Sunshine glinting on a paved courtyard. Church bells chiming the hour. Soft melodies floating through the muted sounds of traffic. A solitary figure, perched on a bench, introduced friends and colleagues to the new sounds of the lyra, a small stringed instrument she discovered during a short stay in Crete. Janna explored her recently discovered instrument, taking her audience with her on a journey and sound narrative. The Cretan folksongs helped us appreciate the instrument in its traditional setting. But, when we left the courtyard and entered the 16th century chapel for her recital of improvisation and composition, we learned how the three strings could convey longing, dreaming, as well as the 21st century sounds of traffic, agony, and enjoyment. For an hour, Janna improvised and wove her improvisation in and around the semi-structured compositions she had created for the ground, provided by three classically-trained musicians. The sounds of clarinet, violin, recorder, and cor anglais entered into dialogue with the lyra.
Earlier in the week, Sharon and I had attended several sessions at the literary festival, Ways with Words, in Dartington. The annual festival affords opportunities for writers and readers to meet, learn about the stories that prompted their writing, and to marvel at the variety of topics addressed and interests explored. If I were to find one theme from Ways with Words, it would be follow your passion with confidence. Each author/presenter offered hints about choosing topics, about composing processes, and situated their work in a personal as well as a more global domain. P.D. James begins with the setting; Margaret Drabble looks at the landscape; Antonia Fraser and Julia Nicolson search for the story behind events, and Lord Bragg wonders about science and culture. Janna, in her pursuit of the spirit and soul of the lyra, shares their understanding that you must pursue that which is of interest. All of them knew they were tellers/writers of stories because they loved sharing stories with their families.They may have wondered whether their work would get published but they all knew they had to write. Many began their writing careers after they had worked in other professional areas.
Another group, the South Devon ramblers, also pursues their interests--the Devon landscape with its spectacular coasts, woodland areas, wild moors, and rural areas calls them. They know and love this landscape,willingly sharing their favourite rambles with the group and teaching me about the ruins, stone circles, wild flowers, and birds as we ramble, climb, and yomp
