If I had to name one thing that has been constant and forever present in my life it would be music. As far back as I can remember there has been music everywhere I turned and it is something that continues to bring me happiness and joy on a daily basis. In the Clarke house there’s rarely a time when someone isn’t singing or playing an instrument and that, for me, is exactly as it should be. Some of my earliest memories are when my Dad used to come home after feeding the pigs on the farm where I grew up and would give me my bath followed by singing and dancing to records in my sister’s room. The Seekers and The Spinners were our groups of choice and I remember knowing all the words! Then whenever we used to drive anywhere in the car we had to sing to entertain ourselves, I don’t think our car even had a radio! A few years later and my Mum used to drive me to school and we would sing my times tables in the car, which was definitely the best way to learn them!
Things have moved on a pace since those days and now we listen to music played to us by Alexa and played through our portable speaker which we move from room to room as needed. We really need to get ourselves sorted with some more speakers around our home, I love these Panasonic Multi Room Speakers, they would be so handy to be able to listen to music wherever I am in the house from whichever device I choose to stream from. I particularly like to listen to tunes while I clean, it definitely makes it far more enjoyable!
Music was definitely my first love, as the song says! I started to learn the violin when I was 6 and joined the church choir at 7. I went to a particularly musical school and was always taking part in music concerts and competitions. I continued to enjoy music well into adulthood playing in orchestras and singing in choirs and I still sing in a local choir every week which I absolutely love. I don’t just love to perform music I also like to listen, and there isn’t really any particular genre that I favour. If it’s tuneful and I can sing to it then I’m a fan! Over the years I’ve attended so many gigs from Jason Donovan and Chris De Burgh (cringe!) to Elton John and Bryan Adams in my youth and Olly Murs and Robbie Williams more recently. This year we’re off to see Ed Sheeran and I am so excited! Someone else who is looking forward to this event is my very own musical ginger haired boy!
Archie seems to have picked up the musical gene and has loved to sing from a very young age. At 4 years old he started attending a Saturday morning music school which was where his talent for the violin was discovered. I was very keen for him to play an instrument but the violin wouldn’t have been my first choice as both my sister and I played as did my nephew so I thought it might be nice for him to play something different. He was adamant though and so started lessons of 10 minutes a week when he was just 5. He’s now 13 and studying for his Grade 7 and has long since surpassed my talent! His love of music has now developed into more contemporary styles and he can often be seen plugged into the computer on his launch-pad making his own electronic music.
It doesn’t stop there, Andrew’s eldest son, Harry, is a keen guitarist and drummer and is due to go to university to study music performance in September and my nephew Chris is just coming to the end of his Music Technology degree and will be continuing to pursue his own career in music. Phoebe is learning the recorder and loves to sing and dance and Andrew loves to sing…albeit with the wrong words which really drives me crazy! In the Christmas holidays we all went to see The Greatest Showman and, like the majority of the population, can be seen singing and dancing along to the soundtrack in our kitchen. I’m pretty sure Alexa is getting a bit sick of being asked to play ‘This is me’ or being told to ‘sing us a song’ but to be honest if you’re gonna live with the Clarkes then you’ve got to get with the music!
Music has been a huge influence when it comes to overcoming anxiety in our house. Personally, I find singing helps me forget and also enables me to control my breathing. My breathing is the tell-tale sign for me that my anxiety is heightened and I suffer with uncontrollable yawning and sighing. It’s flippin’ exhausting and can often leave me feeling very light headed. Singing takes me away from it all and the breathing control required helps control the yawning and it usually disappears altogether. Archie started suffering from panic attacks at 9 years old and it took 3 years for us to find the perfect distraction…drumming! He started to learn the drums when he joined secondary school and has an electronic set in his bedroom (it saves our ears!). One night when he felt an attack coming on I sent him to play the drums and the panic attack was pretty much over before it even started. It’s like magic and for Archie, knowing he can now control the attacks, has actually meant he has far fewer of them. I actually can’t remember the last time he had one which is such a huge relief.
I really can’t imagine our lives without music. The pleasure it brings and they way it brings us together as a family is truly wonderful and I would hate that to ever change. Archie is talking of perhaps following a career as a music therapist and I can’t think of anything more perfect than him being able to use music to bring happiness and strength to the lives of others in the same way it has for all of us.
Mummy in a Tutu
Music is so great for changing the way you feel. I love that you use it to help with anxiety. I have sung to my kids since they were very little. I love a musical and now so do they – I think they thought if you can’t shut her up join her 😉
HA ha! Yep that’s probably how my kids feel too!
I love this post. Music has always been a big part of my life, from learning to play recorder, keyboard and flute at school, my dad attempting to teach me guitar and fond memories of us singing to the chart in the car when he took me home from my weekend at his. Despite him passing away nearly 18 years ago, those memories stay with me and comfort me. Now I too love singing and my son loves to dance about and sing songs. My daughter is already reacting to my singing which I’m pleased about but give it a few years and she’ll probably be telling me to be quiet! ha ha! Music is so therapeutic. #BloggerClubUK
It’s amazing how music can bring so many memories with it!
Oh I love this post! You sound like the kind of household I’d like to visit for an evening! Like you I’ve always had background music to my whole existence, of every possible genre. I’ve thought about compiling a list of the soundtrack of my life but it’s just too impossible to even begin! Thank God for Alexa and speakers which now allow me to indulge any song I can think of at the drop of a hat. (Like you, mostly This is me at the moment!).
PS My Mum and Step Dad love the seekers, I’ve never come across anyone else who has even heard of them lol!
Thanks for linking to #coolmumclub
There aren’t many people around that have heard of them but I think quite a few people recognise their songs when they hear them.
This has reminded me of a time many years ago when I was learning to play the recorder, I only knew one tune, go and tell aunt Nancy, I kept pratacing in my bedroom until the neighbours came over and asked if I would stop!#fortheloveofblog@_karendennis
Ha ha! This made me chuckle!
I really enjoyed reading this, I so need an Alexa! I find music really helps my anxiety too and its so nice to like a whole range of music! I also don’t go to enough concerts! something I aim to correct now as the children are getting older xx #coolmumclub
Wow, some amazing musical talent in your family! It’s true how we remember all the words of the music we listened to when we were young, I know all the Abba songs off by heart 🙂 And putting on a bit of boogie music in the evening really lifts the mood in the house if everyone gets up and dances a little bit too!
This is a great post! Music is a constant in our lives as well.
My husband is a music fanatic, I like music too but we use it for different things – he likes music to relax, playing music while falling asleep is perfect for him. I like music to keep me energized. When he plays music at bedtime I end up wanting to sing along. It leads to some interesting dilemmas haha!
I love music, it’s always on in the background over here. Unfortunately Hubs and I are tone deaf, all musical hopes on pinned on the kids! X
Great post, I also love listening to music. It helps to relax me, I love that different genres of music can also reflect you mood. If I go to the gym with no headphones I will not work out
I’ve really enjoyed this, I can relate to this so much! As a family we love music and become so attached to our Alexa. Great Post.
We’re a music loving family too. It’s such a great way to relax or feel energised.
I really love this post!!! Though not necessarily musical we are all singers in this house!!In fact It’s a rarity for there not to be music on or someone off singing somewhere. I agree with the anxiety thing too , something about hammering out an Andrew Lloyd Webber number out like you’re out on a West end stage ( no matter how terrible the singing) to stop all those niggly ,wobbly feelings!!
Music really is so important. I find that music helps me to calm down a lot – I especially like finding a spa mix and zoning out (and pretending I’m at a spa!) thanks for linking up to #fortheloveofBLOG x
I wish I had some sort of musical talent! My little boy gets to choose an instrument next year, I’m looking forward to seeing what he decides on! His Dad played the cello at school so I’m just hoping for something slightly smaller…! Thanks for linking up to #ablogginggoodtime last week!
I loved this post as music is such a big part of my life! I also find when things are hard music helps me hugely. I really hope my two enjoy music as much as I do. Thanks for linking this to #thursdayteam
This sounds so much like our family growing up – I play flute, piano & sax, my brother plays horn & sings, and my other brother plays sax and drums. We also used to sing all the time. My kids are still young but I’d love them to learn an instrument. My youngest started learning the trombone last year, and even though she picked it up really quickly, there was a lot of difficult stuff going on in her life at the time and she just couldn’t face learning. We have stopped and hope to try something different when she is ready to try again. In the meantime, she loves to sing while I play the piano and she is great at picking out the right sort of dance moves for each type of song so I know she has musicality in her.
And congratulations because someone loved this post so much, they added it to the BlogCrush linky! Feel free to collect your “I’ve been featured” blog badge 🙂 #blogcrush
Thank you 🙂