music expresses both identity and diversity

Music helps form individual identity and identity among groups of people. As an expressive means, music help us express what we're feeling, what we believe and value, what we are protesting, our hopes and our longings. Among groups of people, music can support national identity through:

• nationalist classical or folk music


• national anthems


• musical ambassadors

Music may express the interests of subcultures within a nation through:

• community musical expression (choirs, bands)


• collective conscience (Live Aid)


• common religious identity (songs, hymns, canticles)


• adolescent and teenage identity conjoined with clothes, colors, symbols (goth, rap, hiphop)

While the phrase music is a universal language may be widely accepted, not everyone can appreciate how it bypasses cultural barriers. It also expresses our diversity. Music may express differences of:

• meaning (interpretation, aesthetic values)


• cultural pratice (musical elements, context)


• generations (styles, associations)


• preferences (familiarity, personal choice)

In respectful music care, we need to know that music has this dual expressive function: expressing connectedness and expressing uniqueness.

music an intricate part of life passage and human experience

Recently, I was at a football game at the Rogers Centre and paid attention to the ways in which music was part of the event that gathered close to 30,000 people together. Upon arrival, there was a one act sousaphone plyaer by the entrance on the east side. A little further along there was music pumping from large speakers in a number of concession stands. Right by our entrance at gate 11 there was a live heavy metal band that played us in. Once we were inside the stadium there was music coming from the ads on the Jumbotron. Tere was music when the players entered the field. The game began with O Canada played by a Salvatin Army brass band. And at the half time show, there were some local dance troupes that used music. The cheerleaders used music to perform their routines to. As the game progressed, there were several bands moving around the stadium hallways playing short cheers.

The point? Music is an intricate part of life passage and human experience. Every ritual we share calls for its own music. Some of the rituals include:

• birth


• birthdays


• marriage


• anniversaries


• death


• mourning


• planting and harvesting


• changing of the season


• fertility


• suffering


• wellness


• honoring leaders


• war


• sports events


• entertainment


• romantic dinners


• graduation


• religious/spiritual ceremonies

Music accompanies us on life's journey and helps us express the human feelings we all share.

Copyright 2009, Bev Foster

why the interest in music and care?

Today, we found that the Room 217 Foundation's idea of a Music Care conference was among the 20 most popular ideas in the Aviva Community Fund Contest. Over 1400 ideas have been submitted.

Why the interest in music and care? Here are at least 10 reasons why...

• Music is an intricate part of life passage and human experience.
• Music is an expression of both identity and diversity.
• Music is an accessible and affordable means of care.
• Music is associative and is connected to our memories.
• Music connects us to people and is integral to caring relationships.
• Sound/music has been used as a healing agent for centuries.
• Music reaches into all domains when someone is sick or suffering.
• Music is transformative.
• Music is a great pain distractor.
• Music enhances quality of life.

Copyright 2009, Bev Foster

music care conference

I have entered my "big idea", Room 217's MUSIC CARE CONFERENCE into the Aviva Community Fund, a competition that you may have seen advertised on TV. If our idea receives enough votes, it wil have a chance at sharing in $500,000 to bring it to life. I would really appreciate your help in pushing our idea to the finals.

Please vote for our idea at http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf2679.

The cool thing is you can vote once a day per email address. Can I get your help? Time is of he essence-we have 13 days left!

Please pass this information along to otherswho may be able to help us.