In her article, “Cultural Awakening: An Opportunity for Healing and Harmonizing” (Minnesota Star of the North, Vol. 36, No. 2), Martha Coventry Graber comments on the choral music’s power to overcome a variety of social and existential ills.
As choral musicians we have a wealth of strengths based on our life choices, our training and habits within a life of vocal music. Music is and always has been powerfully transformative, quite literally an instrument of growth and change throughout life. We have an established faith in this. We instinctively accept the possibility of change and evolution. I believe this is one of the greatest unifying strengths of musicians. We are completely capable of extending this belief in transformation into challenging conversations about race, inclusion/ exclusion, religious differences, opportunity/barriers, and wealth/poverty to name but a few of the challenges that the changing world brings to our workplace.
As we work from this inside-out platform and then bravely charge into conflicts and problems, we don’t have to feel like we are arming for battle. On the contrary, we can view the situation as a journey of discovery and absolute joy.
(For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
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