As New Yorkers it was family tradition to watch on our TV screen as everyone in Times Square and from living rooms around the world, counted down together, while the lighted ball slowly dropped – 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – “Happy New Year!!” Sitting on the couch in between my dad, brother, mom, and sister we clanged together homemade noise makers mom had brought from the kitchen – pots, pans, spatulas, spoons, whisks! Metal to metal, ringing in the New Year, making as much noise as we possible could! Each year our tradition evolved with new varieties and combinations of kitchen items to experiment with. What sound does a cheese grater and metal spoon make? Or mom’s big red soup pot with loose silverware shaken up inside? It became a friendly, family, competition of who could be the noisiest, or who could make the most unusual sounds, or who could invent the most unique noisemaker! I do not know when or who came up with the idea, but during one of our New Year’s celebrations it was decided that our family band needed a name, and thus, “The Utensils” was officially born.
Not everyone has a family band, and even fewer whose sounds are created with on-hand kitchen ware pulled from cupboards, drawers, tops of refrigerator cabinets where only those “unused” items are stored away and forgotten about. New Year’s Eve morning I would begin my strategy, rummaging through our kitchen and exploring all that the world of sound might offer. It was during this exploration that I also learned what each item was used for. “Mom, what’s this? A lemon juicer that your grandmother gave to me. We can make lemonade with it, or lemon meringue pie” she answered. “Mom, what’s this one? That is a Bundt pan, that’s what I use to make the cakes with the cream-filled center.” Kitchenware, utensils, pans, gadgets, so much to learn about and explore! Secretly I prided myself on winning the “most unusual” kitchen noise maker award most years. It was fun making weird and creative noisemakers from items I dug from the depths of our kitchen’s secret hiding places.
As a member of “The Utensils” I took away valuable lessons that have always stuck with me. To bring in this New Year of 2022 I thought I would share them with you:
- You are never too young or old to join a band.
- Ingenuity and creativity can transform even the simplest of household items into a magical ensemble of sounds.
- Making music is more fun when you make music together.
- It is okay to be silly, light-heartedness is often the source of true creativity.
- Celebrate and be grateful for what you have – now.
Happy New Year!
Katie
