High Spirits Achievement Award – April Brown

Earlier in September we had the honor of awarding April Brown the High Spirits Achievement Award. April was given her first High Spirits Flute five years ago. She was just beginning to explore music as a creative outlet, helping to cope with the stresses of an incurable form of cancer. When she played it brought her a sense of peace and joy, and soon she realized it brought peace and joy to those around her. She began playing music for and with others in her community suffering from terminal illness, and over the years played for numerous Going Away Celebrations for families who had lost their battles with disease. Continuing in this vein April and her husband Paul Brown created an award-winning album called Elders and Ancestors: Music for a Healing Space, released by Mysterium Music, aimed at providing peace for those who are suffering. We are featuring a song from the album as our free download this month.

In April’s words: “The songs on this CD are very meaningful to me. They have grown from our journey through the cancer landscape. They come from a desire to create peace, joy, and hope in our lives.” “I believe music can be another tool in the toolbox for anyone trying to manage stress. This is our humble offering to the world; and for me, it’s a way to give back for all of the help and guidance I have received along the way. I have had some wonderful teachers, many of whom are no longer with us, who have shown me how to live, and die, under difficult circumstances, with beauty and grace. This music is dedicated to all of them.”

April also recently recorded a flute duet with Grammy-winning flutist Micki Free for Micki's forth-coming Native American Flute as Therapy album, also released by Mysterium Music. April has achieved more in a just a few years than many of us do in a lifetime, helping many people along the way. Stories like these that remind us at High Spirits why we are in this business. We are continually moved by the power of music to bring joy, peace, healing and connection. Thank you April for your contribution to the community.

April Brown's album: Elders and Ancestors: Music for a Healing Space