Solandra’s Music
“Music is a doorway, allowing me to peek into a person’s spirit.” ~ (Victor Wooten – 5 time Grammy Award winner, author of The Music Lesson and The Spirit of Music)
I remember listening to a lecture given by award winning Canadian Singer Songwriter David Francey, who said that his painting and songs come from the same creative well. That’s exactly how I feel about my healing and music. They are both creative energies that Spirit expresses through me to lighten the load of those who interact with me. Elton John agreed, saying that “music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a little while.”
Here’s a quote that perfectly expresses how singing and healing go together: “Singing is the final act of healing and forgiveness. When you are wounded, you retreat. When the wounds begin to heal, you have the strength to sing again.” (Kara Johnstad)
My fondest childhood memory was of sitting in the rocker as a preschooler, singing my way through my parent’s records. Hours would go by without notice – rocking and singing. What brought you joy in childhood?
I wrote “A Musical Ride” in response to a workshop presenter’s question: “How did you come to music?” This is my attempt to answer the question and capture my love of music as a little girl:*
*(Piano/Harmony by Corry Ulan, Sound by Dale Ulan)
Over the years, I lost track of my love of music as life got busy. However, in 2011 I found it again, when a friend and I were asked to sing at a mutual friend’s wedding.
From there I began vocal classes and awoke to the songwriter within me when my voice teacher said, “A song is just a poem put to music.” Those words opened a door in me and out came songs! Here’s one that talks about the healing power of music and nature. What brings you healing?
Inspiration Finds Me
“The word musician indicates that we are music shamans. Our role is to summon her Spirit and bring her to life.” (Victor Wooten – five time Grammy Award winner, author of The Spirit of Music)
“I think of music as dreaming in sound.” (From Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt)
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, light to the imagination and life to everything.” (Plato)
“Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.” (Pablo Casals)
“If you ever doubted that the universe has a God, music is a reminder that there is one.” (Jann Arden – from Feeding My Mother: Comfort and Laughter in the Kitchen as My Mom Lives with Memory Loss)
“There is the music of heaven in all things and we’ve forgotten how to hear it until we sing.” (Hildegarde of Bingen, Medieval Mystic – 1098-1179)