Songs for solidarity.

Can music play a role in creating cohesion in societies and strengthening civil society? This is a question that some “community-based institutions” are trying to create experiences for through music education. One example of these institutions is the “Community Music Works” (CMW) located in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. This institution has been active for almost three decades and defines its mission as follows: “Our goal is to create a cohesive urban community through music education and performances that transform the lives of children, families, and musicians.” Sebastian Ruth, the founder of this institution, who is also a musician and orchestra conductor, believes that through the experience of learning and performing music, citizens can be trained to participate in their community. In fact, he sees learning and performing music as an opportunity to enter and participate in society. Sebastian and his colleagues at the Community Music Works have been inspired by the perspective of Paulo Freire, a Brazilian philosopher (1921-1997), who believed that the true

The Music Society Institute, in collaboration with several other organizations, held a symposium in November 2011 on the topic of “Music and Civil Society” in Providence, USA. The institute published a journal of the results of this symposium in February 2012, under the supervision of Sebastian Roth. (1) This text includes translated and summarized sections of this journal, along with the author’s perspectives derived from their experience in the field of music education and social activities.

First, it is necessary to examine the definition of a citizen in a civil society. Drawing inspiration from the theories of Maxine Greene, an expert in education philosophy, social activist, and American writer (1917-2014), the characteristics of a citizen can be described as follows: “A citizen is someone who respects all individuals and groups in society.” The result of this respect is a sense of belonging and a feeling of connection to the community. They see themselves as members of the community. Some of the essential qualities of these citizens include the ability to listen, pay full attention, and strive to find common ground, interests, and topics while also valuing diversity and differences. A citizen in this society feels at home, their voice is heard, they value getting to know others, and there is also the possibility of communication and access among residents. In such communities, each individual, regardless of their background, actively participates in shaping the future of the community.

Sebastian Ruth believes that one of the great advantages of music is that it provides us with a structured process in which individuals with very different backgrounds, opinions, and perspectives can come together and allow their opposing views to coexist, be accepted, and respected while potentially disagreeing with them. When these individuals play together, they must listen to each other. This simultaneity leads to mutual respect. Imagine being “busy playing” in an orchestra or ensemble (2); you are simultaneously listening and playing. In fact, if you do not listen properly while playing, you cannot play. This is why music is such an interesting pattern for creating an environment in which citizens can be nurtured. Music, in addition to being a means for personal growth, can also be a platform for learning how to be a member of a group or a citizen of a society.

Pamela Rosenberg, the head of the “American Academy Berlin,” describes the goal of the pre-school music education program as follows: “The goal of this program is not to create a large number of young musicians. Rather, it is to help children learn about life through music. If they choose to play an instrument at the end of pre-school, that is a great outcome, but it is not the main goal. This program is about learning to listen to life and accessing the world around them through this medium. Music provides them with an additional way to understand the world and others.”

In Venezuela, there is another example of institutions emerging from society in the field of music education, which offers extensive programs for learning music through youth orchestras and ensembles. This program, called “El Sistema,” has been in place in Venezuela for nearly half a century. The director of this program, teachers, students, and their parents all use this phrase in their everyday conversations about the program’s goal, which is not to train musicians, but to build citizens for society. In fact, the two concepts of building citizens and creating excellent music for those involved with El Sistema are inseparable.

Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, the founder of El Sistema, in one of his Ted Talks in 2009, points out that “in their essence, orchestras and choirs go far beyond artistic structures. They are schools of social life, as singing and playing together symbolize intimate coexistence towards perfection and excellence. Musicians and singers strive for strict discipline and great effort to achieve harmony and coordination, and touch its beauty.”

In Dr. Abreu’s view, one can see prominent points. In an orchestra, each musician and instrument has a distinct role and function, but the musicians value coordination and collaboration, and their goal is to convey the beauty of music to the audience. For this purpose, individuals perform their different roles in cooperation and complementarity, and when playing or singing, they are fully aware of the roles of other instruments or singers, respect them, and recognize their impact on the final result – which is harmony and coordination in performance. In this environment, they also experience equality and diversity. It doesn’t matter what instrument they play in the orchestra or how much of the piece is written for their instrument; even if they are required to play one note at long intervals, the impact of that one note on the beauty of the music that the audience eagerly wants to hear is undeniable and powerful. This role is important and should not be discriminated against. Therefore, practicing in an orchestra or choir seems to be

One of the other activities that is popular in community-based music education programs is the organization of “Song-writing and Composing Workshops,” in which people of all ages participate and have the opportunity to strengthen their sense of community through music. Thomas Cabaniss, a composer and resident instructor from New York, shares his experiences from these workshops at the mentioned symposium: “In these workshops, we help participants write their own songs and melodies without any prerequisite knowledge of music. In one of these workshops, I met Miriam. On the first day, Miriam was shyly sitting behind the piano, playing some notes. She said she was excited to be a part of this workshop, but had never written songs before. On the other hand, there were people in the workshop who had written lyrics but couldn’t find a suitable melody for them and were embarrassed to improvise. Miriam took one of these people’s lyric sheets and said she had some ideas for it. She sang the first line

Another experience from Sebastian Roth and the works of the Society Music Institute shows that music can help individuals become aware and sensitive to events happening around them. One characteristic of a citizen in civil societies is to not be neutral and indifferent to what is happening in their community, and to be able to show empathy and support for those affected by it. Sebastian describes, “Our ensemble was invited to perform at a community gathering in the Providence City Hall. At this event, there was also an exhibition of photographs of children’s graves who were victims of violence. After a speech by active organizations in the fight against violence against women and children, we were invited to perform music. We chose a slow movement from one of Beethoven’s works. This music, without the need for background or historical references, was able to connect with the theme of this exhibition. In this sad moment, even though we didn’t know the victims, there was a strange heavy feeling of how people could stand by and let this happen? For

One of the other advantages of music education programs arising from society is that these programs are accessible to the general public at the level of that society, and individuals have the opportunity to learn music regardless of their financial ability, background, or social status. They can play in ensembles or orchestras, sing in choral groups, and attend numerous concerts in their neighboring community. In his article “Music and Social Justice” in 2009, Sebastian Ruth states: “We are talking about an educational opportunity that develops individual abilities, teaches them empathy, and introduces them to the concept of citizenship. If music is one of the best platforms for them to learn this, is it not unjust that only a certain class has access to this opportunity? By asking this question, I hope to strongly oppose the old notion that classical music is an activity for the elite. With the benefits that are fundamental to the human experience, it must be acknowledged that learning music should be a fundamental element in education.”

Another issue that these music education programs, arising from the experiencing and learning of the community, face is whether only classical music can cultivate citizenship for civil society. In his remarks at the end of the symposium, Sebastian Ruth raises this point and says, “One of the questions facing our institution is whether we should only focus on classical music, because that is what our musicians know and love, what they are interested in? Or should there be other types of music that are rooted in the traditions and culture of the people living here? Music that reflects their history. Some local music has been used in songwriting workshops, but we need to invite more people who have skills and knowledge in these music to collaborate with the institution so that we can have a diversity of music here. We need to learn more about this.”

Sebastian Roth suggests that after holding the symposium, we decided to publish journals on the learnings, ideas, and topics discussed at the symposium. This journal invites readers to continue the conversation. It invites them to read, experience, explore more resources, and actively participate in an expanding discourse on the role of music in fostering better citizens for today’s societies. The writer’s goal in collecting these experiences and combining them with personal experiences is to continue on this path of learning. It is hoped that enthusiasts, teachers, students, and music education institutions will take steps towards creating experiences that are suitable for the realities of their communities.

Notes:

1- For more information, refer to the reference number.

Website.

“Music Institute of Society”

“Ensemble” refers to a group of musicians or singers who perform together and usually consist of less than 10 people.

3- A sequence of notes or chords that form the end of a musical phrase is called a “cadence”.

4- It is referred to as a section of a musical piece.