Listening with my eyes

I recently had the pleasure of attending a holiday concert featuring a choir and (separately) a band. Apparently, there were hearing impaired patrons in attendence, also, since there was a sign language interpreter.

This is not my first experience attending an event with a sign language interpreter. However, on this occasion, I was compelled to focus on the interpreter. The only explanation I can offer for my behavior was that I was already familiar with the songs performed by the chorus.

The program was a mix of traditional and contemporary music, but the songs were all too familiar to anyone not living under a rock for the last two years. I found the sign language interpretation fascinating.

The interpreter signed the traditional songs in a way that was very fluid and graceful. Several times during the slower songs, there were hand movements which seemed to mirror each other...easily resembling graceful birds coasting on wind currents. Then, there were the more contemporary pieces offered by the chorus. Those pieces were more upbeat with lots of short notes. When the interpreter signed during the more contemporary songs, it appeared as though the interpreter was pinching and plucking the air. Also, during the more upbeat songs, the interpreter's hands resembled fast moving spiders, lightly touching the air with short, jabbing steps.

Clearly, I know nothing about sign language interpretation, but that's not to say it didn't affect me. I enjoyed looking at music in this different way.