Just a note of personal thanks to The Music Village, which has become one of my “second homes” in South Bend, Indiana. Since I became one of the villagers nearly two years ago, this community of musicians and music-lovers has been a source of great friendships and great joy. I share this note–it’s such a good pun, I’m using it twice–because I think every town should have an instrument like TMV–I promise that’s the last pun–for sharing the gift of song with all its citizens. If you have that gift, either as a performer or avid audience member, please consider sharing it more abundantly across families, generations, and diverse segments of your local population.

I was privileged to be elected to the TMV board of directors in December, 2018. My participation in marketing functions for this musical arts center, as well as my joining in the weekly gatherings and frequent public performances of the TMV “Jammers” and my offering of accordion lessons, will be an enriching part of my life again in this new year.

You can see my brief comments as a member of the faculty here in the latest issue of the organization’s newsletter.  Get to know us, and “like” us, on Facebook.

I’m also collaborating with members of The Music Village to write a book about the South Bend area’s rich history as a place for live music and outstanding musicians.

The “music goes round and round” for me because, based on my rediscovery of the accordion as an instrument I learned in my youth and I love to play for others, I will be teaching as part of South Bend’s Forever Learning Institute for a second semester starting in March. And you can find me and several of my Jammer colleagues playing on the shuttle bus that traverses downtown as part of South Bend’s “First Friday” celebrations of community and nightspots.