It is National Music Week, as sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs, this week, May 7-14.

I was blessed to be born into a household that valued music.

On one side of the family, gatherings would frequently involve gathering around a piano for a family sing-a-long.

Somehow, finding a piano player was never an issue as there were multiple options within the family ready and willing to accompany the gathered voices.

Attending weekly church services would find my grandmother on the organ frequently, and eventually I joined the church choir while in high school, alongside my father, grandmother, aunt, and even my mother accompanying on the piano.

I also had instructors with tremendous passion that pushed my love for music beyond what I had learned in those sing-a-longs.

That continued when I got to high school and college, and I was able to embrace this year’s theme, “Music is...a Worldwide Adventure.”

In all, during my vocal performance instruction in college, All-State choirs in high school, and other choirs over the years, I performed pieces in 12 different languages.

In today's paper, you’ll see a letter from Barb Valer. Barb was a member of church choir that encouraged my passion, and her daughter Kristi was the director of that choir.

Both are now teaching my own children, and it leads to many sing-a-long moments as we drive down the road.

The passion and love for music is something passed across generations all over the world, and this week is a great time to thank those who began the spark and nurtured it within each of us.