Learning happens not only through trying to emulate but through a process of letting the mind wander and question. That takes time, space, and freedom. And that’s the magic of Marlboro. It’s learning that takes place over weeks, successive summers, and over decades. It’s learning that happens not only in rehearsals or practicing, but on walks in the woods, staring at the sky and clouds while floating on my back in the middle of South Pond, or soaking in the quiet Milky Way night far from city lights.
Experiencing Marlboro through my growing children has given me another take on learning and life—especially learning about wildlife. With every little amphibian they manage to get their hands on, and the various collections of stones, feathers and insects that accumulate over each summer, there is so much to discover, so much to celebrate, and thankfully, much more to this world than just us humans.
Marlboro is about different generations coming together; that is the essence of every group… But somehow it is that other generation—the kids—that makes Marlboro truly multi-generational. Through their eyes, I begin to understand and appreciate relationships in a whole new light. The children help us connect, and that is perhaps what music is about after all: connecting and sharing something meaningful.
