Music Inspires Patriotism
I'm not a flag-toting, anthem-singing, Army-joining patriot.
So when I feel truly proud to be an American, it's news.
A few months ago, I took part in an international music festival called "Vivace!" at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster.
The first evening I was there, the American Wind Symphony Orchestra (AWSO), emphasis on American, was playing in the academy's concert hall.
As I listened to AWSO perform its repertoire, I realized the orchestra depicted America beautifully and accurately.
There were wacky characters (the 81-year-old director wore a loud paisley sports jacket), international flavors (the young professional musicians hailed from all over the world - Venezuela, England and Japan, among others) and a backdrop of remarkable music that set up an amazing concert.
The professional acoustics of the academy's concert hall didn't hurt either. When a Japanese piece called for an Odaiko drum - a monstrous drum that symbolizes Japanese warlords - it pounded, echoing in my chest. When a flute's solo reached its lofty high notes, I felt it tingling in my toes.
Hearing AWSO made me want to capture every moment on a movie reel so I could replay it in my mind whenever I wanted. When the orchestra played a medley of tunes from "The Sound of Music," the experience was so breathtaking it was almost sad, knowing I would never be able to hear anything quite as beautiful again.
But how did that make me proud to be an American? I guess I realized that being capable of being that happy when listening to a representation of a country, even if it was just for an hour or two, was a feat worth appreciating.
A guest instructor at the festival later told me that certain types of music are like water or wind in color and mood.
In retrospect, I believe he was right. When AWSO mixed the fluid elements of sparkling, rushing water and whispering, meandering wind, the result was magic.
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