It is especially appropriate that the conference in Sweden will focus on Creative Improvisation, because Järna is the home of Pär Ahlbom, an innovative teacher and musician who has worked deeply with improvisation. In the conference, he will be sharing his understanding with the large group and even working with participants in smaller groups.

Perhaps the following description of the theme, written by Kjell Andersson, one of the organizers of Lyre 2009, will pique your interest:

Improvisation is a topic that touches, disturbs and inspires. It is a balancing act between meaningless chaos and music's deepest internal laws. Improvisation is also one of the most important foundations of all music-making.

Improvising confronts us with ourselves and with what we carry with us, with everything from dull conventionalism to mysterious inner messages waiting to be interpreted. It is a great challenge to our sense of play.

In improvisation we investigate where the boundaries lie between chaos and order. We discover connections, structures and find out how we can be inspired to search for new ways in the interpretation of music and in its creation, composition and in all other work with the lyre. We will stumble over our own prejudices and experience our own and others' groping attempts. Here both courage and humility are needed.

With the continuing deterioration of our national economies, finding the courage, much less the funds, to make the trip to Sweden for Lyre 2009 this summer presents a special challenge. Can we meet this challenge? Can we use this situation as an opportunity to affirm our valuation of the lyre and the community that surrounds it?

The Board of the Lyre Association believes that we can meet this challenge by helping each other, as we have for past international conferences. If you are able, please donate money to help those who want to attend but can’t afford all the costs.

We also encourage you and your colleagues to find ways to raise money, either to send to the Lyre Association or to support one or more lyrists in your community directly. Traditionally, a benefit concert has been the favorite way of doing this, and we know of several such concerts that are already being planned. But there are innumerable other ways, anything from a bake sale to applying for a grant. Use your imagination!

To send your personal donations or forward funds you have raised, please mail checks (payable to "LANA" and designated for the "Lyre 2009 Fund") to LANA c/o Embrey, PO Box 96, Piney River, VA 22964.

Any money given to the Lyre Association will be distributed on the same basis that we have used in the past, that is, on the basis of need. If you want to attend Lyre 2009 but wouldn't be able to without financial assistance, please e-mail Samantha Embrey at or send a letter to us (at the address given above) giving a brief description of your circumstances and specifying how much you need. We will do our best to honor all requests.

All teachers of the lyre, as well as anyone interested in the development of lyre pedagogy, are invited to attend the International Lyre Pedagogy Conference that will precede the main conference in Järna this summer. The first of its kind, this gathering will bring together teachers of the lyre from all over the globe to share approaches and ideas in order to strengthen the lyre work in the world as we move further into the 21st century.

On July 28, following a 4:00 pm registration, the two-day conference will open that evening and end with lunch on July 30, in time for participants to breathe out before the main conference opens on the morning of July 31. Teachers from countries as diverse as Japan, Brazil, Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Holland, the USA and the Czech Republic will offer informative and participatory presentations characterizing the way the lyre is introduced and taught in their various regions. We will close with a group conversation to plan how we will go forward as an international community of teachers to offer support and maintain our connections for the future.

We will meet in the Örjan Skolan (Orian School) in Ytterjärna, about a mile from the main conference, which will take place at the Solvig School. You can register for the Lyre Pedagogy Conference (and sign up for meals and housing) on the same form as the main conference.
For more information, see the Lyre 2009 website (www.lyre2009.com) or contact Sarah Boyd (44-28 90-425308 / sarahjane_boyd@hotmail.com).

Although it does not appear in the general conference program, plans are underway for a full Youth Lyre Program at Lyre 2009 in Sweden such as we have had in past international lyre gatherings. We hope to have dedicated youth sessions as well as times of joining the general work for some sessions, including the special work with Pär Ahlbom and some afternoon excursions to see the beautiful area surrounding Järna. One lyre teacher from Germany is doing fund raising to bring up to eight adolescent players along with him, and it would be wonderful if these students could meet and play with some of our young lyrists! We also expect to have a few students from Japan.

If you know of a young lyrist who might consider making the trip to Sweden, please contact Sheila Johns (301-681-6546 / ) or Channa Seidenberg (518-672-4389/ ) as soon as possible!

•	Possible ways to pay the conference fee:
	*	Wire money from your bank (usually poor exchange rate plus a substantial fee).
	*	Use a service such as XE Trade: www.xetrade.com (good rate, no fee; takes time to set up).
	*	Use a credit card (for North American residents only). E-mail for the required form and information
•	Registration forms can be mailed to the address on the form or faxed to 46-8-551-748-68
•	Arrival times: For Lyre 2009, you should arrive by July 30 because the program begins the morning of July 31. For the Pedagogy Conference, you should arrive by the afternoon of July 28 at the latest.
•	For more details, photos and updated information, see www.lyre2009.com.