Neighbourhood Folk - Sunday Mar 2 - 2025 03 03

 

For a few hours on a Sunday afternoon we gathered to make music and make sense of what is important in our lives. This was our sixth Neighbourhood Folk on the first Sunday of the month.

I never know how many people are actually going to attend. Sunday morning there is often a flurry of texts letting me know someone needs to stay home, or someone else is bringing a visiting relative or friend. That is part of the fun. Each gathering is uniquely inspired by the people who choose to attend. This method of programming is what George Lakey called, 'emergent design'. The content of our creations is informed by the contributions from the group.

In the days leading up to the first Sunday of the month I am thinking about getting the house ready, the menu for dinner after music-making, and remembering to send out invitations to friends, neighbours and family. I keep trying different arrangements for seating, to get the most people comfortably seated as possible. 

For our March 2 gathering we had 18 music-makers gathered. Some of us are career professionals exploring our artistic development, others are singers who love to sing in community, still others are later-in-life musicians, who are finally giving themselves permission to learn and instrument and sing. Still others do not see themselves as musicians, but share their storywriting, dramatic reading and poetry. Our method in these groupings of diverse skill, experience and knowledge is for the stronger in the group to help out those who might be struggling to keep up. This way, we all grow as a cohort and there is no shame in admitting that you need help.

This time we tried something new. When we were playing a song for the first time, a song that was new to us, we played through it twice. It was amazing the difference between the first and second try. It also gives our songwriters a chance to hear their works played by others. This is a revelatory experience. It helps us to understand how the work we do in solitude has a wider, social significance. We really don't know how our creative works will impact others.

We managed to get through the entire group by 530 pm or so (start time was 3 pm). A smaller group of us stayed for potluck dinner. This is a special meal. Many of us are eating together for the first time. It gives us a chance to get to know each other, share resource leads, and discuss next steps. 'Breaking bread' together (in this case chicken/tofu, rice and salad) is an important way to build connections, shared understanding, and trustworthy relationships. 

We sang and played to our heart's content and then we replenished with hot food and convivial conversation. A great way to the get March 2025 underway.