The Wisdom of Bob Dylan

“All Songs Are Written As Part Of A Symphony.”

-Bob Dylan

What insight Bob Dylan had when he said that!

Although you might never have imagined “Lay, Lady, Lay” or “Like a Rolling Stone” as symphonic pieces, the meaning of Bob’s statement is profound.

I propose that this refers more to the synchronistic connections between people. This month I have experienced just such a symphony during my recent workshop with Christine Bart and her band of (dare I say?) merry minstrels in the Lot region of SW France.

Consider this:

A composer sits, most often, alone, listening and transcribing the music she hears in her head…She imagines the voices of each instrument as she creates: “Here the woodwinds will begin with the melody…the strings will join in quietly at first…then a crescendo…the power of the percussion instruments will drive the listener to the heart-pounding finale…“

She hears all of it, all the notes, the themes, the instruments, in her head, perhaps before she ever makes a mark on the paper. She births something new, previously unheard. No doubt she has been inspired, maybe even divinely inspired.

Then finally the musicians come together and the music is played into the world!

It has been the same for me, with the creation of this painting holiday business. I was inspired by a deep longing in my own heart, for something new, and beautiful, and different.

I spent a huge amount of time in the imagining stage, “listening to some inner call” as Johnny Clegg says in his song, Dela. I began to pen the ideas. Research, research, and more research! A website was born…then a schedule. The musicians in the form of teachers began to appear. More backstage work… will this ever be played?

But just as with our composer above, my”‘symphony” really only came to life with the arrival of the artists…my Merry Minstrels, as I have begun to fondly call them.

Each person came with joyful expectancy and a willingness to jump right into the “music”  of a true French immersion experience!

I must say, the magic of those 10 days was exactly the music my heart had been yearning for! And not a sour note to be heard!!!!

I am SO grateful. Thank you all, for being a part of the symphony!