I say it with a smile, but over the years as a middle school music teacher, often children thought of musical study as the “old dead composers.” In my son’s time in BCS, it was pretty special that he had the chance to meet the composers of some of the pieces and actually sing a piece that had been commissioned for the choir. Composer Andrea Ramsey came to Kansas City to hear the boys sing, share some encouragement, and sign autographs. Ms. Ramsey used Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, ‘A New Perspective’, to craft a beautiful piece: “Those little cares that fretted me, I lost them yesterday among the leaves, above the trees, among the winds at play.” The boys experienced the connection between the composer and what Mr. Lawley expressed about the message of the peacefulness that comes through play, nature, and a trust in God. Not only was the experience uplifting, the boys had the chance to meet a “living” composer and hear her feedback about their delivery of an authentic and musical message. What an experience!

by Dr. Craig Carlson | Feb 12, 2015