What part does music play in your life?

To me music is as important as breathing.

We have radios or CD players in every room.

Music and sounds have helped me cope with tinnitus.

Thank you so much Jinglebellsfrocks that is so kind of you

* TwiceAsNice *

I use music a lot to help with stress. I also like it on when I'm relaxed at the weekend reading the papers. I have favourite stuff and associate music with events. When I was going through my divorce ( still not finished a year later ) I listened to the same Katherine Jenkins CD when I was driving up and down the motorway and it calmed me. On another note( no pun intended!) I cannot bear to listen to music I associate with sad events like funerals and will turn off the radio if it upsets me. There is one song which played in the New Year after my sons death that I still cannot listen to 30 years later.

I can't remember how old I was when Mum taught me to read music but it must have been around the same time as I learned to read books. She taught music so there was always a piano in the house and children would come for lessons after school. My long suffering father, who had a good singing voice but didn't play any instruments, would mutter things like, 'That child has about as much rhythm as the hind leg of a donkey.'

None of has excelled in any particular instrument. We can all play the piano - a bit, guitar - some of us are quite good (not me) DD used to play 'cello and DGD3 plays the flute. We all sing or have sung in various choirs.

I couldn't imagine a life without music.

I like Songs of Praise. Good music to a lot of hymns.

There is very little music in my life. I find it hard (always have) to concentrate when any sort of music is playing, so don't often put on a CD and never listen to music stations except a bit of classical stuff when I'm in the car. The exception is that with my friends I sing once a month at a local nursing home (the same four hymns every time) and also we sing a few worship songs at our Sunday meeting. My mother in law lives for music and I do occasionally go to one of her concerts, my younger son sings and plays guitar so I listen to him when he's playing and my friends runs a gospel choir so I attend a fair few of their concerts. Funnily enough today I searched youtube for a bit of Glen Campbell to listen to when I was cleaning the kitchen. Most unusual for me.
(Not cleaning the kitchen, I do that regularly. )

Just huge. Musicians and ex-cathedral choristers both sides of the family, the family is littered with professional and non-professionals and DS is currently at uni composing [hopefully]. My day often starts with links to his latest pieces to listen to on soundcloud.

I spend an hour or two a week running through things we are doing in choirs, maybe rummaging through youtube or spotify to see how others have done it. I am also Chief Midi File finder for the less confident members of one of my choirs, although DS will write them for me if I am desperate.

After that I start on the house and play music to stop me dying of boredom while I work or cook. That completely depends on mood, but it will usually be classical. I can be tempted by online radio stations though, ones that play music from any decade you choose with no adverts at all, just seamless music. They are good for a bop around the house while dusting.

DBH is a very good tenor, and actually gets paid to sing! We have a music room and the day before a concert he is to be heard out there warbling away, having a quick practice. He does belong to a choir, made up of professional singers only who get together three times a year, but he is most proud of being a deputy for the Tallis Scholars from time to time when they come to sing in this area. He is also a deputy at our local cathedral. Somehow in between he sings for choirs who need soloists, and also at the occasional wedding for a local posh wedding venue. DS also does that when he is around and available, he too is an ex-chorister.

DD is a flautist, I miss hearing her practising that, but DBH plays piano and flute and organ, DS plays clarinet and piano and guitar, I can fumble my way through the odd piano piece, so our house has always been an extremely noisy one.

That does sound lovely.

Can I recommend a CD called "Songs of Home" to everyone? It is by the baritone Njabulo Madlala. He was brought up in a South African township and his vocal talent has been his passport to a more secure life. He won the Kathleen Ferrier prize a couple of years ago.

But his heart is still with his family and his home and this lovely CD combines the most beautiful gentle renditions of African songs and lullabies with superb songs from Schubert, Schuman, R Strauss, Quilter and many more. It is a true delight.

I took it into hospital with me and after the op I put it on my Discman, plugged in my earphones and was transported away from the pain. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

I have met Njabulo as we commissioned him to sing in a community choirs event three years ago, and he is singing with us again next August. I even had the chance to sing a duet with him (briefly!) during a rehearsal!

Music plays a lesser and lesser part in my life these days. Always used to have the radio on. Either R2 or, with my morning bath, R3, just for a little while.

I don't know why I've changed.

Oh music plays a HUGE part in my life Anya I don't know what I would do without it. I am not a great TV fan but love music.

I have music for every mood. Housework music (that gets played a lot).
Relaxing music (that doesn't get played enough).
Angry music (turned up loud so DH knows to stay out of my way).
Sad music (for when I need a good cry).

I love to go to concerts whenever I can and have seen some of the greatest people over the years.

In the words of John Miles...........

music was my first love...and it will be my last,
music of the future and music of the past

To live without my music would be impossible to do
cos' in this world of trouble, my music pulls me through

Apart from my family music IS my life. I truly fear deafness.