Diane Barnes, Connecticut

Activities with the Lyre:
The lyre continues to be active at the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School in Newtown, Connecticut, with the lower grades learning the kinderharp, and upper grades students playing the bordun lyres. The children use  the Bleffert iron rods and gongs, as well.  We were very grateful to have John Billing come and play for the students and parents last September. I play the lyre for the Madonna Series presented each year to the students during Advent, and I also make an extra trip down to play for the school's Advent Garden.  The lyre truly helps all who hear it to listen in a new way.

There are several lyre players in the Hudson, Harlemville, Valatie, and Hillsdale areas of New York.  Some of us take turns playing at the Christian Community on Sundays, as do other instrumentalists.  In my corner I have played my alto lyre and sung at the Pumpkin Festival.  I have now played and sung at two Nursing/Adult homes in the area thus far in 2016, and am looking for other such opportunities.  On January 30th, I gave a metal instrument workshop, which included playing bordun lyres.  We saw and heard how the threefold human being is represented and nurtured by these instruments.  The feedback has been very positive. My hope is for more people to learn to play them and sound them out, drawing more people into our work.
With wishes for lyrists working more often together – Diane