Cynthia Bythell Music

My mom gave me the gift of music. Some of my most cherished early memories include sitting side by side on the organ bench as she played and we sang together. She taught me beginning piano and basic singing technique, put a $50 piano in my bedroom, and set me loose! I was inspired by…

Recently I got swept up in the state of the world.  It’s not like me.  I’m a kind of “head in the sand” person who doesn’t generally partake of the news.  For the sake of my amazing recovery from chronic depression, that’s the way it needs to be.  So anyway, since mortal reality reached out…

Mom was my first music teacher.  She was a brilliant goddess of love and beauty when I was little.  Some of my fondest memories are the hours we spent sitting side by side on the piano bench singing together as she played. Although she became embarrassing, unreasonable and very nearly stupid during my teen years, Mom eventually returned to her former self (except…

This Day is precious.  It matters. Days are dwindling. This Day is opportunity.  It spreads before me like a carpet of flowers   that will be wilted tomorrow.                                                      …

Creativity needs room.  What would this world be without music, art, literature, and live performance?  The artistic soul needs time to itself to create.  My life is beautifully abundant, and yet somehow amongst earning a living, running errands, paying bills, maintaining a home, self care and spiritual practice, I must find time to write songs…

Dear (Adult Student Name Withheld), After several tearful sessions, it’s no wonder you would be thinking of “taking a break” from your singing lessons. Usually when a student quits, my response is, “I understand, and it has been a pleasure working with you.” This is different because I have grown to care about you as…