It’s November.  And it’s snowy.  And with the time change, while the mornings are a bit lighter, the dark comes early.  Some of us find it hard to get excited about this.  A long time ago – in a different lifetime – I heard a wise man speak on the concept of “Novembering Along”.  The adrenaline that goes with the start of a new school year, Thanksgiving, “outside” weather – all these things have come, gone or become familiar.  Up ahead somewhere is the holiday season – Christmas lights and the next celebration and the New Year.  But here we are in between.  In November.  What is there to spark us on?  We are “Novembering Along”.

The past two weekends have been full of beautiful sounds in my world.  I spent the last weekend of October in vocal bliss, blending my voice with 13 others in an advanced acapella improvisation workshop.  It is my intention to do a whole post on this; I got knocked off kilter by some other stuff when I was going to do that last week.  Watch for it coming up, but in a word – MAGIC.

This past weekend – the first weekend of November – I was the band mum/taxi driver for two of my kids (four different ensembles) at the Vic Lewis Band Festival.  The “Vic” is a celebration of high school concert bands and jazz bands.  Our local middle school participates as well.  All told we had something in the region of 1900 students participating this year. The adjudication and clinics are facilitated by wonderful, world class musicians and the kids receive feedback and instruction and encouragement that they just won’t get in other ways.  This early in the school year, it’s a boost to the bands and their amazing teachers/directors, and it’s a lot of fun.

So how do we get through November?  We sing our way through.  We play our way through.  We connect over sound and we celebrate the noises we make.  The second Whistling Duck Music Gala is less than two weeks away – do you have your tickets yet?  All are welcome to come out and cheer on some of the most requested repeat “show and tell” moments of the last twelve months.  It’s a chance to gather in community, to connect, to get dressed up and to enjoy an amazing night of music.  Info and tickets HERE.

There is also an abundance of live music happening in venues around the valley as well as many open mic opportunities.  Let’s November Along together, and in these early dark evenings, we can shine on.