Back in February 2010 while writing music for the Alberton DVD project, I had an interesting experience. I'd heard that a local clairvoyant named Grace had been part of a group visiting Alberton and after the formal part of the occasion she had spoken to the manager of the historic house. She explained how that during the welcoming speech, which was held outdoors on the verandah of the house, she saw the ghost of the original owner, Alan Kerr Taylor (1832-1890), who was standing next to the speaker and watching on approvingly. A week or so later, I phoned Grace to talk about the possibility of using the story of her spirit encounter as a special feature of the DVD. As it turned out, for various reasons, the story wasn't used however during the phone call I got a little more than I was expecting.
Having explained how I was part way through composing the desired ten compositions for the DVD, Grace said that she sensed through talking to me that I had a female presence guiding me in my music composing! The names "Meredith" and "Merry" (as in merriment) came to her. A person who she says lived through difficult times and found music a wonderful solace as it reminded her of home. Interestingly Meredith was the surname of Allan Kerr Taylor's first wife Martha who died quite young after giving birth to her second child who did not survive long after. Music was so important to Martha that she brought her piano and sheet music collection with her from England to New Zealand in 1862.
Grace also said she was seeing sheet music with just the treble clef which seemed to suggest more emphasis on melody than bass. Guitar music being written on the treble clef I started to wonder if perhaps there was some significance to the vision. Grace seemed to think my phone call was meant to be and for my benefit in terms of the music I was writing. The idea seemed to have made her day!
I was left with the recommendation to try opening myself up to being guided by the spirit. At the time, struggling for ideas, I certainly felt that I would like a guide to help make ideas flow (!) but whether or not a spirit actually helped me is hard to say. Eventually ideas did come and I'm not entirely sure if it was due to guidance from the other side or purely my dogged determination, but the DVD was eventually completed in 2012.
Why not check out the DVD and judge for yourself?
Alberton DVD+CD Set - $35 (P&P incl.)
