Nunc Coepi

“There is music in the air, music all around us;

the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require.”

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934), English composer

The start of the new year also marks the end of the regular NFL football season, and while San Diegans do not have a home team to root for, we fondly remember the days when the Chargers called “Amerca’s Finest City” their base. So, when Philip Rivers temporarily came out of retirement as signal caller in three of the last four Indianapolis Colts games, I watched him with delight. For a time, Rivers and his wife Tiffany occasionally frequented St. Michael’s church, and the two spoke on a few occasions to our SMS students, including at the 2007 Sports Banquet. Fr. Mel, in his homily this weekend, reminded the congregation of Rivers’ personal and professional mantra Nunc Coepi, which means “Now I Begin”– most fitting for us as we embark on 2026.

It is estimated that approximately 35% of the population makes at least one New Year’s resolution, typically centered on healthy eating, exercising, and saving money. Unfortunately, most are not successful beyond a month. That does not mean we should not put forth some effort to reflect on our habits and make necessary changes, but this year, in addition to setting personal goals, I encourage you to cultivate your child’s development, as well as their health and well-being, in a few unique ways. Today I will address the first: Foster a Love of Music.

Academics are important. Sports are important. STEM is important. Music is important, too. Research has long indicated that playing a musical instrument has numerous cognitive advantages: it enhances the capacity for the brain to make new neural connections, it improves memory and learning, it increases memory storage, and it assists in concentration. Additionally, music improves speech processing, language development, reading, and executive functioning skills. It also is closely correlated with the study of mathematics as both rely on spatial-temporal reasoning. Research also implies that listening to music every day has a beneficial effect on emotional health and wellness by improving memory and mood, and delaying cognitive decline. That’s a pretty powerful list of benefits.

Over the holidays my husband and I went to see “Song Sung Blue” at the movie theater. The incredible Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson performed the music of Neil Diamond to perfection. The movie certainly invoked a sense of nostalgia as we grew up listening to these songs, which have now been playing in my head on repeat for the past week. Music, along with the other Fine Arts, has the unique ability to trigger an emotional response unlike any other catalyst.

If you are familiar with the Netflix series Suits, you may recall the main character, Harvey Spector, a senior partner at a top law firm in Manhattan, displayed a wall-to-wall collection of records – a prized possession – that no one was allowed to touch. We recently resurrected our old Onkyo stereo system and unboxed our record collection, nowhere near the size of Harvey’s collection, but sentimental nonetheless. My assemblage, in addition to Neil Diamond, includes artists such as John Denver, Barbara Streisand, and Barry Manilow, as well as numerous classical LPs. My husband’s favorite artists include Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton, and we also cherish our soundtracks from Grand Prix, Victory at Sea, and Dr. Zhivago. In addition, we added to our assortment records from each of our parents, which include Glenn Miller, Mario Lanza in The Student Prince, and Tchaikovsky’s Peter and the Wolf. While more cumbersome than accessing Spotify, the sound these recordings produce is so much more complex and intricate than the compressed versions we are currently exposed to.

While most of you may not be inspired by our choices of music, you likely have your own bank of favorites which elicit memory and emotion. Music has powerful soothing, healing, and cathartic attributes, and is available around the clock in numerous forms tapping into every personal interest. In this new year, make music part of your daily routine by exposing your children to its richness and beauty.

Deo Gratias, Kathy