Loved what you saw and want to know more? Couldn’t be there and want to know what you missed? Here are some highlights, links and suggested listening:
Art exists to expose audiences to new insight, experiences and understanding. Music has an ability to connect.
There is more political art, music and drama in our history than can be covered in a lifetime. Why and how does music get involved in unifying causes? Looking through history, music has exposed audiences to “foreign lands,” given insight into the plights of others, and served as a rallying call for social justice.
Canvas shared two current projects seeking to offer understanding in relevant topics: political differences and immigrant challenges.
Canvas hosted leaders from Refugee Songs: A Musical Journey and We Met Through a Song to talk about their projects and perform samples. Also featured was interlude “Get Off the Tracks” by The Hutchinson Family Singers, performed and arranged by Sadie Sheldon and Lynn Hutchinson.
WE MET THROUGH A SONG is a short film by singer-songwriters Leah Finkelstein and Heather Stewart. It follows the unlikely and surprising friendship of two California musicians who met and befriended a conservative North Carolina farmer, through a song.
L to R: Heather Stewart, William Edwards, Jr., Leah Finkelstein share Hollywood memories on William’s first trip to California.
Finkelstein and Edwards’ interaction led to the creation of an online group called “United Eggs of America,” intended to bring folks from all political spectrums into respectful conversation.
William Edwards heard an original song of Heather’s on the TV show “NCIS” and was moved to contact her. One song, many emails and phone calls later resulted in William’s first trip out to California. Their weeklong adventure was filmed capturing difficult conversations, laughter, insight, and a realization that friendship can transcend diametrically opposing views.
In a time when the US is more divided than any of us have ever experienced, “We Met Through A Song” is a reminder to listen not just to music, but to one another.
Read more about the project HERE.
To be an Egg of America, all you have to do is to get along and be nice! No membership dues, no initiation process, just be nice to each other. We’re not Democrats or Republicans; we’re not Progressives or Conservatives; we’re not Northern or Southern…we’re Eggs! We’re scrambled, fried, poached and boiled with a side of grits, shakshouka, halloumi and labaneh. Our shell is strong and hard, our hearts are made of gold, and our inner strength is our glue and togetherness.
REFUGEE SONGS: A MUSICAL JOURNEY is a reflective concert experience that tells the true story of a young Iranian man struggling to create a new home for himself after fleeing the 1979 Revolution.
Narrated through spoken word, storytelling, images and music, Refugee Songs is a collaboration between music ensemble Mystic Groove Collective and scriptwriter Anita Casavantes Bradford. Refugee Songs meditates on the themes of cultural identity, family, inter-generational trauma, as well as resilience, self-acceptance and the healing power of love.
Co-creator and violinist Bahman Sarram, guitarist/composer Reverend Stickman and percussionist Dan Ochipinti of Mystic Groove Collective presented and performed.
