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2017 Holiday Wishes List
One of my favorite events of the holiday season is compiling my Annual Holiday Wishes List. This began several decades ago as a feature with my students in my Pianotes newsletter (it used to be on paper - remember that???). Over the years, I started adding composers that I knew and the list just kept growing. Now it is mostly composers and musicians, but most of my students got in there this time, too! This is what was asked: “As usual, the question is ‘What are your two biggest holiday wishes?’ I specifically ask for wishes because that opens it up to anything and everything. Wishes don’t have to be wrapped or fit under a tree. They can be ANYTHING. I ask for two because it just makes it more interesting. I make them ‘Holiday Wishes’ so that everyone will feel they can join in whether or not they celebrate Christmas.” These are listed in the order received.
Dan Kennedy: I wish for a peaceful holiday season and that more people would share their passion with music, poetry, and talking things out rather than with violence.

This year and every year I wish I find plenty of pumpkin pie everywhere I go. :)
Kathleen Ryan: 1) I wish that all beings everywhere be happy and safe.
2) And I wish for a new (gently-used) kidney for my husband. Love to all!
Tom Grant: Wish #1: More music venues would invest in good pianos and that they would enjoy having them properly cared for.

Wish #2: Donald Trump would resign from office.
John Albert Thomas: I wish that we would catch a glimpse of our own worth and the worth of our music, and that God would use this music to bring healing to many.
Carol Nicodemi: 1-To find balance in my musical aspirations while being the rock on which my family depends.
2- Newspaper headlines that emphasize love, not disaster
Rebecca Harrold: I wish to support world peace; starting with my FAMILY.

I wish the cure for cancer would finally be revealed and given to EVERYONE in need.
Craig Urquhart: 1: That humanity will wake up and understand our actions have consequences, and at the moment we will understand this and take care of our planet and each other with joyful responsibility.

2: To perform my music much more often in 2018.
Kathryn Kaye: I wish for peace in every heart, and for kindness and compassion for all living creatures.
Louis Landon: 1. For all humans on the planet to Awaken and understand that we are all truly connected and that to survive on planet Earth we must look past our differences and open our hearts to Love.
2. A peaceful and harmonious world.
Tim Neumark: 1. I wish more people would show more empathy.
2. I wish everyone would use reusable bags when they shop.
Cathy Oakes: 1 - I wish that we could all live by The Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.)
2 - I wish we could see people for WHO they are rather than WHAT they are. I wish we could stop seeing race, gender, political beliefs, sexual preference, etc. and just see the heart of people.
Greg Maroney: 1. That the world will keep evolving toward love and acceptance, letting these virtues guide all decisions.

2. That we will have plenty of rain next garden season, and grow tons of tomatoes!
Erik Scott: I think I'll go off the beaten path this year: #1 and #2...Given that stability, peace and understanding seem almost impossible to achieve on our own, with all the divisive prejudices we cling to because of all the different national, cultural and religious beliefs, I think maybe if Earth was visited demonstrably by benevolent Aliens, who would of necessity be far superior technologically if not intellectually and morally, we earth denizens would be forced to give up our divisive prejudices and face some facts. If we don't get our act together, it's not going to end nicely.

So that's my off-the-rails wish, that we get visited by citizens of another planet who teach us a few things. (benevolent visitors)

Aha, I hear all the accusations of insanity..certainly, but if you look at the current political leaders threatening nuclear war like it was going to bed without any dessert ...what is more insane?
Jennifer Thomas: I wish people would be a little bit kinder, not just at Christmas but all year around. I also wish for everyone to feel love and friendship, instead of hatred and drama.
Michael Dulin: 1. A visit from Santa
2. A visit from Kathy Parsons
Michael Debbage: The same 2 wishes till they come true...cure for Alzheimer- Dementia and a chance to meet and interview David Foster.
Paul Adams: If Obama shows us years of hope and the proof of progress, the current administration offers us a glimpse of what is needing to be corrected. May we SEE this, and have the courage to correct our future.

Jeff Bjorck: I hope that my Mom's book, “Twilight Meditations” would continue to bless and encourage as many people as possible now that she is in Heaven, extending her legacy of kindness to others. I also wish that our society could somehow return to a more logical, reasonable, respectful, and compassionate approach to disagreements and dialog, with an end to the polarizing vitriol that continues to split us down the middle.
Joseph Akins: For my studio, I wish for a digital piano that I love to play.

I wish an instrument for every child and adult that wants to play.
Michael Brant DeMaria: 1) That my daughter Danielle has a safe and enjoyable house sit during the holidays (including her 31st birthday) in Austin, TX – a city she has always dreamed of visiting.
2) That our trip to visit Danielle goes safely and she and I get to create some new music together in the famed Austin, TX and the family has a safe, peaceful and soul nourishing, heart stirring time while there!
Donovan Johnson: 1) To end the ugliness of greed in the world, individually and collectively.
2) To somehow magically make one million dollars in CD sales next month.
Louis Colaiannia: My first wish is that this Christmas I could spend a little time with people I love but are gone from my life.

My second wish is that everyone could look at Christmas the way a child sees it, so full of hope and excitement.
Wayne Gratz: 1. Find the inspirational fountain of youth
2. Find the leak in my Canoe
3. Heal all the people touched by violence this year and years before
Kevin Kern: This year, I have been creatively reenergized thanks to an extraordinary collection of new composing tools designed and adapted for blind and visually impaired musicians. My wish is that more and more musicians like me will find new inspiration and encouragement through the use of these new advances in hardware and software including Komplete Kontrol by Native Instruments, as well as software like Reaper and Samplitude. These are two computer programs designed for musicians in nearly every phase of the creative process from composing to recording and production.

My second wish, which goes hand in hand with the first, is that the creators of these remarkable tools will continue to build their products with the needs of the blind and visually impaired community in mind. Let’s all make music together in the new year.
Jaden (student, 6th grade): A laptop and an iTunes card
Lillie (student, 7th grade): An Echo Dot.
Lance (student, 4th grade): To have a nice holiday and to have fun.
Winnie (student, 8th grade): To be very successful in life and to live a luxurious life.
Kathy Parsons: For the holiday spirit of love, sharing, and joy to last throughout the year.

That music and musicians are valued and fully appreciated. I can't imagine life without them - or any of the artists of the world.

Misha Stefanuk: I wish that all of musicians have better gigs and more of them. We make a difference with live music, publishing and recordings. Merry Christmas everyone!
Sean Michael Paddison (from Unleashed Dreams): That human fear becomes replaced with self knowledge and wisdom and that the world will rise above our limited beliefs and soar into limitless consciousness and creativity!
Sang Le: 1) To dream of flying while sleeping. It is said that dreaming of flying means one is at peace with one's self and with life.

2) To have 6-8 hours of sleep straight, so that I can dream flying.
Doug Hammer: 1. Tolerance. Love is better, but at least tolerance.
2. Lather, rinse, no need to repeat.
Matthew Mayer: I wish for music to continue to touch the hearts of people around the world. To bring to people a sense of calm and peace in their lives, knowing that deep down we are all connected!
Jesse Brown: I wish my forehead would stop growing.
Vicente Avella: I just had a baby, it’s 1:30am and this is all I can think of:
1) I wish I could sleep through the night
2) I wish I could sleep through the night
Bernward Koch: 1. Healthiness for everybody

2. Peace, Love and understanding for the world (we should try it all..)
I know, it's short, but I like it.
John Paris: Resolution and inner peace
Read more Holiday Wishes Lists:
Full listNext Year: 2018Previous Year: 2016