Unity in Harmony Quilt--DONE!

Well, I have sold my first quilt and here it is! "Unity in Harmony" was created for and auctioned off at the Chorus America annual conference. It was inspired by photos of The Hartford Chorale and The Washington Chorus. I was both machine- and handstitching away like crazy, down to the wire, in my hotel room.

As I said yesterday, this has been an inspiring week for me. It made me reconnect with a part of my life that was shelved. Years ago, I was a member of the citywide D.C. Youth Chorale and singing was a very, very important part of my life. I also sang in school choirs from grades 2-9. Rehearsals from M-Sat.--no fail--and I think I only missed them when I was extremely sick--like the chicken pox or flu. I could read music and was a very high first soprano. I just loved to sing. It was a constant in my life and a source of stability. I didn't care what others thought about my singing in the choir. I loved it, and it made me very happy. Unfortunately, my high school had no chorus or music program and everything stopped. I was devastated and didn't sing again for 17 years--and that was three days ago at our opening session's "morning sing" with Sweet Honey in the Rock's Dr. Ysaye Barnwell. And then, 2 days later, when Alice Parker did hers, I realized that I could still read music! All of this was such a revelation to me and it felt good.

That is why "Unity in Harmony" being bought by Ms. Joyce Garrett was so special to me. Who is she? She is the former head of the Eastern High School Choir here in D.C. She's legendary to me. With her Excellence Without Excuses philosophy, she took students from a rough school, often with rough lives themselves, and gave them hope and dreams--such as travelling to Vienna, performing with major celebrities, and singing for every U.S. President since Reagan. She gave the students a future to aim high for. She is now the founder of the new Washington Youth Choir, something I wish I had in the 10th grade. The idea that even more students will have a chance to love singing like I did, makes me so happy that she is my first sale and my piece will grace her home.