Life Should Not Only be Lived - but Celebrated!

artwork by Amy Rice, amyrice.com

This is the birthday card I got from one of my Rogarian (Orkestar Bez Ime) band mates . The text on the cover of the card says

"She always believed life should not only be lived - but celebrated!"

Inside the card reads

"Happy Birthday! Laugh * Dance * Celebrate"

How true!

In Rogaria we believe in 'birthday seasons' not just one day, the celebrations go on for weeks whenever we see each other until the last present is given, last glass of wine drunk, and everyone has had a chance to party. And give each other a hug.  I love Rogaria (www.rogaria.com) and my five band mates who celebrate life there with me.

Thanks, Amy Rice, for capturing a very special side of my life with your art!

Curious About Accordions

Dee's Left Hand
photo by Shelly Campbell

When new students come to take instruction I love to ask about their musical past. It helps me form a lesson plan when I know whether they have studied before and if they have, which instrument.

It's not uncommon for adults who had music lessons as children to pick up their studies once again. It's also not uncommon to have young people decide the accordion is fascinating and ask their parents to find them a teacher.

The most common student for me right now are people in their twenties who have either studied other instruments, are playing in a band that wants to add the sound of the accordion or who enjoy popular bands like Gogol Bordello, Devotchka or Beirut all of which use accordion in their groups.

Their challenge will be to learn how to use the bellows efficiently and what the heck all those little buttons on the left side (right side as you look at it) do. Left hand technique and bellow technique make the difference between a person who plays an accordion like a keyboard and an accordionist.

One Day in the Life of Sonya

Just couldn't resist one more slow loris YouTube video..........

Loris Bez Clue

Most everyone receives some type of nickname during their lifetime. In Rogaria, the country Orkestar Bez Ime hails from, it took almost six years for me to get mine, Loris Bez Clue. It seems I can do a pretty good imitation of this little animal and all Rogarians have the same last name, Bez Clue ('bez' means 'without' in Bulgarian).

Now before you run out and try to get a Slow Loris as a pet consider this information from Wikipedia:

"Slow lorises are threatened by deforestation, the exotic pet trade, and traditional medicine. All species are listed either as "Vulnerable" or "Endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The slow loris has become a popular but illegal pet, mostly in Japan, but also in the United States. Its popularity has swelled due to popular YouTube videos showing them being tickled.^"

Peaceful Musician

photo by Shelly Campbell

Sometimes when you're so happy and content while playing you can truly understand and enjoy the zen of music.....a picture from Black Dog Cafe & Wine bar February of 2011 during a performance with OBI.