Lyre Work in Review: Durham, North Carolina

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By Joanna Carey, Durham, NC - joannapcarey@gmail.com

This year the lyre has been used primarily for festivals, for the Dead and for the Christian Community.

During Holy Week: Each day during Holy Week, eurythmist Eve Olive and I worked with the planetary tones, scales, and movement for each day. Roger Schultz brought reading material, and together we provided a daily offering for contemplation during the week. As a beloved member of our community had just crossed the Threshold, we also included her in our efforts. In addition, we offer a special eurythmy/lyre musical event for members in their first three days after crossing the Threshold. We play and move with all the planetary spheres as a recognition of the journey of the Dead.

Michaelmas: Lyre music was part of the beginning and the end of our offering.

Advent: Numerous activities occurred. An adult Advent Spiral walk was accompanied by lyre music. Zodiacal music was played for each painting/sculpture of the Madonna Sequence on two occasions during Advent.

We have a bi-monthly reading for the Dead where lyre music is played, also as an improvisation around the planetary scale of the day. Eve and I are also involved in a performance piece on the mysteries of birth and pre-birth. This offering is accompanied by lyre.

Occasional Christian Community services are blessed with lyre music.

I have almost entirely resorted to improvisational music now, as I find it so much more interesting than most written music. Also, because I am a solo lyre player, it works best for me. I love to experience what occurs in the moment. It becomes as a kind of offering for the spiritual world that often comes as a wonderful surprise, almost as if I am played upon myself. It’s difficult to explain, but I am learning to allow greater forces working through me to play the music. I then become the vehicle for its manifestation. I’m very grateful for these experiences and for my lyre and the ability to engage in this way. I encourage others to try it if you haven’t yet. It’s full of mystery and a feeling of goodness and beauty.