Saraswati Sparkle

Last night, at the Santa Cruz Bible Christmas performance, the rhythm section of the music ensemble performed several rock renditions of contemporary Christmas songs for choir and vocal soloists. While listening to the music the muse of Saraswati was present. (Saraswati is the goddess of music and learning; she holds a lute, or 'vina' in Sanskrit.) I became a vessel, allowing the energy of Saraswati to come through, from the ethereal plane through my fingers into the violin and out in the form of a tonal landscape. It was so much fun, creating harmonies, looking into the eyes of choir members as they sang, to find just the right touch, weaving into a patten of unique design... just playing from the heart without looking at music on a page. Why might one take such an adventure? Perhaps to add a bit of sparkle here and there--counterpoints, special gestures of interchange and connection, one layer upon another. It was uplifting, refreshing and rejuvenating to just sit back, listen, feel the mind and heart merge with the musical creation and allow the music to flow freely.