When I lived in Waco, Texas I was asked to direct music for a Baptist Church in the community of China Spring. That church was full of wonderful, loving people and I made some good friends during my time there.
We had a lot of budding young musicians and some adults who were instrumentalists and they needed an outlet for their talents, so we formed a church orchestra in the fall of 1994. We planned, promoted, bought the music, and launched our church orchestra on a beautiful sunny September Sunday.
Twenty-two people showed up that first Sunday, and they sounded pretty good. The fun part of the story is what happened after that first rehearsal, and I've never forgotten it.
Carrie, an 8th grade trombone player came up to me after rehearsal. She looked so sad, and appeared on the verge of tears.
She said, “Mr. Biggs. I only know two notes.”
I looked at her, smiled and said, “That’s OK, Carrie. Every time those two notes show up on the page you play them to the best of your ability, and next week you’ll know three notes, then five, and pretty soon you’ll be able to play the whole song.”
Carrie hung in there. She learned more notes as time when on. She even played a trombone solo about a year later to our delight and her amazement.
I've never forgotten her words – “I only know two notes.”
How many notes do you know? I’m not talking about musical skill. I’m talking about life. When I graduated from high school I knew drums and was learning a small amount of music theory. Writing had not become a dream yet, nor had choral and orchestral directing, or business acumen, people skills, and a thousand other skills I have picked up along the way.
How many notes do you know? College graduation was not the end. It was a commencement! It was the beginning!
Carolyn and I went to a concert last Friday night called Ten Grands – ten grand pianos on one stage played by some of the finest pianist the northwest has to offer. Once upon a time, each of those performers only knew two notes.
I have an old cassette tape of Zig Ziglar giving a speech in the early 70’s. He was at about the four-note stage in his career then, and look what he went on to accomplish.
Tonight we went to our grandson’s band concert. Jacob has taken to the trumpet in an amazing way. He is now in the advanced band. My point is this – the beginning band played first, and then Jacob’s band. The sound and the difficulty of the pieces of music were as different as night and day.
The older students once only knew two notes. Now, they are on their way to greater skills, better tone and some nice music making.
If you think this is a music lesson, then read it again. We’re not talking music at all. We ARE talking about taking a raw skill and turning it into something better, expanding our reach, stretching our horizons and becoming a growing human being.
~What have you learned recently?
~What have you read that is useful?
~Have you listened to a new voice lately – one that can stretch your thinking in different, more expansive ways?
~Are your relationships fresh, or are they as stale as a one note samba?
Twenty-two people showed up that first Sunday, and they sounded pretty good. The fun part of the story is what happened after that first rehearsal, and I've never forgotten it.
Carrie, an 8th grade trombone player came up to me after rehearsal. She looked so sad, and appeared on the verge of tears.
She said, “Mr. Biggs. I only know two notes.”
I looked at her, smiled and said, “That’s OK, Carrie. Every time those two notes show up on the page you play them to the best of your ability, and next week you’ll know three notes, then five, and pretty soon you’ll be able to play the whole song.”
Carrie hung in there. She learned more notes as time when on. She even played a trombone solo about a year later to our delight and her amazement.
I've never forgotten her words – “I only know two notes.”
How many notes do you know? College graduation was not the end. It was a commencement! It was the beginning!
Carolyn and I went to a concert last Friday night called Ten Grands – ten grand pianos on one stage played by some of the finest pianist the northwest has to offer. Once upon a time, each of those performers only knew two notes.
I have an old cassette tape of Zig Ziglar giving a speech in the early 70’s. He was at about the four-note stage in his career then, and look what he went on to accomplish.
Tonight we went to our grandson’s band concert. Jacob has taken to the trumpet in an amazing way. He is now in the advanced band. My point is this – the beginning band played first, and then Jacob’s band. The sound and the difficulty of the pieces of music were as different as night and day.
The older students once only knew two notes. Now, they are on their way to greater skills, better tone and some nice music making.
If you think this is a music lesson, then read it again. We’re not talking music at all. We ARE talking about taking a raw skill and turning it into something better, expanding our reach, stretching our horizons and becoming a growing human being.
~What have you learned recently?
~What have you read that is useful?
~Have you listened to a new voice lately – one that can stretch your thinking in different, more expansive ways?
~Are your relationships fresh, or are they as stale as a one note samba?
How many notes do you know?
P Michael Biggs
Up-Words
Offering Hope
Encouragement Inspiration
One Word at a Time
P Michael Biggs
Up-Words
Offering Hope
Encouragement Inspiration
One Word at a Time
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