The Lighting of a Fire!: Part Twenty-Four—The Unfinished Symphony 1999-2000

While Karen, Deena and I were writing L'Academie des Beaux Arts we talked about using the same five components as a basis for a music year someday. Just two years after the art year we put together--The Unfinished Symphony, which I think might have been the shortest name of any of our school years!

The idea was based on Franz Schubert's unfinished symphony and the idea that our lives are like a symphony--a work of art that we're composing day by day with the Master's help.

The Five Components:

Psalteries, Harps and Symbols (Ancient through Medieval)

The Taming of the Tunes (Renaissance)
Go for Baroque (Baroque)

Waltzing with Wolfgang (Classical and Romantic)
Rhapsody 'n Blues (Modern)

Karen and I wrote the words of our song to the tune of the famous part of the unfinished symphony, adapted and arranged by another lady who joined our group that year:

The Unfinished Symphony

Trailing in glory, my life before me
Discov’ring what I knew before.

Pen in hand, page blank and grand,

Living my story I’m valiant in my every moment.

Composing minutes and hours

My choices bring powers

I search, I seek,

My destiny unfolds…

CHORUS:

My life’s a symphony, a work of art I am composing.

Each trial and triumph a greater melody beholding,

My life song unfolds.

Gently the Master leads, Conductor of my composition,

Called forth in harmony, the counterpoint of my volition,

Finding my Vein of Gold.

I put the first movement of the symphony here. Our song starts near the beginning when the melody starts. The chorus (the famous part), is at 1 minute 15 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k_-A4VT8CO4

All of my children love this theme song. We sang it over and over that year and almost every year after that. Even Giselle, who was only four at the time, remembers that song very well. The other day she told me that she loved cutting out the many violins and other musical instruments and gluing them in the correct places of an orchestra on our school wall.

This was the first year I actually thought to take a photo of our school wall.

Our timeline was under the pit--a 5-line music staff with musical notes for the timeline pieces. You can see that on the right side we ran out of the actual timeline lines!

These photos show a little bit more of the timeline (Jasmyn and Amber are sewing)--

This year we got together with several families for field trips, presentations and concerts.

Every week we also had a musical lesson swap time at our church building. Amber, Jasmyn and I gave piano lessons to a family's children, while the mom and her son gave piano, voice and violin lessons to my children. Those who were waiting for lessons played in the cultural hall. It was a fun time for all of us. We enjoyed visiting with the family and learning too.

I still remember sitting in the chapel one time while Hal IV had a piano composing lesson from Sister Loveland. He played a piece that he had been working on, and she told him that his piece had some Chopin overtones, and it did, though I hadn't noticed until she pointed it out.

Bach visits--

I have the video of the kids split into two group and performing their own versions of a polyphony song.

The first group sang: "Johann was a little man" to the tune of Mary had a little lamb, & "Bach, Bach, Bach, Bach, Bach, Bach, Bach" to London bridge is falling down, but sounding like a chicken.

The second group sang to their own music: "I like jalepenos", and "Jalepenos are nasty."

Bach and four families

middle row: Sadie, Giselle, Jasmyn, Amber, Chase, Hal, Ashley, Autumn Heather, Carli

PERFORMANCES
We had LOTS of concerts and recitals during this school year. Amber and Jasmyn were teaching piano professionally at other studios, and were teaching the rest of my children at home. Recitals were held at The Sterling Inn, school concerts were held at homes and churches, and we had our own performances at home too.

Hal on piano

Chase on violin and piano

Autumn Heather on piano and violin

I videotaped a lot of this concert, but this is the only photo I found--an impromptu one of Amber, who sang, played a piano and violin duet, and played the cello in a quartet.

During the 'violin years' which included and followed the music school year, we traveled with several violins so kids could practice.

Here Chase is waiting with his violin, and Giselle is sitting while

Autumn Heather performs at an old folks home in Grandpa and Grandma Collette's town. Through the years the kids were asked to share their talents here.