The leaves are now in their full fall colors, blazing in the trees, dropping to the ground.  The landscape is changing from stunningly beautiful to trees which are now stark, with their branches gray and bare.  The leaves collect on the ground, a nuisance, which now must be raked and bagged or left to the soil.  Such is the way of living beauty, unavoidably linked to age.  It fades and creates memories of what was once vibrant.   Some of our finest music sings nostalgically of the past, of times never to return.  The music is itself a memory. Veteran’s Day invokes memories of those who served our country, both the living and those whom we remember. And this month of November also includes one of our most nostalgic holidays – Thanksgiving.  On this day, families gather and reminisce, sometimes welcoming new faces, young and maybe not so young.  We gather at table and pray overtly or covertly for one another and for blessings over all to whom we are connected. These prayers and blessings at Thanksgiving are like candles – radiating their heat and light, but only briefly, until they also become memories.  November’s Autumn Serenade transitions us from nature’s warmth and light to winter’s cold and dark.  And we remember.

October always brings thoughts of fall, my favorite season.  Also it is the month to think about respecting life of all kinds. Autumn: Thoughts of harvest, halloween, haunted houses.  Football. Beer and pretzels and polka music. The chicken dance.  The colors of fall: Leaves turning to reds, browns, yellows and all shades in between.   Sometimes the weather even gets cooler, permitting us to dress in fall fashions and colors.  The music of fall is festive and melodic and singable by large groups of people.  A feeling begins of changes to come.  Holidays.  Good times and celebrations before winter settles in.  At least this is how I view it.  Fall…  Your thoughts are also welcome!

This is the first step in a whole new enterprise.  Getting my (secular) music out there.  My church music has had a home at International Liturgy Publications for decades.  Thanks to publisher Vince Ambrosetti.  This new web site and my secular music are now available due to my new friend and web mentor – Joshua.  And, many thanks to Dennis McNeil for the introduction. This has been a concentrated and exciting effort, and, once everything has settled in, I plan to get back to creating even more music. The ultimate excitement. So, once the doors are fully open, I hope to have many visitors.  SPREAD THE WORD!

Bill Svarda is a California based trombonist, arranger, copyist, transcriber, orchestrator, composer and engraver.  This is his official website.  He is represented by International Liturgy Publications.

Read more About Bill.

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