Andrew in Lilongwe, Malawi on St. Patrick's Day

My son, Andrew, posted this two weeks ago, the day after St. Patrick's Day. This is just a portion of his post. For those of you who don't know, he received a fulbright fellowship to pursue his project, Stories of Aids through music. I thought I'd try and recap, but I couldn't edit it without you missing the amazing images I had as I read it.......Photos were taken by his girlfriend, Kaitlin Houlditch-Fair. His blog is http://fulbright.mtvu.com/author/andrewmagill/

....The first school was a Catholic school of 350 young children. As soon as we walked in hundreds of children flooded in with chairs and in a frenzy assembled the haphazard rows, each one vying to put their chair closest to the stage. The Catholic parish priest, a charming Irish ex-pat of 40 years in Malawi explained to them in Chichewa what each instrument was and we all obliged him by giving little impromptu demos of what we played: accordion, bodhran (Irish frame drum), wooden flute, guitar, and fiddle. Two of the lads got up to dance the St. Patrick’s Day set dance and the kids were beside themselves. So naturally we invited them up to dance. For our last two sets I struggled to find space to bow as the stage began to fill with more and more little bodies flailing, kicking up dust, and screaming in their tiny sopranos. By the end we were literally all standing on our chairs wheezing on the dust being kicked up by hundreds of legs.

That afternoon we went to a school where we played for 400+ boys in their school yard. Again we did our little instrument demos. Again we gave them several sets of rousing good tunes. This time, some of the students got up and played us a song, a hip-hop rap about HIV/AIDS awareness and responsible sex. The age ranges here were from about 5 to 15 and the older boys were clearly kings of their school… dancing and singing this song about HIV as hundreds of smaller faces cheered them on. The boy strumming the guitar had literally never played a real guitar but played it with surprising facility. Evidently he had fashioned himself a two-string guitar out of scrap parts and fishing line at home and was giddy at the opportunity to hold a real guitar. By our last set of Irish tunes the boys had descended on us and we felt as if we were at the center of a mosh pit. Imagine 400 boys bursting with excitement all clamoring for a front row patch of grass to dance to the music we were playing. By the time we left the Irish contingent had achieved celebrity status. It was all I could do to hold on to my fiddle as the boys mobbed each one of us in delight......

I try to imagine the excitement, looking at the sea of smiles, and hear the roar of "Bring it on!" from these boys in the picture. There's so much music in these boys that have yet to be birthed in ways they have not dreamed possible... yet. Every child should be able to go crazy with the power of music and what it can stir deep within the spirit. I am delighted Andrew was able to share the moment with these beautiful boys...and I smile thinking of the many more moments he hopes to share with them, and others like them.

Concert Highlight of the Year is about to happen!

I've been blessed to attend many amazing concerts featuring some of the best musicians, in their field, over the years- through the Swannanoa Gathering summer events, through the Diana Wortham Celtic Series and other concerts held in this beautiful theatre, through dozens of concerts held here in town at the Grey Eagle, White Horse in Black Mountain, outside concerts, etc. And there are many that stand out in my mind.

I've also heard a lot of CDs from many different genres. We have zillions of CDs here in the Magill house. Well, close to a zillion... and while I love so many different kinds of music, the Celtic and Singer/Songwriter genres are my faves. There are many, many fabulous musicians out there. I'm going to post my faves another day.......

If you were to ask me who are my top five musicians, I'd be hard pressed to pick just five. If you were to ask me what are my top five CDs, ooh, that'd be hard, too. But ask me to just pick someone amazing, original, extraordinary and awe-inspiring, and that'd be easy - Danny Ellis would be in that top five.

I first heard his CD, "800 Voices", when my friend, Annie Lalley gave a CD to my husband and me, and said, "You HAVE to go home and listen to this. As soon as possible. And you have to promise me that once you put it in the CD player, you won't move off the couch until you've heard it from beginning to end." Hmmmm, okaaaaaay I thought. So we did. I don't often give myself the gift of just listening to music and doing nothing else - listening with purpose, without distractions, without doing something else while the music is playing in the background, without giving it my undivided attention. Too often the music becomes the background event instead of the main event.

I still remember this experience of listening to Danny's CD and how I felt, during the listening experience, and after the listening experience. It's difficult to describe it. At best, I can say it's one of the five best CDs I've ever heard in my entire life. It is a masterpiece.

I've seen Danny's show before, two years ago. To SEE him perform these amazing songs (works of art) while listening simultaneously, and being surrounded by the music, was a concert experience unmatched by any other. I am counting the days to see and hear him share his gift, his heart, his musicality.

Should you choose to spend Wednesday night, March 17, at Diana Wortham Theatre, it'll be an experience you won't forget. Chances are you'll go back to this night in your mind, to the music, and what you felt, over and over and over.

When's the last time you heard live music? When's the last time you heard someone whose music could make you weep, laugh, fill you up? Come give yourself the gift of this evening with Danny. Get his CD. Come listen and have a moment.

It's the moments that fill me up. How about you?

http://www.dannyellismusic.com/

Special Story Hour at Barnes & Noble this Saturday, Oct 31st!

Wonderful KM mom, Victoria Crane, is volunteering much of her time with the WNCAP organization and they are sponsoring an incredible event. It's not very often you can hear a ballet soloist, from the Moscow Ballet, read a very special story, in person, here in Asheville! Read on........and consider going!!!

The Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) is honored to be partnering with the Moscow Ballet for a very special fundraiser opportunity. WNCAP is selling fundraiser tickets to The Great Russian Nutcracker scheduled for December 22, at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium . To help promote this special event, Moscow Ballet Soloist Nataliya Miroshnyk is coming to Asheville this weekend, October 31. Nataliya will be participating in a special story hour at Barnes & Noble in the Asheville Mall at 2:00, and later that day she will be attending WNCAP’s Raise Your Hand Auction at the Deerpark Restaurant on Biltmore Estate.

So if you have children and are looking for something to do before the trick-or-treating begins, head to Asheville Mall and meet Nataliya at Barnes & Noble, if you’re not trick-or-treating, we hope to see you at the Raise Your Hand auction.

Two great events all for a great cause -- to purchase tickets for both The Raise Your Hand Auction and for the Great Russian Nutcracker, please visit the WNCAP website at www.wncap.org

Susie Vanderlip - Legacy of Hope

For those of you with teenagers, here's an upcoming event you won't want to miss! Both my husband and I are going to attend with our sixteen year old daughter, Hannah. My hunch is this is going to be powerful and extremely thought provoking.

Susie is coming to Asheville, co-sponsored by First Congregational, United Church of Christ and Jubilee Community Church. This event is a theatrical one-woman show for the whole family with the goal of improving communication between teens and parents and it's also, an amazing message about how to protect our children.

She will share her eye-opening, entertaining approach to guiding our children to good choices. Vanderlip is an international theatrical speaker on youth and family issues, an author and educator. Susie portrays a variety of dramatic characters (partying teen, teenage love seeking teen, rebellious teen among a few) that will take you on a roller-coaster ride from laughter to tears, surprise, hope and enthusiasm.

You'll be touched and encouraged especially if you, your teens or friends have dealt with excessive stress, alcohol, tobacco or other drug abuse; depression; grief or loss; divorce; communication difficulties; life adversities. Be entertained and captivated while you gather new insights and HOPE!

Susie has spoken to one million teens and adults in 47 states and several countries. Don't miss her visit to Asheville! Cost $12 per person / $15 per family

Saturday, Oct. 24th 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

First Congregational, 20 Oak St

Contact: Rev. Shannon Spencer at 828-252-8729

Barbara Kingsolver coming to Asheville

For all you fans, mark your calendars!

Time: Monday, November 2, 2009 7:00 p.m.
Location: Asheville High School Auditorium, 419 McDowell St, Asheville, NC 28803
Title of Event: Barbara Kingsolver- A New Novel!

Malaprop's (and the entire Asheville region!) is honored to welcome one of our favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver, who will present her latest novel, The Lacuna. The event will take place at the Asheville High School auditorium at 7 pm on Monday, November 2nd, and one ticket is complimentary with each pre-purchase of The Lacuna from Malaprop's. For more information, please call us at 1-800-441-9849.