Book Review: “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Vol 2” by Anna Cooper -and- Tanser Family Crowd-Funding

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If you are looking for music to engage and enliven your lyre group this summer, we have the book for you!  “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2” by Anna Prokhovnik Cooper has a rich variety of pieces for lyre ensemble (in addition to one solo piece) that will without a doubt become some of your group’s new favorite music.

There are 11 pieces in this volume.  Beautifully published by Upper Esk Music, this volume has a diverse offering of pieces and is very accessible to groups of all levels.  There are two pieces arranged specifically for beginning players:  two duets from “The English Dancing Master” (1651).  As well as one challenging, but extremely rewarding arrangement of Schumann’s glorious “Träumerie.”

 The majority of the pieces in this book are for lyre trios (2 sopranos and 1 alto) and they span the centuries, with music from the Renaissance up to some very contemporary pieces.  In the classical realm, there is a lovely arrangement of “Variations on Greensleeves” (from the original composition for recorder and harpsichord) and Schubert’s “Serenade.” 

 Unique to this volume is its selection of contemporary pieces for lyre trios.  “From the Northern Lands” by Japanese composer Sada Masashi is absolutely beautiful and very moving as arranged by Anna Cooper.  There is also “Pink Lady” by British composer Pamela Wedgewood and “Farewell to Stromness” by Peter Maxwell Davies.  Colin Tanser’s beloved “Sea Mist” and the timeless “As Time Goes By” appear in this collection as well as an original composition by Ms. Cooper, “Le Flaneur.”

 Anna Prokhovnik Cooper’s talents as a teacher and performer clearly inform her settings for lyre ensembles and soloists.  She knows how to choose music suitable for the lyre, and her arrangements are consistently beautiful, playable, and joyful.  You will find yourself returning to this volume of music for years to come!

Click here to see Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2 in LANA’s store.

In addition to this review of Anna's latest lyre arrangements, the Board of LANA would like to share with you a special fundraising opportunity that Anna has shared with us on behalf of the family of another of our beloved lyre composers, Colin Tanser.

Dear LANA friends,

I am writing this appeal on behalf of the Tanser family, for Lisa Attias (Tanser), who is Colin and Jennie Tanser's oldest daughter. Within our lyre circles, Colin was a much-loved lyrist, teacher, therapist, composer, and friend, who was the guest master teacher at the 2006 International Lyre Conference in Belfast, where we first experienced his beautiful piece "Everyman" for lyres and children's voices. He was also the guest teacher for one of your LANA conferences a number of years ago and has written a lot of beautiful and valuable lyre music that continues to be played and enjoyed all over the world.

Colin died last year of Parkinson's disease, after a very difficult time during Covid when his family was unable to visit for his last entire year of life. The Tanser family is now going through another crisis, as Lisa now has stage 4 melanoma, having struggled with cancer for 20 years. She has found a clinic in Germany that hopefully can help her, but it's an extremely expensive process, and requires several trips to Germany.

We friends of the Tanser family are reaching out to you all to ask for some help for this critical situation. Jennie has sold Colin's lyres to help with the fund, and Lisa and her husband Jeremy have a "Just Giving" page for anyone who feels that they can contribute even a small sum to help.

We would be exceptionally grateful for any help or support. Lisa is in our prayers.

With love and gratitude,
Anna Prokhovnik Cooper.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-attias/updates/7a33f?utm_term=xPrkxE6Qq

Regional Lyre Gatherings with Veronika Roemer

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All are invited to a small lyre get-together with Veronika Roemer at Margo Ketchum's home in Kimberton, PA on July 30-31, 2022 from 9 am to 5 pm each day. There will be a 3-hour session with a break each morning (9:00 am to 12:00 pm) and afternoon (2:00 to 5:00 pm). We are asking $5 per session (or $15 for all 4 sessions) to help defray Veronika’s expenses. On Saturday afternoon we will play pieces in memory of Kerry Lee, who died on Sept 8, 2020.

Each session will be independent, so feel free to come to one or two or all of them. We will have music for all playing levels, unison and in parts, and will address special technical questions such as damping, repeated notes, and more. Some sessions will also include singing, with and without the lyre.

To sign up, please fill out this form by July 27.
For questions, please contact Margo at lyrists@gmail.com or 610-608-9281.

L-R: Christiane, Margo, McKenna, Melanie, & Veronika

Music Workshop
Introducing New Impulses in Music

August 5 & 6 – 2022
New Vision Church: N14W27995 Silvernail Rd. Pewaukee, WI (just south of I-94 / at the SS EXIT)

Instructor: Veronika Roemer

In each workshop session we will sing, play various instruments such as bordun lyres, wood, and metal instruments, do rhythm games and more.

Friday night - 6:30 -9:00 pm

  • Introduction to New Impulses in Music – gongs, graces, and sacred rounds. (Bordun Lyres)

Saturday morning - 9:30am -12:00 noon

  • Pentatonic lyres and lullabies.

o “Little Lyre Sing to Me” story. Story time is - 9:30 10:15 You are welcome to bring a 5- to 7-year-old child. Pick up must be arranged for children by 10:30. All children and drivers are invited to STORY TIME free of charge. No childcare available.

• 10:30-12:00 Continuation of kinder lyre for adults.

Break for lunch 12-2 - Bring your own lunch - lunch on your own or - or pre order boxed lunches.

Saturday afternoon - 2:00-4:30 pm

• Seasonal, international, and festival songs and rounds. Metal instruments and improvisational soundscapes. Solo lyre demonstration.

Cost of individual workshops: $35.00 each – All three sessions $90. Cash or check only – payable to Rafael Foundation.

  • Please RSVP by August 1st

  • Day of event walk-ins will be permitted as space allows

  • A limited number of scholarships are available.

Event Sponsored by: The Rafael Foundation for New Impulses in Music Board of Directors: Gail Sauter – President, Lori Brunt – Vice President, Julie Schramke – Treasurer, Dawn Imes – Secretary

RSVP AND REGISTRATION FORM

New Impulses in Music - August 5 - 6th 2022

Full Name: __________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

CITY__________________ STATE________ ZIP____________

Email: ______________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________

I plan to attend:

o ____Friday night 6:30 -9:00 pm

o ____Saturday morning 9:30 -12:00 am – Child*__________

o ____Saturday afternoon 2:00-4:30 pm

AII THREE SESSIONS $90.00 - Individual sessions $35.00 each -

_____Box Lunch on Saturday add $15.00

_____Cheese _____Meat ______Vegetarian ______Gluten Free Bread

CHECK ENCLOSED ________________Payable to: Rafael Foundation Inc.

MAIL TO: JULIE SCHRAMKE- Treasurer, 2008 Oaklawn AVE., Waukesha, 53188

  • Please RSVP by August 1st to: j.schramke58@gmail.com 262) 547-5572

  • A limited number of scholarships are available please submit your request on form.

  • *All children and drivers are invited to STORY TIME free of charge. No childcare available.

  • **A limited number of private music lessons may be coordinated with Veronika directly. (½ hour minimum @ $1.00 per minute – Saturday evening only.)

  • Covid consciousness steps will be Observed. Masks, hand sanitizer and spray disinfectants will be available.

  • Please do not attend the day of the workshop if you have symptoms or have been exposed.

  • Refunds will be cheerfully honored.

Lyre Rentals

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LANA’s Lyre Rental program offers a variety of beautiful rental lyres, providing the opportunity for players of all levels to rent before making an investment in buying a lyre.  Many of our lyres are available through our rent-to-buy program, and we make every effort to match the right lyre with the right lyre player.  Monthly fees for lyre rentals range from $25 to $35 per month, with the option to rent for two years before committing to purchase.  A bonus to renting through our program is enrollment in the Lyre Connection program, which matches beginners with volunteer mentors!

The lyres we currently have available for rent are:

  • Choroi pentatonic children’s lyre with 7 strings

  • Rose small soprano student lyre with 27 strings (g-a’’)

  • Gartner small soprano student lyre with 27 strings (g-a’’)

  • Salem small alto lyre with 35 strings (G-f’’)

  • Gartner alto lyre with 38 strings (E-a’’)

Please contact Julia Elliott (juliabelliott@gmail.com or 978-771-7372) with any questions or to rent a lyre through our program.

Featured Rental Lyre

The Lyre Association is pleased to feature this special Salem small alto lyre through our rentals program.  Built by Horst Nieder’s workshop in Germany, this small alto lyre is made of a variety of woods, including maple and elm. It has a warm, beautiful tone. This lyre has been lovingly maintained and well played by its previous owner. We are delighted to include this Salem small alto lyre in our inventory as we continue to expand our rental options for our members.

LANA member Christiane Landowne with the Salem Small Alto Lyre

Further news from the International Lyre Conference

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Dear friends,

As of June 2nd, our World Lyre Conference has 40 registered participants from 12 countries around the world (CZE, AUT, BEL, IRL, ECU, MYS, CHE, DEU, ISR, GBR, USA, FRA). Our Pedagogical Lyre Conference has 16 registered participants. We can therefore confirm the holding of the conferences on the planned dates of August 5–7th and August 7th–14th, 2022 in the Czech Republic, specifically in the Castle Stables and in the Monasteries of Český Krumlov.

All the information about the Program and the practical information about the Accommodation, Conference Fee, Transport, Food as well as the Sign-Up Form for registration can be found on our website: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022. The pre-booked accommodation is extended until the end of June.

We look forward to meeting you at the 8th World Lyre Conference.

Sincerely,
Helena Hlaváčková
Organizer and Coordinator of WLC

World Lyre Conference 2022

Please note: LANA’s Financial Aid deadline is June 30. You can find the Financial Aid form at the following link: https://forms.gle/BnSm8W6CHQ33y6CQ9.

Last call for registration for the 8th World Lyre Conference

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Dear friends,

The international conference in the Czech Republic is quickly approaching. We wish to remind everyone that the deadline for registration with the reduced conference fee is May 30th.  The deadline for pre-booked accommodation in Český Krumlov is also May 30th. 

The program of this unique conference is here.

The conference is designed for more than 100 participants in the large hall of the Castle Riding Hall. However, if the number of registered participants is still lower than 100 by the 30th of May, we have now arranged for the possibility to hold the conference in smaller castle premises with a smaller number of workshops. 

In any case, we encourage everyone to please register before the 30th of May. 
We look forward to seeing you and wish you a beautiful summertime.

Helena Hlaváčková
Organizer and Coordinator of the World Lyre Conference 2022

LYRE 2022 UPDATE

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In order for the upcoming international conference to go forward, a minimum of 100 participants need to have registered by May 30th or the conference will once again have to be postponed until next year. We strongly encourage all LANA members and friends who are considering attending this conference to register as soon as possible in order to be reflected in those numbers! When you register, the conference fees can be sent to LANA and will be held there until after May 30th for easy reimbursement OR conversion to Czech krone and sent on to the conference organizers, according to the outcome of the numbers registered. For practical purposes, plane reservations could be booked after May 30th.

In case you missed it, here is a link to the most updated conference brochure. We would also like to remind all members that the LANA's Lyre 2022 Financial Aid application was sent out last week to offer support to potential attendees among our membership. The deadline for application is June 30th. You can find the Financial Aid form at the following link: https://forms.gle/BnSm8W6CHQ33y6CQ9.

Colleen Shetland for the LANA Board

Book Review: FOR A MOMENT – ‘Listen to the Listening’, by Stephan Kühne

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by Debra Barford

Stephan Kühne trained as a music therapist with Maria Schüppel at Musiktherapeutische Arbeitsstätte in Berlin and works as a music therapist at a community hospital in Berlin. In this collection of music, he shares 32 of his compositions for lyre, used at various times when working with children and adolescents on psychiatry wards, with others on cardiology units, and for those with chronic pain.

Most of the compositions can be attempted by even a beginning lyrist, but they are deceptively simple for more experienced lyrists to master. The tone, tempi, and modes are variable, but all challenge the lyrist to enter into an inner listening relationship, which requires time and practice to develop. Almost all of the pieces are for solo lyre, with two written for three lyres.

As I have worked with these pieces, I have decided that the first and last ones are among my favorites. The first, Zeit Vergeht (Time Passes), with its large melodic intervals that must be made to move smoothly from one tone to the next, with ear and heart following, leaves a kind of ‘after-listening’ that invites one to stop and actively listen to the resounding of the silent movement that occurs once the playing is finished. The last piece, 21st of September, has a melodic gesture that alternates between 4 and 3 beats per measure, blurring the exact meter, and extending the melodic movement with each phrase. By the end of this short piece, the sounded tones, which started in the middle of the lyre, extend both downward and upward in a widening gesture that results in a feeling of inner expansion and balance in the lyrist – and, I imagine, in the listener as well.

FOR A MOMENT – “Listen to the Listening”
Contents:
Zeit Vergeht – Time Passes
Wohlgemuth – Light Hearted
Wie es ist – It is What it Is
Fragend – Questioning
Nicht Allein – Not Alone
Im Schwung – In the Swing
Piece in e-minor
Osterwind – Written Easter Sunday
Im Glockenklang – Bell Sound
Mit dem Wasser – With the Water
Sonne – Sun
Im Moll – In minor
Zwei Geschwister I – Two Sisters I
Zwei Geschwister II – Two Sisters II
Zu Zweit – In Twos
Für Drei Ganz Verschieden – Trio with unique parts
Zum Abend – In Evening
21st of September

Click here to see Listening to the Listening in LANA’s store.

International Conference – Lyre Symposium 2022

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Lyre Symposium 2022

World Lyre Conference 2022

The Presence of Spirit:
Playing the Lyre as an Art of Presence

LANA is pleased to share the updated news from our Czech colleagues that as of May 1st, the international lyre conference or "Lyra-Symposium" in the Czech Republic is on track to go forward as planned with the weekend pedagogical conference running from August 5–7 and the main conference taking place the following week from August 7–14, 2022.

As of April 9th, neither Covid vaccines nor tests are now being required to enter the country, therefore it should be possible for everyone who wishes to travel to Český Krumlov.  It is recommended, however, that travelers check requirements for specific airlines and countries they might be traveling through to get to the Czech Republic as well as with the US Embassy regarding any requirements for re-entering the US.

Since payment must be made in the Czech currency, LANA is prepared to assist with this process.  Please send your registration payment via LANA's website, and LANA will arrange the international exchange on your behalf after receiving your payment.

Register for the 2022 World Lyre Conference here: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022, then click LANA’s website link to submit payment) – and we’ll do the international exchange on your behalf. Please confirm via email to Margo Ketchum at lyrists@gmail.com.

(Or mail by check to – Lyre Symposium c/o LANA, 2237 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460.)

Symposium fees:

*Reduced fee (for students under 26 years, seniors with fixed incomes, and expectant parents)

Up until May 30th: Amount to pay (as of today) –

  • Fee for participants – 6450 CZK or $285.30 USD

  • Reduced fee* – 3860 CZK or $170.74 USD

After May 30th 2022:

  • Fee for participants – 7450 CZK or $329.53 USD

  • Reduced fee* – 4860 CZK or $214.97 USD

Lyre rental cost – 1200 CZK or $53.08 USD

Note: The conference fees can be refunded in full up until the end of June 2022 or at any time, should the event be canceled by the organizer.

LODGING: Map showing accommodations

Please check the conference website for updates: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022.

We are hoping that many of you are considering making plans to join your international colleagues for this important conference.  We understand that the current situation is quite difficult for everyone, and we do not know what the future holds. The words of Flavia Betti, lyre teacher from Brazil, speak deeply to our current world situation: “The living strength of the tone has never been more evident to me. Never has music been more needed…” Recognizing the importance of music and especially of the lyre at this time as well as all of the important impulses from teachers, players, and lyre builders, we continue to prepare optimistically for the 2022 World Lyre and Pedagogical Conferences.

The 8th World Lyre Conference in Český Krumlov aims to revive the lyre community with joint creativity, and to support the lyre community in the Czech Republic, but above all to bring the quality of live lyre music played on many lyres to the contemporary world. We cordially invite all of our lyre colleagues throughout the world to join us!

Colleen Shetland and Sheila Johns for the LANA Board

The Silent Minute

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Peggy Grimshaw from the Arion Lyre Association has shared the following thoughts as an addendum to our new Lyre Mantle initiative taken in response to our current world situation. In conjunction with our lyre playing, perhaps we can consider joining others worldwide with this additional inner observance.

Instead of the helplessness with which we express our concern about the current situation in Ukraine, we can use powerful and non-violent means to try to make a difference. Since 1940, the activity of the Silent Minute has lived – beginning with English military officers who experienced the hopelessness of the fight against Hitler's Germany.

Major Wellesley Tudor Pole, who initiated the silent minute, wrote the following:

There is no power on earth that can withstand the united cooperation on spiritual levels of men and women of goodwill everywhere. It is for this reason that the continued and widespread observance of the Silent Minute is of such vital importance in the interest of human welfare.

Since 1940, in the time before the Battle of Britain and the so-called Blitzkrieg, people all over the world, of different faiths, have agreed that every evening at 21:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), a moment of silence would be observed – a moment of meditative peace, in which everyone considers a prayer for peace, a saying, a poem, or an ideal to provide a portal for cooperation with an “unseen but mighty army” in the subtle realms.

The impulse was later taken up again – in 2001, on the occasion of 9/11 – and it is still alive today.

Thank you for sharing this inspiring proposal with us, Peggy!

The World Lyre Conference 2022

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Dear friends of the lyre,

We are pleased to announce that registration for the World Lyre Conference 2022 will be open on Sunday 13th of March, and you will find all of the information on our updated website -
www.lyra-symposium.cz.

We regret that in our current world situation, we cannot predict what may happen tomorrow,
much less in August, but we can choose to be more present for this moment, and hopefully, our
conference will be held this year in Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic from the 7th to the 14th of August, with the Pedagogical conference from the 5th to the 7th of August.

Thank you for your patience and goodwill in accepting this situation as it is, staying fully present
in the moment, and being aware of possible changes that may arise.

With warm regards, with peace and with hope,

Helena Hlaváčková (Bartošová) with the WLC team
Organizer and Coordinator of World Lyre Conference 2022

St. Patrick’s Day is coming!

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Book Review: Irish Traditional Slow Airs Volumes III - V

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By Dr. Andrea Intveen, Music Therapist, Ulm, Germany

Volumes III through V of John Clark’s arrangements of Irish traditional Slow Airs are now available in LANA's online Music Store. As in the previous two volumes, the tunes come in three different versions: First, the tune on its own, then the same with embellishments and chord indications, and last but not least, the tune with harmonies, as well as chord indications. Volume III contains 30 tunes, Volume IV another 32, and Volume V adds another 44 tunes to the collection. The pieces are intended for solo or ensemble playing on melodic and accompanying instruments.

Personally, I have been playing them on my small Gärtner alto lyre that I only got fairly recently after not being able to play lyre for quite a few years (due to the lack of an instrument). I actually find the pieces in all five volumes ideal for getting into it again, having become a bit “rusty” on the lyre. I usually play the tune on its own and later with harmonies – I haven’t had the courage to approach the embellished versions yet. This usually works quite well for me, and mostly the fairly limited range of my small instrument isn’t a problem. Very rarely, a few notes are “missing” but it is easily possible to improvise around it. The tunes are also nicely playable with guitar, tin whistle, low whistle, or violin – just to mention a few possibilities.

In working my way through the books, I found some favourites among the pieces. For example, “Port Na bPúcaí” (Tune of the Fairies, No. 84, Volume III). I perceived it as etherical, light, and clearly modal in quality. The harmonies – perfectly set by John with movements of parallel fifths – give the tune a lingering impression. Or No. 76 in the same volume (Marbhna Luimní/Lament for Limerick): I heard it for the first time played by the Chieftains many years ago (“Limerick’s Lamentation”), and played it on tin whistle myself. It’s one of the few pieces in this whole collection I actually knew before. I really enjoyed playing John’s version with its absolutely gorgeous harmonies on the lyre. Tune No. 101 in Volume IV with the impressive title “Separation of Soul and Body” was apparently wrongly attributed to Turlough O’Carolan. But whoever the original composer was, it is a lovely melody – again brought to life in a most beautifully melancholic way by John’s harmonies.

“Last Night, As I Was Thinking of the Ways of the World” is piece No. 153 in Volume V. While playing through it, I perceived it as calm, pensive, and almost dreamlike. I also liked No. 168 in the same volume very much (“The Song of the Blackbird”), possibly because of its peaceful character.

The few tunes I mentioned here are of course only a fraction of the vast collection John created. They are all quite special in their own way and very well worth playing. This collection of Irish slow airs is a gem for every lyre player, no matter what skill or level of playing. I can only vaguely imagine the enormous amount of work that is behind this very impressive compilation of tunes. I would highly recommend these books to any lyre player.

Book Review: An Irish Collection for the Lyre

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We are excited to offer Anna Prokhovnik Cooper’s most recent collection of music for lyre groups. An Irish Collection for the Lyre contains arrangements of 16 traditional Irish tunes as well as melodies by Turlough O’Carolan and a beautiful nocturne by 19th-century Irish composer, John Field. The pieces are set for different combinations of lyres: some for solo lyre, some for duos, and some for two soprano lyres and an alto lyre. Notably, the collection contains a group of tunes entitled “Three Pieces for Lyre Teacher and Pupil” (“Kerry Slide,” “Buttered Peas,” and “South Wind”) that are duos arranged simply so that early players can join in with confidence.

The composer says: “… I find that Irish music speaks to us all in a special way. It expresses fun, sadness, joy, and pain in a way we can all relate to.” This collection truly taps into the range of human experiences and emotions that Irish music so vividly embodies. From the haunting “She Moved Through the Fair” to the joyous, energetic “John O’Connor,” Anna Cooper has artfully set pieces that are moving and resonant, suiting the lyre perfectly. And because the arrangements accommodate so many different groupings, there is something here for everyone.

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, we highly recommend this beautiful collection of Irish music!

Julia Elliott, for LANA Music Sales

Lyre Mantle for Ukraine

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Dear friends of the lyre,

Due to recent and ongoing events taking place in Ukraine, the wish has been expressed to me to reawaken our international Lyre Mantle initiative with the attached composition by Christian Giersch, Kleines Gebet in Klang für Leier rund um die Erde ("Short prayer in sound for Lyre surrounding the Earth"). This powerful piece of music dedicated to the memory of Channa Seidenberg could very well also be played to address so much else that is going on in the world right now that calls for our renewed musical efforts. The sounding of this musical prayer throughout the world will also serve to strengthen our unity and awareness of each other across the globe, transcending time and space.

With warm greetings,
Veronika Roemer

Click here for this free music download.

Calling for contributions for Lyre Notes

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Spring 2022 Lyre Notes, coming out soon . . .

We welcome news, stories, short articles, photos, and announcements of lyre happenings in your region.... also reviews about any item in our music sales store as well as ads from our members.

If you are using special music for the Lyre Mantle, we'd like to know what you’re playing!

The copy deadline is March 10th.

Send contributions: lyrists@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!!

International Conference – Lyre 2022

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Dear Friends,

Rising out of the global situation that did not permit us to gather as a world lyre community in the summer of 2021 as originally planned, our brave colleagues and friends in the Czech Republic have rescheduled their hosting of our international lyre conference for this summer of 2022.

The conference has been planned to take place in the stunningly beautiful town of Český Krumlov in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic from August 7–14, preceded by a Pedagogical Conference from August 5–7.

The theme that has been chosen is “The Presence of Spirit: Playing the Lyre as an Art of Presence.” During our musically rich days together, we will be able to experience the following:

  • Meeting with lyre-builders and music publishers

  • Workshops for all the levels of playing the lyre (for children and young players, for beginners and advanced players)

  • Eurythmy, meditation work, open stages, concerts, lectures

  • Rehearsals for the common public concert.

The full program will be published in March, but a number of lyrists from around the world have already submitted workshop offerings, including three from the United States. Some will address the conference theme and others will address more broadly-themed aspects of lyre playing. All of the workshop proposals sound intriguing and pertinent! For more detail, please see https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/symposium-2020/workshopy.

It would need to be said that although the planning is going forward without impediment, the reality on the ground is a moving target, and over the next several months, we will need to pay careful attention to hopeful changes in travel requirements that are currently still barring the entrance of many of our colleagues from around the world. We ask you to join us in putting all of our positive thoughts toward policy changes that would open the Czech Republic to all who would wish to travel there. LANA will be publishing updates on this situation and the conference in general here in this blog and in our Lyre Notes.

Please also feel free to consult the conference website at any time for updates (ignoring any 2021 year indications...): https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2021.

Because we have not been together as an international lyre community since 2018 in the Netherlands, this summer's gathering will be a particularly joyous event! We hope that many of you will consider joining us in this very special fairytale land of castles and fortresses to sound the lyre together once again as an international community of musicians and friends!

With enthusiasm for the musical possibilities before us.

Sheila Johns for the LANA Board

From Brazil - Gift of the Butterfly Dance

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Dear Friends of the Lyre!

The world needs more joy, more optimism, more lightness... the Butterfly Dance brings light and joy when we play it.

Two years ago we received Longing for Spring, sent by Veronika Roemer. At that time, it brought for me a kind of lull, that I could share with my lyre students.

So, I send now my Butterfly Dance, a pentatonic composition, hoping that it can bring light to your hearts

With love,
Karla Polanczyk
https://www.cantaro.com.br/

Download a free copy of Butterfly Dance from our store here.
To see more from the LANA store, click here.

Prints and Postcards of the Raphael Madonnas

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NEW IN OUR STORE! Prints of the Raphael Madonnas – set of 15, size 19 x 13”

Set of 15 Prints

Raphael’s paintings of the Madonna express secret truths. Rudolf Steiner described the healing effects of Raphael’s Madonnas in August 1908, and between 1908 and 1911 he directed Dr. Felix Peipers to arrange fifteen images as a therapeutic meditation for patients suffering from emotional disturbances. Sometimes called the Raphael Madonna Series, these fifteen pictures invite our active contemplation. Each image can awaken inner pictures that lift us into communion with realms beyond the physical world, stirring our feelings of wonder and reverence and opening our souls to divine mysteries. – By Brian Gray, from Discovering the Zodiac in the Raphael Madonna Series.

“In the different arts… we are presented with different languages that give expression to certain truths living in the human soul. They are often the most secret truths, the most secret knowledge, which cannot readily be reduced to rigid concepts nor clothed in abstract formula, but seek artistic expression.”

– Rudolf Steiner, 29th April 1909.

Book Review: “Xavier Sings Stories of His Alphabet Friends”

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Xavier Sings Stories of His Alphabet Friends
By Mary Lynn Channer

See this new book in the LANA store here. 10 copies available now at $17.50 each.

I have been using several songs from Xavier Sings Stories of His Alphabet Friends (by Mary Lynn Channer) for many years, much to the delight of my beginning first grade lyre students. The beautiful illustrations and catchy lyrics make these songs fun and bring true joy to the children’s faces. It makes learning the fingerings of the fifths in “Naughty Nymph” a fun challenge. The children build their vocabularies as well, as they try to think of the meaning of such words and phrases as raucous and regal revelation in the “Raucous Rooster” song. The children insist on playing and singing “Raucous Rooster” in every lesson! Thank you, Mary Lynn, for sharing your delightful songs with us.

Review by Nancy Carpenter
LANA President and lyre teacher at The Detroit Waldorf School

A note about the author, Mary Lynn Channer: Mary Lynn Channer, BME, is a graduate of the Dorion School of Music Therapy. As a vocal and strings teacher for over fifty years, she has applied the educational principles of Rudolf Steiner in Waldorf schools and various other settings. Even as a child growing up in Canada, she loved to draw pictures and make up songs. Now in her later years of life as an anthroposophical music therapist, she considers these creative activities essential for the nourishment of all children – more important than knowing their ABCs! The delicate tones of the lyre have been the background of all this work.

Xavier Sings Stories of His Alphabet Friends is a 91-page, beautifully illustrated book with a song for every letter of the alphabet. Audio files of the songs can be found at Waldorf Publications: www.waldorfpublications.org/collections/xavier-sings-of-his-alphabet-friends-audio-files. This book is a treasure for parents and teachers of young children.

For a current list of featured book reviews, click here.

Have you read the recent issue of LYRE NOTES?

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LYRE NOTES - Advent 2021

READ IT HERE: https://mailchi.mp/5b7e719bedef/lana-advent-2021

  • An "Ode" to the Season

    • Including excerpts from Lyre Newsletters in 1986 and 1991. Christof-Andreas Lindenberg‘s words from 30 years ago are more relevant now than ever before….

  • Greetings from President Nancy Carpenter and the Board of LANA

    • We are pleased to include a seasonal gift of music, a free download from lyrist John Billing for all of our members and friends, to thank each of you for your continued financial as well as soul support.

  • Used Lyres For Sale

    • LANA offers its members the opportunity to buy and sell used lyres through Lyre Notes and on our website. The sales transaction is solely between the buyer and the seller, and we do not take responsibility for the condition of lyres being sold or purchased. All communication must go directly through the seller, and buyers should have all their questions answered before purchasing a used lyre.

  • LYRE Rentals

    • The Lyre Association has lyres of various types and sizes that are available for LANA members to rent. Monthly rent is typically $20–$40, depending upon the size and quality of the lyre. For more information on lyre rentals, go to: lyreassociation.org/lyre-rentals, or contact Julia Elliott – (978) 352-5581 / juliabelliott@gmail.com.

The Board of LANA is grateful for your support. Tax-deductible donations from members and friends around the world are so important in defraying the costs of accomplishing our mission. Our membership numbers continue to grow, and we look forward to bringing even more new lyrists to LANA. We invite all members to help us in this endeavor and urge you to consider promoting membership in the Lyre Association among your lyre-playing friends so that more people can enjoy the community support of the ‘freed tone’ that is so rare in our world today.