What Is Playing For?

As we close one year and open another, I’m taking some time to reflect on what I do and why I do it.

Especially in the face of the myriad crises facing the world, playing and teaching recorder can seem, on the surface, less than vital. I help people make and appreciate music– and we don’t actually need music to live.

Yet what I do, and what I encourage other people to do, doesn’t feel meaningless.

In truth, as things around us fray, it feels even more important. Because making music –at any level– is a way to connect. When we play, we connect to our own humanity– our appreciation of beauty, our mistakes, our desires for self-expression and growth. We practice listening and responding, to ourselves and to others.

And we work on encouraging improvement, again in ourselves and others, in a way that is both kind and committed.

When we play in community, we are also connecting, deeply, to the humanity of others. We are learning how to be a contributing part of something greater than ourselves. We are learning to appreciate others’ contributions and work together to improve the whole. We practice doing this while negotiating all the baggage that comes with existing as a human among other humans: Fear, ego, discomfort, and irritation, (WHY DO I/HE/SHE/THEY PLAY SO SHARP?!?!); but also warmth, goodwill humor, and awe.

It’s a privilege to be able to make music together. It is an even greater privilege to be able to facilitate it.

2025 is coming whether we’re ready or not. Let’s play!