..'to animate, to bring to life, to enliven, to spark, to create, to produce.'

I picked up a leaflet yesterday which gives that list as a job description for a musical Animateur, plus a definition as one who 'gives ...the chance to connect to the music in new and usually creative ways'.

It struck me that we are all called to be Animateurs in our chosen musical fields whether or not that is our job title. Next thought - what am I doing about it. Final thought - who in my musical life are/were the natural Animateurs, and how do/did they spark, enliven etc.

They are too numerous to mention, and their methods as diverse as their personalities. But one illuminating force used to give me a weekly listening list - not of piano music, but of sumptuous orchestral/operatic/choral/vocal music, which introduced a new range of colours to enrich all that I played, opening musical doors into new and exotic fields.

Today , a quick sprint through YouTube revisited many of those inspiring musical memories. I'll gradually upload some as videos but here are two links. If you enjoy them - please - pass them on :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck9geoxCGkc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl6Zw9iqlrk