Harmonia Mundi, or How a Virtual Choir Reveals Our Deep Connection

By Mary Jaksch

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you sometimes feel that we are all mysteriously connected?

Some people maintain that in our virtual age, friendships created through social media are shallow and meaningless – and that there is less meaningful connection between people than ever before.

I don’t agree.

The most surprising thing about my journey as a blogger has been that I’ve made some wonderful friends online. Some of them I’ve met face-to-face as well. Yes, they’re real friends.

But beyond the realm of friendship, we are all interconnected. Our lives are inextricably intertwined.

Here is an inspiring video that illuminates our mysterious connection.

Composer Eric Whitacre led a virtual choir of singers from around the world. Listen to the uplifting sound of 2000 singers in the following video.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to watch it.

What do you think about this? Did the music touch you?

{ 16 comments }

1 Vala April 15, 2011 at 10:30 am: Thank you, Mary!
This was so beautiful, it moved me to tears — the good kind which are the best!
Vala
2 Grace Catley April 15, 2011 at 6:23 pm: I cried too.
This is a link I will be sharing with others.
Thanks Mary.
Grace
3 Adam April 16, 2011 at 3:04 am: BTW, your blog is being ripped off verbatim and not attributed back to the site here.

http://www.buddharocks.org/2011/04/harmonia-mundi-or-how-virtual-choir.html
Adam´s last [type] ..The long journey out of the self…
4 Lalitha Brahma April 16, 2011 at 7:51 am: Thanks Mary for posting this. I love the quote, that you started this post with. I also never learned music, but somehow felt very connected and soul inspiring, when I heard Carnatic music. Now with the advancement in technology and the availability of online resources, I started learning and recording songs. I feel so blessed and fulfilled.

Now, coming back to the last part of the quote
“it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.”

I can’t stress more, about the truth of the above statement. When I first got my job, my friends’ mom said that I am too old to start learning music. Hence, I thought music is NOT for me. Thirty years later, one of other my friends said that I have a good voice and even if I have not learned music, it is OK. She asked me to try learning one small devotional song. I took it seriously, did it and when others heard it, they told me that it would be a sin if I don’t share my gift with others. Hence I stopped undervaluing myself and started learning more songs and now it has become a habit for me.

Why am I sharing this? It is because, anyone can do it and these days we have plenty of free resources to do it.It is the question of keeping an open mind, trusting your intuition and just DOING it.
5 Leslie Beauregard April 16, 2011 at 10:16 am: This was truly amazing and it warmed me to my soul. Thank you so much for sharing such a project. We get involved in our own little world, and sometimes forget that was are not just a wave, but part of an ocean. Loved it! and now a huge fan!
6 Brenda April 16, 2011 at 11:05 am: This needs a “tissue” warning on it. I had to run for the box half way through……haha. Thanks so much for sharing that. Not only did the singers connect but now we can all connect to the experience too. So beautiful……..beyond words. Plus the conductor seems like a really cool guy too……what a sweetheart. I also liked his personal story about how he found his way to music. What if nobody had invited him to join the choir? Would he have never known he had such talent? I often wonder what hidden talents we might have but didn’t know it because we never tried something or had the chance to try something.
7 Tess Giles Marshall April 16, 2011 at 2:57 pm: Amazing, and fills me with such hope.
Tess Giles Marshall´s last [type] ..The feminised child- a rant
8 Ellen Daly April 16, 2011 at 3:36 pm: Thank you SO much for sending this, Mary. I am crying with joy first thing in the morning. I will be sending this to my entire singing class.
Ellen Daly´s last [type] ..Shortcut To Simple
9 Debi Miller April 17, 2011 at 1:06 am: Thank you so much for sending this! I had missed it. I’ve shared it on fb and my blog. As I noted on my blog, I think it’s lovely that the geeks will save our humanity. (Matt Harding’s Dancing is another example.)
10 Steve Hauptman April 17, 2011 at 11:41 am: Mary, thank you for this. As a longtime navel-gazing overintellectualized narcissist I am only just starting to grasp the importance and possibilities of community, and stuff like this thrills me to the core.
Steve Hauptman´s last [type] ..Bert’s mask
11 Linda Gabriel April 17, 2011 at 5:17 pm: I love this video – so inspiring.

There’s a misperception about the internet being somehow dehumanizing. In my experience nothing could be further from the truth. Many of my most vibrant relationships are online and many of those connections have transferred into the “real world.” I was just at a gathering of wonderful people the other evening and realized I’d first met every one of them on facebook! Now they are friends I look forward to connecting with online and off!

After finding out about Eric Whitacre’s work via his TEDtalk, I’m now looking forward to hearing his music live.

Not only do I believe we are all deeply connected, it’s great how the internet can be a way of organically connecting people all around the world who share many interests.
Linda Gabriel´s last [type] ..Medicines Of Light from The Hathors by Tom Kenyon
12 Amy April 18, 2011 at 3:52 pm: I love this! I cried, too. It’s amazing when you stop and think about just how connected we all really are. I love that this video is a visual (and audio) representation of that. Very inspiring!
13 Karen April 18, 2011 at 5:11 pm: Beautiful, Mary! Thank you for sharing
14 Linda/Positive Spin April 19, 2011 at 1:19 pm: Mary… this is truly the most amazing music. What a shame the wold has to be in such turmoil. Why can’t we connect and share our world without all the squabbles and strife?I’ve forwarded the link to friends and will watch out for more by this man.
Thank you so much for sharing with all of us.
Linda/Positive Spin´s last [type] ..Secret Confessions Of An Approval Seeker
15 Roger April 20, 2011 at 2:09 pm: I got chills from the music. I’m feeling a bit like a hermit, because I never heard about the first one. Pretty good sign that I’ve actually been one too long. Thanks so much for sharing it.
16 Shona Smith May 23, 2011 at 11:35 pm: I love music and I love people working together in harmony to create something beautiful. This absolutely ticked all my boxes. I had tears, felt thrilled and joyful. Thanks so much for posting it, absolutely magnificent!!