Production!

My harp teacher is preparing for her harp conference this October and they had asked her to make videos and pictures of exercises. Here are behind the scene pictures :) oh and an old picture of her when she was a violinist in her rock band

Adele "Rollin in the Deep" harp cover

Hello!  I've been noodling with this harpsicle and it's been tons of fun.  Here is my cover of Adele's "Rollin in the Deep" I hope you guys like it.  Some people think it sounds kind of Chinese inspired. ahah tell me what you think!

Entertainment Vs. Service

Music has always played a big role in my life.  We all may not have have a passion for it, but I think you can agree that music is significant in your life, too.  We hear it everywhere from the radio to the supermarket.  It sets the tone or the ambiance of a certain area.  We listen intently if we simply want to appreciate the music for what it is maybe in a therapy session or spending some solitary time in our rooms.  Either way, music is a way of communication.  It is influential, it taps into your emotions. Music is expression.  It tells a story.  It mirrors our culture.  Music is powerful.

Now, the way we want to use music is totally up to us.  Growing up, any form of art whether it was design, dance, or music was considered as entertainment in my parents’ eyes.  By entertainment I mean doing something, in this case, playing music that AMUSES and PLEASES an audience. In most Filipino families children are asked to entertain their guests by singing, dancing, or playing special piece on their instrument.  This is to SHOWCASE the children’s talents to other people.  It definitely was an ESTEEM BOOSTER when guests would clap their hands after I sang or played the harp and asked for another request.  The way they REACTED to my performance fed into my perception of how talented and how good of an entertainer I was.  It was nice being in the SPOTLIGHT.  

Music never left me, thank goodness!  But it continued to be looked upon as just a hobby, something that could never be considered as a career.  “Music is unstable” “You’ll only become famous by luck” “You think that’s really going to provide for you?” were some of the things I would hear.  In some respects, YES, music does not bring home a stable income (unless you were a pop star like Beyonce), you’ll be truly lucky if an agent discovered you and even consider your talent as marketable.  

However, as I continued pursuing harp lessons, I discovered that music was not only seen as entertainment but can be used as an act of service.   I don’t have to be on a big stage with millions of people watching me, singing my music, covering my songs (That would be pretty cool actually). Sure that brings a lot of enjoyment when you can woo people with your music to the point they’re actually worshiping you.  But wouldn’t it be such a bigger enjoyment if you can use that talent that passion you have for music to SERVE others, HELP people, truly touch their souls?  When you serve others, you are not thinking about how it benefits you or how it makes builds your esteem.  You are HUMBLING yourself and thinking about how you’re ASSISTING the person you are in contact with.  In my case, I want to use my passion for music to provide therapy for those who are sick or who have disabilities and use it to interact with children to help them with their coordination, fine and motor skills, creativity, and their imagination. 

In many ways someone who serves others is similar to an entertainer.  But it is the level of those aspects that differentiates the two.  The two types of musicians interact with an audience and are the main focus of the performance.  Both perform but the intention behind the performance separates them.  When an entertainer performs, the reaction she gets from her audiences is to build her perception of herself.  When a server performs, the reaction she gets from her audience is to benefit themselves. 

I am a true believer that God blesses each of us with certain gifts.  He blesses us with these gifts so he can use us in a special way that will bring glory and honor to Him.  

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the flory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:33