The Feed Your Soul event on Friday, November 8 once again amazed me. During these events, a group of 8 to 12 people, many of them strangers, come together for a vegan potluck and then to share stories which I have the honour of spontaneously re-creating in music.
The first stories are tentative. This is a different kind of musical experience. Audience members are not normally expected to be vulnerable and authentic and share themselves with the musician. It takes some courage to do this. That’s because it’s not a performance. It’s a co-creation. I am not there to wow you with my musical talent and technique. I am there to express “you” in the music.
The reward for taking a risk and telling a story is that you get to lie under my grand piano and be immersed in your own musical story. Often, at least one other person in the room has had a similar experience and also lies under the piano. The result is an acknowledgment of the emotions and expressions shared and the possibility of actually releasing them. This definitely happened on this evening. When a participant declared the anger gone, I knew the possibility was being fulfilled.
Grief, anger, healing, anxiety, lightheartedness, peace, PTSD, and connection were some of the emotions, moods, and issues addressed during this evening. The Kleenex box was busy at times and there was plenty of joy and delight too.
Here is a brief excerpt from one of the improvisations that addressed childhood grief and the experience of being unwanted.
Music by Craig Addy
Thank you, Laura Simonson of Vegan Vancouver, for co-creating these events with me. What a treasure you are. Stay tuned for future Feed Your Soul events at https://www.meetup.com/VEGAN-Vancouver/