Circles:
The Songs of a Small Town
by Vicki Pinkerton
Music. It is in us. Our hearts beat a rhythm, our circulation systems harmonize, our fingers snap and our toes tap. Day becomes night, streams flow, birds sing as our whole world sways in time. We are perfectly constructed to be a part of the music around us. There are studies that say music helps dementia patients focus, calms anxiety, lessens pain and ups our mood when we need a lift. I have even heard it said that singing with a choir is as good as medication to help depression patients. We are geared to hearing music and at certain moments we find it in the laughter of children, the wind in the trees and the swish of cars driving by on the street.M
Driving across the country I found whole communities built on instruments and singing. It was wonderful. It brought to mind my teenage years; a time in my life that music was almost as important to me as reading or breathing. I couldn’t put my finger on it but at some point my life became more complicated, I had become more interested in talk radio and my headsets didn’t have the same rhythm. Heading home, I had a realization. I could no longer live without a good solid daily dose of music. I made a pledge to reach out and bring more music into my parched existence. My first step was to raid my son’s mp3 player. Then I began to hold monthly house concerts, entertaining friends and some of the best folk and roots singers in the country. Wahoo! I can now tell you just having a musician tuning up in your family room while you cook dinner adds a whole new dimension to the act of preparing a meal. Having a monthly musical boost made me restless and I began to look around for events that didn’t have me running around looking for over priced parking in Toronto. What I found was a rich musical community growing right here in our town.
I talked to East Gwillimbury resident, David Rankine, artist and member of several groups including the ‘Appalachian Trance Project.’ He sees music an integral part of community development and growth. When we spoke he said, “Music, like storytelling is how a community reinforces its own reality. The more we all express ourselves creatively, the stronger our communities.” Even as someone who has not demonstrated a shred of musical talent, I can feel the bond of an audience glowing from the residue of a great performance. We all seem to have the same urge to be a part of the universal rhythm.
Are you getting your musical fix? I am not asking just to get you out supporting our local artists but listening to music in our community will help you get to know your parents, kids and neighbours. It will bring you an awareness of what is going on in town and will give your imagination and creative juices a great big spike and who can’t use that in today’s world?
Summer is coming and local musicians will be getting out there and strutting their stuff. Here are a few places to look:
Check out Music in the Civic Square in Sharon. You are invited to bring your family and friends to the Civic Centre to enjoy a variety of free musical performances. Bring your lawn chairs and be prepared for evenings of fun all summer. You can find more information at www.eastgwillimbury.ca
Don’t forget, there will be concerts at the Sharon Temple throughout the warmer months. They have various classical artists booked all summer in the Temple as well as local groups at the Temperance Hall. www.sharontemple.ca
If you are lucky, you might just stumble onto concerts where you don’t expect them. The East Gwillimbury Farmers’ Market in the Civic Square in Sharon every Saturday morning from May 6th to October 20th will feature different performers almost every week this summer to make your outdoor shopping experience even more fabulous than ever.
Vicki Pinkerton lives on a small farm just outside of Mount Albert. She is a practicing life coach, a writer and adventurer who wonders about many things. www.questacrosscanada.com
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