It’s rare to see an orchestra playing in the park, but we did and it was great!

Recently, while conducting a regular boot camp, in Edinburgh Gardens in the distance we heard what sounded like an orchestra. While all sorts of musicians and artists play in the park, from bands to DJs, I have never seen an actual orchestra. The music sounded very similar to a band called Beirut from their “The Flying Club Cup” album.
It’s great to see our beautiful parks attract a multitude of different activities, while some people may simply go for a casual walk or to exercise the dog, some people take a more creative approach.
And it was awesome to see people letting their hair down and enjoying the groove of the music without being concerned about those around them.

Even more awesome with seeing people letting their hair down and enjoying the groove of the music without being concerned about those around them.
It’s also interesting to note how good playing music is for you. There have been many studies showing that playing a musical instrument improves your mood and mental health.
In this busy world it’s easy to become distracted, letting our minds wander so we are oblivious to everything else around us. But playing a musical instrument can be very meditative by focusing the mind on producing beautiful harmonies. Due to the complexity of playing music it makes it extremely difficult to become distracted by other fractured thoughts that might be swirling around in your mind. As with yoga and other forms of meditation, playing music clears your mind and controls your breathing while you focus on a single thought.
Our daily lives are a lot more complicated and stressful than they were 50 years ago, we give ourselves very little time for the appreciation and enjoyment of those around us or participating in activities that are for ourselves.
How often do you walk down the street and find yourself in deep thought, thinking about work or something else that is causing you concern or stress? Maybe it’s time to explore playing a musical instrument, even though it may appear to be extremely complex and challenging it is well worth the rewards.