It’s that time of year again: the time when resolutions get made and reflections are shared; where we take stock, think back, and dream big dreams to come. It’s a funky time of year. For some families, it’s hard, hurried, and filled with hassles. For some, it’s festive, fabulous, and full of joy. For some, it’s reflective, reserved, and riddled with resolutions. 

Shadows slant differently in autumn light. Nights draw in sooner; there may be an edge to the wind. That wind often plays music on the rustling leaves as they turn to autumn's colors of red and gold.

It is a time of gathering as well as solitude, of reflection as well as celebration. All these take place in the frame of the natural world. Those changes and connections are subjects artists often turn to for reflection themselves.

May this music aid in your reflections and actions on the changes of this autumn season.

Have you ever heard of the term self-care? Do you roll your eyes, thinking it’s all sorts of woo woo nonsense? Do you embrace it fully, relishing in those moments you make sure to take time for you? Do you think it might be nice, but when on earth are you supposed to find the time for that kind of thing? Or, do you find yourself a little bit interested but completely unsure of how to go about it? At one point or another, I’ve hit every stage of these questions. Well over a decade ago, I walked out of my first yoga class.

Reflection, transition, change: autumn weather, as well as the celebrations, traditions, and memories which go along with the season, invite each of these. That is also the case for the music you will be exploring in this episode of Music for Shifting Times.

It’s October. Many school children in the northern hemisphere have now been in school for over a month. Amidst the clamour of all things Covid, schools have gotten back to it. Whether in person, remote, or hybrid, the back to school honeymoon period is waning and we’re full throttle into all things learning. So now what? As the weather turns from summer’s warmth to autumn’s cooler days and soccer, band, theater arts, and more pick up speed, will your student be in the midst of organizations, meetings, and activities, or choose to spend their time in a different way? 

For journeys of geography, imagination, or heart, resilience and friendship make fine traveling companions. The creativity of these musicians will help you think about these things.