Nero and Me

 

They say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Me, I’m playing xylophones with kids while Democracy is shattering and Nature is rattling. I have the grand pleasure this week of teaching again at my old school while my colleague Sofia is teaching in Salzburg. 

 

So last night before dinner, I set down some possibilities of classes with 3^rd, 4^th and 7^th graders on the Monday schedule, choosing from hundreds of games, songs, dances, body percussion, instrumental pieces and combinations of all of the above that are in my repertoire. But also coming up with some new ideas or new ways to do old tried-and- true classes. 

 

After dinner, I rushed back to write down other possibilities or variations of the things I decided to do. Yet again, new things occurred to me before going to sleep and I woke up this morning at 5:00 am with a whole new plan. These are clear signs from the universe that I am far from done in my work as a music teacher. Not exactly new news as I’ve continued to work off and on with kids in two other schools in San Francisco and guest residencies in yet more schools here, there and everywhere. But such clear communication from my Muse that this indeed was what I was born for. Playing piano in all sorts of situations, writing these blogposts and books, recording my new Podcast are all intricately woven with the work, but planning and teaching classes with kids is the main gig, no doubt about it. 

 

Did Nero fiddle out of desperation or sincere joy? Out of the sense that he didn’t know how else to respond or the sense that this was the best he could contribute to the tragedy of our overwhelming human failures and fiascos, collapses and catastrophes? I’ll never know, but me, I’m gathering the kids in a circle and passing out the xylophone mallets. Here’s to a week in heaven while the handcarts are loading up to visit hell.