tag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:/blogs/blogBlog2023-01-29T05:34:28-08:00Pamela Ruiter-Feenstrafalsetag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/64210632023-01-29T05:34:28-08:002023-10-16T07:56:40-07:00Global Rings is available!<p><em>Global Rings </em>is a carillon collection of 42 new pieces based on issues, stories, and folk tunes from around the world.</p>Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/64167362020-08-25T08:16:25-07:002022-06-02T07:56:52-07:00Gratitude Haiku<p style="text-align: center;">Gratitude begets</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">peace love compassion love peace</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">begets Gratitude.</p>Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490642019-02-11T16:00:00-08:002020-09-09T04:51:40-07:00Gratitude for Road and Restroom Workers
<p>On our seventh snow-ice-cold day this year, with schools cancelled and travel advisories to stay home,</p>
<p>road workers are out clearing ice and snow to make life a little safer for the people around them.</p>
<p>Every day and every night, while some people are at work or at leisure or asleep,</p>
<p>other people are awake and cleaning offices, homes, and public restrooms </p>
<p>to make life easier for the people around them.</p>
<p>Sending gratitude to these heroes for their important work and their perseverance to make life better.</p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490632018-12-31T16:00:00-08:002022-04-16T19:14:06-07:00Practicing Well-Being
<p>“Well-being is a skill.</p>
<p>Well-being is fundamentally no different than learning to play the cello.</p>
<p>If one practices the skills of well-being, one will get better at it.”</p>
<p>--Dr. Richard Davidson, neuroscientist who teaches about the ‘resilient mindset.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Dalai Lama met with Davidson and asked him to study kindness and compassion, which he did. He created the Center for Healthy Minds with a <em>Kindness Curriculum</em> teaching through stories and practices how to pay attention, work with emotions, and cultivate kindness. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.centerhealthyminds.org/" data-imported="1">www.centerhealthyminds.org</a></p>
<p>Davidson discusses the impact that acts of generosity and altruism produce.</p>
<p>In <em>Greater Good Magazine, </em>Davidson offers:</p>
<p>“Human beings come into the world with innate, basic goodness. When we engage in practices that are designed to cultivate kindness and compassion, we’re recognizing, strengthening, and nurturing a quality that was there from the outset.” </p>
<p>“Data shows that when individuals engage in generous and altruistic behavior, they actually activate circuits in the brain that are key to fostering well-being.” </p>
<p>Wishing each of you a new year of well-being.</p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490622018-12-24T16:00:00-08:002023-01-29T05:33:48-08:00Gratitude and Peace<p>"Gratitude makes sense of our past,</p>
<p> brings peace for today, and</p>
<p> creates a vision for tomorrow."</p>
<p> -Melody Beattie</p>
<p>Sending peace--peace on earth.</p>Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490612018-12-23T16:00:00-08:002022-01-31T01:50:34-08:00Gratitude & Happiness
<p>"Happiness cannot be traveled to,</p>
<p>owned, earned, worn or consumed.</p>
<p>Happiness is the spiritual experience of living</p>
<p>every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."</p>
<p> -Denis Waitley</p>
<p> Happy holidays, everyone!</p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490602018-08-10T17:00:00-07:002022-05-21T06:44:25-07:00Gratitude 2: Gratitude and Beauty
<p><span style="text-decoration:underline">Yesterday, I had a three-hour organ practice session in a beautiful large church. </span><a href="http://pamelaruiterfeenstra.com/dashboard/" data-imported="1"><span style="text-decoration:underline">A woman from the church's altar guild was working serenely and diligently while I practiced. I could see her pruning and replacing flowers, one by one, over and over. Then, she did the same thing with the candles, checking each one, filling them with oil, lighting them to make sure they worked well, making adjustments whenever needed. As I was going over and over certain passages to polish out any rough spots, she was polishing brass. I felt so grateful to her for the beauty that she lovingly creates for others. Just as I was about to go over to her to tell her that, she came to me and said, "I'm so thankful that you're here making such beautiful music while I work." </span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://pamelaruiterfeenstra.com/dashboard/" data-imported="1"><span style="text-decoration:underline">That practice session became an unexpected testimony to gratitude and beauty. Both attributes sustain the heart and soul, and when they're practiced, they're contagious.</span></a></p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490592018-08-06T17:00:00-07:002021-06-25T20:28:56-07:00Gratitude 1: Belonging
<p>Last night, I played a carillon concert entitled Voices Uplifted. My goal in the program was to lift up voices of marginalized populations through carillon music. The works I composed are: "Our Time: Me Too;" "Enough is Enough, Never Again: Sketches;" and four pieces in a set entitled "Belonging: A Carillon Call to Care for All." The individual pieces of "Belonging" lift up the voices of Muslim/Arab, African American, Jewish, and Latina/o global brothers and sisters. Each piece is based on profound life stories from individuals to whom I dedicated the piece.</p>
<p>On this Michigan summer evening, thunderstorms rolled in before the concert. A brave contingency of audience members showed up, donned in rain slickers and umbrellas. My dear family shared strawberries and brownies with the guests. As the guests huddled under a covered courtyard, the swirling dark clouds chased each other across the sky, unfurling thunder and lightning bolts. During Belonging's "The Voice of Weeping," which opens an invitation to Jews and all to mourn the atrocities of the Holocaust, the heavens poured forth drenching rain. At the end of "Border ID" (the final piece in "Belonging"), I play swatches of "De Colores," celebrating the colors of the world. Just as the "De Colores" theme sounded, the clouds began to part, and the sun shone through in a promise-laden glow of gold and terra cotta.</p>
<p>Filled with gratitude for brave souls everywhere. You belong.</p>
<p> </p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490582017-12-14T16:00:00-08:002017-12-15T01:40:24-08:00Check out Vidas Pinkevicius' fabulous podcasts!
<p>Filled with gratitude for my friend, colleague, and former student, Vidas Pinkevicius. Check out his wonderful podcast and wealth of resources! Here's the podcast he recently posted of our interview about Bach and the Art of Improvisation, Vol. 2.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.organduo.lt/podcast/sop-podcast-120-pamela-ruiter-feenstra-on-bach-and-the-art-of-improvisation" data-imported="1">http://www.organduo.lt/podcast/sop-podcast-120-pamela-ruiter-feenstra-on-bach-and-the-art-of-improvisation</a></p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490572017-12-13T16:00:00-08:002020-09-01T03:20:20-07:00More resources on Bach and the Art of Improvisation, vol. 2!
<p>Dear Friends,</p>
<p>With joy, I give you three gifts from my recently released Bach and the Art of Improvisation, Vol. II (BAI 2). The first two are here today, and the next will arrive tomorrow.</p>
<p>Listen to two soulful performances of Bach's BWV 1079 & 1043, demonstrating continuo practice of dialogue and duet as Bach taught, composed, and improvised. With gratitude to my beautiful Songbird collaborators: Michael Lynn, traverso; Mary L. Riccardi, Baroque violin; Debra Lonergan, Baroque 'cello. </p>
<p><a href="/bach-continuo-bai-2-audio" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">http://www.pamelaruiterfeenstra.com/bach__continuo_bai_2_audio</a></p>
<p>Thanks for listening,</p>
<p>Pamela</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490562017-10-11T17:00:00-07:002017-10-12T03:16:08-07:00Bach & the Art of Improvisation, Vol. Two available now!
<p>Dear Subscribers,</p>
<p>You are the first to know that Bach and the Art of Improvisation, Vol. Two is available now! See http://www.pamelaruiterfeenstra.com/bach__the_art_of_improvisation_2/</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for your interest and look forward to hearing from you!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Peace,</p>
<p>Pamela</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"> </p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstratag:pamelaruiterfeenstra.com,2005:Post/61490552015-12-01T16:00:00-08:002022-04-24T22:39:16-07:00Hello, Muse!
<p><span style="color:#000080">Dear Friends,</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000080">I hope you'll check out the new <em><strong>Muse</strong></em> series! Through these four volumes, and with your own advocacy, let's work to keep music in the schools, develop strategies for world peace, nurture our souls, find our voices, and experience more about consummate musicianship.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000080">I look forward to hearing your musings!</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000080">Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra</span></p>
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra