A few weeks ago, Indian Trails High School in Kenosha dedicated their spectacular new auditorium (complete with Fazioli grand piano) with a concert that finished up with a piece I composed for the occasion, “Most Alive.” A couple of people who were there asked me if I could somehow share my words of introduction on my website, and I’m happy to oblige. This is what I said that night, right before the performance of “Most Alive.”
First of all, let me say on behalf of every other musician in Kenosha County, that I’m terribly jealous of this beautiful room – but also happy for the students here at Indian Trails High School who are already making the most of this beautiful facility – and I’m very honored to be a small part of tonight’s proceedings.
It was John Choi, the director of the choirs here, who approached me about the possibility of composing something for tonight’s concert. A lot of pieces of music have been written about how wonderful music is, but I knew that more than music is going to happen in this room – so that’s where I began in crafting a text: thinking about all of the great things that will happen in this space in the months and years to come. So what you’ll hear right off the bat is a solo voice singing:
What a beautiful room! What a glorious stage!
We can hardly wait to raise the curtain and turn the page! Think of the glorious harmonies.
Think of the stirring soliloquies
that we will share
that will fill the empty, awaiting air.
And then begins the more joyous part of the piece, talking about how it is in our music and drama and poetry that we are most human – that we are most alive. That’s what truly separates us from the orangutang and the octopus and the opossum . . . not really that we’re great at math or great at geography, but rather in these means of expression.
It is when we sing – it is when we dance –
when we finally learn to leap and take a chance –
It is when we dare – it is when we strive
that we are Most Alive.
In the fanfares we play –
in the poetry we say –
in the deepest sort of feelings that we convey –
It is when we dare to reach across the dark
to touch another soul
That we are most alive and completely whole.
I wrote these words as I thought about how important music has been to me and how I suspect that it is very important to these young people on this stage . . . and I thought of how it is no accident that some of the dearest friends and deepest friendships are made with those with whom we make music together or perform great dramas together. So all these young people don’t even realize all they have already gained from their musical exploits.
And it is in the making of music that we stoke one of the most precious gifts with which we are all blessed- the gift of creativity – and I suspect that all of these young people, whether they go on to be professional musicians or computer programmers or astronauts or fire fighters or who knows what, will be more creative and more imaginative in whatever they do because they have had this opportunity to have their creative talents nurtured by the fine people at this school.
I want to dedicate this piece tonight to all music teachers everywhere. I am married to one – and I know first hand that is has never been more challenging, first of all, to be a teacher… and especially to be a teacher in the arts. And I also fervently believe that it has never been more important to be a music or art or drama teacher and to do that work as well as you can – to make as big a difference as we can.
Before we perform “Most Alive,” I want to gratefully acknowledge the collaboration that I had with a colleague of mine at Carthage College, Dr. James Ripley, the director of instrumental music. The plan was that I would finish this in the middle of the summer when (generally speaking) we have our feet up and life is pretty easy-going. As it turns out, I didn’t give him a single note of music until the first weekend of the school year had begun. Nevertheless, he very cheerfully took on what he had agreed to do and did all of the instrumentation that you are about to hear.
So I thank him. . . I thank of all of these young, talented musicians for their hard work . . . and now, without further ado, “Most Alive.”