| July 3, 2020 | |
| 7:30 pm | |
| West End, Vancouver | |
| Zoom Video Conference |
You are invited to Music Oasis on Zoom
Solo Piano Meditations
Craig Addy, piano
Friday, July 3 at 7:30 pm.
Momentum was building for the Music Oasis Meditation events at my home here in the West End. Then COVID-19 happened. In fact, I nearly cancelled the last event as it occurred just on the cusp of full-scale social distancing practices. I have been busy making music just the same. If you follow me on Facebook or read my newsletters, you might know I have been playing the piano live on Facebook 3 times a week (up to 5 times earlier on). This has been a playground in which I have been discovering and upgrading the necessary audio technology to create an excellent auditory experience online and finding ways to connect in a more personal direct way online. During the Piano Journeys events on Facebook, I invite listeners to share intentions in the comments section and I choose those as inspiration for my piano creations.
Something more is possible, however. During the live in-person events there is that special opportunity of being in direct conversation. There is both verbal communication and the communication of our facial expressions, posture and gestures. There is an opportunity for me to ask someone to further define or elaborate on an intention or story someone shares with me. There is also an opportunity for listeners to interact with each other in more meaningful and deep ways. This brings me to Zoom Video Conferencing. While it cannot replace an in-person experience, it is a great deal closer to an in-person experience than Facebook Live. On Zoom, participants will be able to see and hear each other. The opportunity to connect with me and each other is much greater. The opportunity for me to get a more precise and meaningful understanding of your intention or story is much greater. In at least one way, it is greater than an in-person experience, because everyone gets a front-row seat.
This is my first iteration of a grand experiment to see if I can indeed provide a musical experience that is personal, impactful and delightful in a way that is comparable, though different, to my live in-person events. I say grand because, if it is effective, I now have a global audience available to invite. Zoom also has the advantage of allowing much larger participation. My living room accommodates 10-14 people. My current Zoom account accommodates 100 locations. That said, I am going to keep the numbers small for this first event. I’m thinking of 10 to 20 people/locations and I might change my mind.
You are one of a select few I am inviting for this event. Aside from the fact that I know you, like you, or I’m grateful to you for your support in the past, here is who I am inviting and why. Some of you may belong in more than one category here.
- You have attended an in-person event in the past
- You have NOT attended an in-person event in the past.
- You have been a regular participant on my Facebook Live events over the past 3 months
- You are someone who can assist me in managing the meeting, especially once the music starts. I’ll be busy managing the music at that point.
- If you are in the first category, I am keen to have your comparative feedback. How was it less effective, how was it as effective, and how was it more effective than the in-person event(s) you attended.
- If you are in the second category, I am keen to learn of an experience that isn’t comparative. An experience that ISN’T measuring it against the in-person experience.
- If you are in the third category, you may also have attended an in-person event. You will be able to shed light on 3 distinct musical experiences – in-person, Facebook Live, and Zoom.
- You might see yourself as someone who wants to step into the 4th category. Let me know if you are.
Of course, feedback, while desired and assiduously sought, is completely optional. You can simply come and partake in the experience if you like.
This might be a music-only-experience. Might be is not actually accurate. What I mean is there will be conversations at the beginning and the end. In the beginning, we settle in and have some introductions and I‘ll say a little about how the evening will unfold. I’ll invite you to share some intentions for the music that we will create. As there could be more intentions than I have time for, I may combine the ones that are effectively the same or very similar. An intention almost always speaks for more than the person who shares it. That said, I have not definitively settled on the format for the event. I may choose to have conversations between pieces or sets of pieces.
If I follow the current intended plan, once the music commences, there will be no conversation or applause. When it’s time for your piece, your name and intention will be noted on the screen.
Entrance to this event
I have also become deeply inspired by a practice called the Gift Economy. For this event, there is no ticket price. At the conclusion of the event, you can show your gratitude for the experience by contributing what the experience was worth to you or, if that value is more than you can currently afford, the amount that you can give (that can be $0 if that is where you are at). A variety of forms of payment can be accepted as well (a direct PayPal.me link, eTransfer, Credit Card). The intent is that participants who want to be at this event are free to be there and not constrained by financial circumstances. The Gift Economy trusts that what I need to support myself will come back to me and that it need not necessarily come from all the immediate recipients of my gifts. It’s an experiment that I am keen to explore whenever possible.
As I am limiting participation, please only reserve a seat if you can promise to be there. (Wellbeing concerns and life emergencies excepted of course).
This online event will be
hosted with Zoom Video Conferencing. Login information will be provided
after you reserve your spot.