I spent this past weekend at the Children's Music Network annual national conference.
Keep in mind that "conference" is merely the best word we've been able to agree on to define the event. It used to be called a "gathering," but my understanding is that people thought "conference" sounded more professional.
Ah, how we have fooled them.
There is a good deal of conference-ing involved. We do go to workshops and discuss issues in children's music. But it is also part "summer" camp, part retreat, part secret society and part family reunion.
I suppose it is unusual when one attends a national conference, to already know about 80% of the people attending. Or to get half a dozen hugs just walking from your hotel room to dinner. Or for conversation at that dinner to include a rhyme-a-thon reminiscent of "The Princess Bride." Okay, I know it is unusual. But I will also bet that we have a lot more fun that way.
Here are some highlights from my Conference Experience:
- As mentioned above, a dinnertime rhyme-a-thon with Steve Zelin (check him out at 0:52)
- Alvin McGovern turning "Billy Boy" into a song about pirates. (Well, it WAS national talk-like-a-pirate day.)
- 9-year-old Taelor regaling us all at the bonfire with tales of her teachers, including one who has spiders and snakes in the classroom. Eww.
- My less-than-successful attempt to teach the "Alley-Alley-O" dance to the Play Party Games workshop group. We got rather tangled. On the other hand, "Head and Shoulders, Baby" and "Draw Me a Bucket of Water" were both big hits - these were songs I taught at workshops in the past year and were requested again. Gotta love that.
- Singing a few of my favorites at the lullaby workshop
- Astounding the crowd with my ability to rhyme the word "purple"
- Late-night Tom Hunter songs and the dance party that followed
- Doing the snowman dance at Fran McKinney's singing and reading workshop
- Getting to sing the "Thousand Legged Worm" at the early childhood songswap
- Singing Bill Harley songs at the Magic Penny presentation
- Kathy Reid-Naiman leading us all through "We'll Pass them On" at the closing circle
And, of course, the unbelievable warmth and support that you feel when surrounded by some of the most loving people on the planet for two and a half days. There's nothing like it. And next year...
"Carolina in '09!"
(Yes, it's already a song. We're CMN - we can't help it!)
