Magnolia Jazz Band in Carmel, 2010
Three things. First, May is nearly over, and we’ve been providing elegant wedding music all spring. This summer promises even more. Recent years, too. Here’s a photo from January 2010, captured from Andrew Hsu’s wonderful video.
Second, today the United States celebrates Memorial Day.
Third, all this month and next, school graduation ceremonies feature commencement speeches.
How are the holiday and graduations related to elegant wedding music? Here’s one way:
Memorial Day is the occasion for all citizens to honor those of us who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend an ideal. In this case the ideal is to preserve our republic’s experiment in democratic rule. It is NOT three days of “no work and all play”.
Commencement speeches urge graduates to pause and consider what ideals are worth striving for and wise ways to pursue them. Across the country, noteworthy people are delivering variations on just a few themes:
- Follow your heart.
- Live thoughtfully.
- Apply yourself with passion.
- Serve your community.
- Honor yourself and your neighbors.
And I’m sure you can think of several more.
Sound a lot like the Ten Commandments or the Boy Scouts Oath, don’t they? No coincidence. Lest we forget, in the excitement of the moment, these speeches remind us of timeless virtues that sustain our fragile civilization.
So fragile. In one perspective, our civilized life is just one risk after another. The younger we are, the more we boldly see our risks in terms of what we stand to win. As we grow older and more cautious, we factor in more thoughts of what we stand to lose.
As I see it, marriage is one of the greatest risks a person can take. No? Well, it ought to be. A person marrying is embracing a lifelong commitment, bound by the most solemn pledge of honor, loyalty, and duty.
No matter that the US divorce rate hovers around 4 per 1000. That appalling statistic just reinforces how fragile and vulnerable marriage is these days. So many ways those fond wishes can be crushed.
Wedding ceremonies call attention to the happy couple’s willingness to risk everything to preserve their dream. Marriage is the ultimate pledge and calls for all those virtues we hear in commencement speeches. I’ve found that including elegant wedding music is a wonderful way to bring a serious touch, a pleasant, stylish note to the joyful festivities.
In my experience, music always helps people celebrate. You’ll find all kinds of music at wedding ceremonies, and that’s as it should be. Unlimited ways to personalize the festivities.
I’m privileged to provide elegant wedding music. We create a beautiful, romantic mood to celebrate in style the commencement of an enduring relationship.
How about YOU? How do you help people honor marriage vows?
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The Magnolia Jazz Band entertains at weddings and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are nearby, you’ll love catching us in action, seeing and hearing us create a great mood. In the meantime, please join our Magnolia Jazz Band fans on Facebook to receive daily tips for planning wedding and party music and to receive reminders for our public events.
