Ken:
I am a huge James Taylor Nut. And my favorite song is "The Water is Wide."
Every time I hear it, I feel transformed to a different place, where everything is pensive, and people walk in the streets heartbroken, but with the hope that life will be kind to them again. It leaves me with a lump in my throat each time. There is something comforting in the song that leaves me appeased and convinced that whatever trial I'm facing, someone's faced it before, and someone's overcome it before.
Jenny:
Many times, when I just close my eyes and listen to music I escape to this other level. It does something to appease me, as you put it feeding my soul I guess. I appreciate music very much, which to me is as much art as creating it. Music is a part of everyone's life, and everyone is connected to it in someway. For me it keeps me going when I'm down, or just makes me happy when I'm happy. All in all, I'd be a very unhappy girl if music were suddenly taken away.
Jillian:
At the end of a busy day..
I love listening to music. I did dancing and singing lessons when I was a child but never learnt to play an instrument. This year, at the ripe old age of 40, I decided to learn to read music and play the keyboard. It is all part of having a balanced life, setting goals and taking time for me to do the things that I enjoy.
Ed:
Divinity..
Music embodies life. A physical and emotional manifestation of divinity, music is an integral part of the loving bond that has fulfilled us and strengthened us, and brought harmony to individuals, societies and nations around the world throughout time.
Linda:
Music is an expression of what is going on inside a persons' mind/heart. You don't need to concentrate to realize its power. I think the most moving music is music performed by an artist who is playing with a passion, who feels precisely, or deeply empathizes with, the meaning and feelings conveyed in the song.
Jenny and Me:
Okay.. If I don't play my guitar, Jenny, at least once a day, I get withdrawal. I'm deadly serious here. Its like you forgot something and you left a part of yourself somewhere. Music has been part of my life since I was 5, when I was forced to learn piano. Luckily I loved it. Music is like a parent.
Linda:
Music keeps me in touch with life, real life. It reminds me of the basics and the most important things. While we are all rushing around from day to day it is too easy to get wrapped up in "getting it all" done and we forget to get in touch with ourselves and with each other often enough. Music takes us away and provides the ultimate escape for the soul - a renewal, and its free for the taking.
Elaine:
Music moves me in many ways but the most memorable experience I have had was listening to a particular piece of Mahler's. At one point the string section builds up to a high note which is so exquisitely haunting and sad that tears streamed down my face. I now know that he wrote this music about the death of his child and I find it amazing that this emotion could be conveyed so clearly. Mostly music makes me glad to be alive.
Created by: Ken Chan & Kent Logie of Curtin's Music Community
Edited by: Michael Alan
Michael is a published songwriter who has toured in the US and Europe. Listen to his new CD release at: www.MichaelAlanMusic.com
