A prof once asked my undergrad music education class to state our personal philosophy of music for an assignment. I had no idea how to answer it, so I made something up that sounded plausible. Only now, many years later, can I actually lay claim to my own philosophy of music making.

It is simple:

Good Community = Good Music

Simple to say, yes, but there are so many facets to explore in what can contribute to “good community.” At a basic level, I believe that if the people making music together care for and about each other, the music will be better and performances more impactful.

The singers who feel supported and part of a community will be comfortable to be vulnerable with each other when they sing together. They will get on stage and be able to connect directly with the audience because they genuinely connect with each other.

That is when the magic happens. That is how you hook the people who have always thought choir is boring, and show them how engaging it can be.

There is so much more to this idea, but for now, you can see it in action with this Bon Iver piece sung by Prairie Voices. This choir has always strived to have a culture of strong community and connection between its members.

Here, they lay all their emotions out and aren’t ashamed or scared of them. I never had to demand or cajole or convince them to do it, we talked about the song and the text, and they did the rest.

It is powerful music. It is powerful community.