WHY SING?   Asked of new and long-time artists alike, the  answer to this question is usually assumed to be the heart of our artistic identity. But I believe that there is a more important question that we need to be considering in order to be truly successful performing artists: why listen?

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We might be inclined to answer that audiences need our music - that the emotion, the tradition, the beauty of the human voice is what will draw in listeners. But the human voice has the power to do more than simply create beautiful sounds -  it is our most intimate tool of expression and communication. What exactly will our audience walk away from our performance with that will have a tangible impact? I would argue that it's our responsibility to take a more thoughtful look at what audiences truly need in light of our complicated and divisive world, and create musical experiences which are relevant, radical, and connective. 

 

Music comes with a complex and difficult history. But it doesn't have to be frozen in time -  we, the humans reading the music off the page into reality, are active members of society and culture. This shapes our interpretations and understanding, and the result is the creation a shared experience with the audience which reflects the world as we perceive it. In the way that a historical painting, novel, or sculpture can't, music allows us as performers to be part of the process of creation rather than just historical consumption and reproduction. The narrative is in our hands, and it is our obligation to create in a way reflects the complexities of history, realities of our present, and our own personal ethos. 

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My passion and vocation as a creative performing artist is to expand empathy through the music I share. Vulnerability is the root of human connection, and our voice is the most intimate tool we have to communicate our emotions, our perspectives, and our humanity. The unique platform which we have been given as vocal artists can create new empathy in both our audiences and ourselves. 

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For me, this has inspired a deep passion for sharing new and underrepresented voices in music. In the face of today's deep societal divisions, many are fighting to uphold the value of diversity and the need to confront historical injustice - something which is reflected and amplified in the music of many contemporary composers. I want to utilize these beautifully crafted windows into others’ experiences to foster empathy in audiences with those stories that might be most unfamiliar to them. This is one of our strongest forms of allyship as artists - to use our privilege and platform to stand in solidarity and create empathy with those who are marginalized, especially those historically rejected or misrepresented within our own musical community. 

 

As musicians and humans striving to do good, we should all be committed to using our artistry in ways which reflect what we value and bring about the world we want to see. And when we have something to say which creates radical, powerful connection, there will always be reason to listen.