Twelve

Though Dec-ember literally means “10^th month,” we know it as the 12^th. 12 is a powerful number, with multiple associations. 12 months in the year, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, 12 hours on the clock marking a 12-hour day and 12-hour night, 12 disciples of Jesus, the 12 Days of Christmas, 12 Gates to the City, 12 Knights of the Round Table, 12 Greek gods on Mt. OIympus, 12 Tribes of Israel, 12 eggs in a dozen. 12/8 time is a powerful meter in West African music, as 12 can be subdivided as 4 groups of 3 or 3 groups of 4 (also 2 groups of 6 and 6 groups of 2), which creates markedly different feelings of the underlying beat in the 12-beat cycle. 

 

I shared this with my granddaughter Zadie, who turned twelve twelve days ago!. Which prompted me to reflect on what happened for me when I was 12 (oh, so long ago!) and then led me to wonder about 24, 36, 48, 60. That was when I realized that at 72, I’m completing my 6^thgroup (half of 12!) of 12-year cycles. I wondered whether they were notable years. Of course, we can spin any year into a notable year, but in fact, these were fairly significant in my personal autobiography. As follows:

 

• 12: 1963— My last year (7^thgrade) at Harrison School Elementary School. Went to my first make-out party and kissed my first girl (Susan Herman). Listened to the first Beatles album released. Listened to my first jazz album (Time Out—Dave Brubeck). Marin Luther King spoke at the March on Washington. President Kennedy was assassinated. 

 

• 24: 1975— Traveled to Guatemala and Belize with my girlfriend Karen, then moved in together in an apartment on Castro Street, San Francisco. Began my first year teaching music at The San Francisco School (Karen’s second year as art teacher) where I would work for 45 years, Karen for 42. Keith Jarrett released The Kohn Concert. 

 

• 36:1987— Traveled to Bali with Karen and our two children, Kerala (7 years old) and Talia (3 years old) to study tingklik xylophone. Briefly met James Harding there, who would later be a colleague at the school for 30 years. Became president of NCAOSA, our local Orff Chapter. First Starbucks opens in Vancouver.

 

• 48: 1999— Kerala is in college and Talia in high school. Teach Orff workshops in Spain, Hawaii, San Diego, Minneapolis, Portland (Oregon), Sacramento. Perform with my Orff group Xephyr at the Phoenix AOSA National Conference. Teach my first classes at The SF Conservatory of Music and my first Level III class at our summer Orff training at Mills College. Record the 14^th cassette tape of music by the SF School Orff Ensembles (Jumping at the Woodside). Also the last tape before changing to CD’s the next year. Cancel our annual snow trip with friends and family because of the y2k scare.

 

• 60: 2011—Begin this Blog!! My first grandchild Zadie is born! Perform at my birthday with a jazz group that becomes Doug Goodkin & the Pentatonics. Teach Orff courses in Korea, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Salzburg, Verona (Italy), Madrid, Lisbon, London, Barcelona, Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina. Perform in SF World Music Festival and Keith Terry’s Body Music Festival. Publish through my Pentatonic Press my colleague Sofia’s book Blue Is the Sea. Daughter Talia begins work as a classroom teacher at The SF School. 

 

• 72: 2023—Highlights so far include publishing Jazz, Joy & Justice, performing with the Pentatonics and Friends at SF Jazz Center, assisting the SF School Orff Ensemble Performanceat the Albuquerque AOSA National Conference and giving my own workshops onThe Humanitarian Musician, attending two local screenings of The Secret Song film about my last year of teaching at school. More to come. And may I make it to 84!

 

So on the first day of the 12^th month, may I suggest you make your own “every-twelve-years-autobiography” and see if it seems to resonate? Happy December!