig of hope stands out in the bleakness – like a daffodil whose nature is to bring sunshine to piles of dead leaves.When the trees are naked, I notice that I can see hawks and other birds busily making plans that I would have missed behind the summer leaves.My ears strain to hear news of hope, and one day they were gifted with a songbird in my carport serenading me after a particularly wretched evening.I’'m not sure how he knew this Jesse Colin Young song: … "... “There is a songbird…. and I listen as he wakes the day... … and in my mind I see a dawning... … A brand new understanding….”" I'’m not sure if he was singing the right words, but they made such sense to me.If I hadn'’t been empty, I might have missed it.----SD
Dateline: March 2, 2007
Subject: Lenten Addictions / SD Stuff No. 145
Every year about this time, I try to give up one of my addictions for lent. Although I keep my addictions limited to legal things, but they are not always healthy or cheap. Most of my addictions begin with the letter "Starbucks". Coincidentally, every year about this time, I pick up another addiction to replace the one I gave up! Coincidence, I think not!
