It's not all Chinese to me.

Explaining “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” to a Confucius Institute visiting professor gave pause at our Christmas caroling party.  She was only in the US a few days, but you could see her trying to understand:

Me:  “He’s a flying reindeer.”  Shell:  “Really?”

Me: “He has a nose that glows red.”  Shell:  quizzical look

Me: “He helps Santa Claus…”  Shell:  more silence

Me:  “Let’s just sing carols and have some fun.” Shell: nodding "yes."

We discovered our new friend, Shell, had a terrific voice.  She shared a few songs from China.  We had a memorable caroling party.  

 

Moving forward in time, we attended a concert of Folk Songs of the World to hear Shell, Xianghua Han, soloing with music professors.  She’s a talent at that level.

Shell returned the favor at the concert.  We didn’t understand the words in her music.  During the explanation we felt like aliens trying to grok flying reindeer.  But she is a singer that sparkles and we had no difficulty receiving emotional meanings.  

She received our meaning and we received hers.  As Bernstein said, “….music is one of basic and deepest levels of communication.” It's not all Chinese to anybody. 

Tia Fuller in Madison

Tia Fuller in Madison

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Second Free Concert Added for Tia Fuller; It’s a clue

by Ron Frye
Madison Music Collective

It’s a clue when there is enough demand for an artist that additional performance time is added, so table your Friday night plans for fish fry and popination to take in the 8 or 10 p.m. Tia Fuller Concert, October 12 http://www.madisonmusiccollective.org/.  She’s that good and it’s free to attend.  There will be more fish fries, but Tia travels internationally so grab the chance to attend. 

Music fans will want to hear her because she is Beyonce’s saxophonist.  You’ll appreciate that her Master’s degree, in Music, Jazz Pedoagogy and Performance, supports what she does. 

More freebies for the community that Fuller will lead while in town are an “Introduction to Jazz” mini concert and workshop at the Boys and Girls Club’s Allied Family Center  and “Mind Body and Spirit of the Saxophone and Jazz Improvisation” at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.  Cool that she takes the time to share what she has as an educator. 

You can join in the learning about “Women in Jazz” at her live music, video and brunch meal at the Sheraton, for $25 adults, and $15 age 14 and under.  Seats are limited so order by October 8^th from here.   Why not reserve a table for a very special morning? 

Here’s the schedule:

o      Wednesday, October 10, 4:00 p.m. “Introduction to Jazz” 

      Dane County Boys & Girls Club, Allied Family Center, 4619 Jenewin Road, Madison

o      Thursday, October 11, 7:00 p.m. “Mind Body and Spirit of the Saxophone and Jazz Improvisation”  Mount Zion Baptist Church, 2019 Fisher Street, Madison

o      Friday, October 12, 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Free Concert

the Sett, UW Union South

o      Sunday, October 13, 10 a.m. “Women In Jazz Sheraton”, 706 John Nolen Drive, Madison

 

Opsablepsia got you?

Opsablepsia is a word that is really fun to say, but only after you practice it a couple of times: “awp-sa-blep-see-ah”.

I’ll wait while you give a go a few times…

Okay, no need to learn to say it if you don’t know how to use it.  Here is a sample sentence:  “When I speak in front of groups I have opsablepsia.”

 

Still not grasping it?  Here’s the meaning:  “Not able to look someone in the eye while speaking.”

Opsablepsia can affect your love life, your career, your ability to ask for a loan and more.  Just don’t try saying it after a night of popination.  That means pub crawling. 

Speech Topics?

Nothing's a better cure for writer's block than to eat ice cream right out of the carton.    Don Roff

A Basic Message in Every Speech

“Here I am,” Is a basic message when we speak. Sure, you need to know what you are talking about, but John Maxwell summed it up nicely when he said “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

People will seek to figure out if you have good will in your heart toward them. The oily used car salesman puts a shine over the rust and hopes the vehicle runs long enough to get off the lot. That message of “Here I am” makes people run the other way from someone who only cares for pocketing a commission.

Amanda Berry uttered her own version of "Here I Am" in her call to 9-1-1 on May 6,

Caller: Help me. I'm Amanda Berry.

Dispatcher: You need police, fire, ambulance?

Caller: I need police.

Dispatcher: OK, and what's going on there?

Caller: I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now.

Her words gave me a glimmer of hope in a sad, traumatic crime. She has the basic message.

So how is your ethos? That’s what Aristotle called it. What do people see when you offer up yourself?