Thought Bubble: Susan Reed's Blog

You never know when you will be called upon to give your elevator pitch- and these days it’s more likely to come in the form of a tweet or a post, far away from the lousy reception of an elevator.

While out biking the other day, I was asked, “So, what do you do?”

How often are you asked that? Does your answer change? How has your answer changed over time? Isn’t life fun?

I called over my shoulder, “I write songs and stories for kids and families… to help them make sense of this crazy world we live in… Bye!”

How about you?

I never know when new songs are going to arrive in my heart, and in my brain. They come when they come. The trick of it is- make sure you have a paper and pencil ready.

How much is a million? A LOT! Between Up, Up, Up, Over in the Meadow, and If You’re Happy and You Know It, I’ve had over 1.5 million hits on Youtube. Thank you, one and all, for your interest and undying support.

The best part? I get messages from all over the world- people just saying hi, or saying they love the video, or asking for chord changes. It’s really neat. Yes, we are a global community.

Let’s stay in touch on facebook and twitter. There are new “connect” buttons on my Homepage and Thought Bubbles. Alternatively, look me up, Buttercup:

facebook- Susan Reed, Music & Stories

twitter- SusanReedSongs

I am a mentor at New England Conservatory, for Robyn Bollinger, violinist, and long time friend. She is underway with Project Paganini- an astounding program where she will perform all 24 Paganini Caprices intertwined with stories and historical images, taking you on an educational journey through history. Robyn is pushing the parameters of what is possible with this monumental program. She is transforming the typical classical concert into an adventure.

It’s fun to work with Robyn. We’ve been doing a lot of writing, marketing, and shaping of the event. The list is endless, from photo shoots to programs, text edits to script revisions. Though the list is long, finding the energy to get through it is not.  This is exciting! Robyn is re-defining the typical classical music concert-  she’s exploring new mediums and bringing a breath of fresh air to the common perception that, “Classical music is stuffy.”

Go, Robyn, go!

Project Paganini – Twenty-four Caprices, eight stories, one evening, one performer
Friday, May 4, 2012, 8:30 pm, Pierce Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA

Please come!

Hello Festival Folk. What a fun day!

Here are pdf’s of the tune we worked on today, Dancing Bear. There are two pdf’s, the first is the tune and accompaniment part written out for violin and cello, the second is for violin and viola. Enjoy!

Dancing Bear vln, vcl

Dancing Bear vln, vla

It’s warm, the sun is shining, the earth is creaking as it escapes from winter’s grasp. Here’s a spring song I wrote- it’s gentle, lilting, smiling the whole way through. I sing it with banjo.

Springtime is coming, it’s on the way
Springtime is coming, it’s here today

The sap is flowing in the maple trees
The ice is melting into rivers and streams
Water’s bubbling, rain is falling
Spring is in the air

Springtime is coming, it’s on the way
Springtime is coming, it’s here today

The birds return from their winters rest
They bring their mates and build their nest
The air is sweet, the wind is calm
It carries their joyful songs

Springtime is coming, it’s on the way
Springtime is coming, it’s here today

The sun sends down her gentle rays
The buds and flowers greet the new day
The earth is laughing, giggling, quivering
As new life is begun

Springtime is coming, it’s on the way
Springtime is coming, it’s here today

Happy Spring, everyone!

Because we take the world and we translate it into sound- sound so powerful it doesn’t even stop at your brain. It goes straight to your heart.

We lost a member of our family this week. My sister, Laurie, passed away. It was sudden and unexpected. She is the first of our generation to pass on. Family and friends gathered from all over the country to see her through. With a full day of services, we all celebrated her inner beauty and said goodbye.

I wrote Bowlful of Stones for her. She had a tradition of collecting a stone every time something beautiful happened in her life- a stunning tradition and a gift to us all. It just so happens that this song is the “present” on this site right now. If you see the “present” icon pop up on the right hand side of a page, click on it and it will give you the song as a free download.

A tribute to Laurie. Here are the lyrics:

Apparently I can’t get enough… I started the charango this week- a ten stringed Andean folk instrument. I was attracted to it because of its creation story- a Bolivian folk tale. It’s haunting, compelling, and deep.

Right now I’m learning the instrument. My plan is to tell the story then follow it directly with a tune on the charango. Music and stories, they go together. The tune gives you time to absorb the story.

I’ve got my first tune picked out and- I’ve got it down. Heh. Alturas- it fits the bill. Find me this summer and I’ll tell you a new tale…