To Be or Not To Be…
We probably all share a similar memory of being on a long car journey and asking ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ Now, with my own small children, it is certainly a frequent occurrence! These days I seem to hover over this question a lot. Are we nearly there yet? Are we ever going to get there? I so desperately want to get to this distant destination that is so much brighter that this limbo land I’m currently living in. Can we see our friends and families without worrying, can we all go about our daily lives, will we, Ashuelot Concerts, as an arts organization ever be free from the constant worry of this pandemic?
The truth is, we don’t know. We might not ever really know how long this terrible time in history will take to untangle itself. So many factors at play; masks, vaccines, children, the elderly, the vulnerable, emotional well being, social behaviors amongst every generation and the painful cracks of division. There are days when the weight of the situation hammers me down and I long to run away, go and see my family in the UK and I long to be able to give a hug or a handshake without a second thought of keeping my distance.
We have all weathered this pandemic in so many different ways and I’m pretty certain that no one has escaped unscathed. I for one am sick of it. The only time my heart and mind can truly rest from it all, is when I play my violin. For a brief moment, I have arrived at a blissful utopia where I can breath easy, be in the moment, recover, rest and feel a sense of recuperation.
The world feels so uneasy right now, so divided in its opinions but one thing is for certain and that is that music has no judgement. Music has no barriers, no walls, no sickness, no mistrust, no disrespect. Music is all that is good and pure and really has no agenda other than to communicate a direct personal message to each and every soul that it comes into contact with. How that music translates to you, well, that is where the magic lies. I have had the privilege of being transported to places through the power of live music that I honestly never expected and for that transformative, restful and divine experience, I am truly grateful.