Music for All: An Ode to Building and Servicing Our Community

As I write this we’re right in the holiday season and what always comes up for me at this time is community. Being in a community and having a sense of belonging with folks is one of the most important aspects of my life. MANY studies link mental and physical health with being in a community and feeling a sense of belonging. In this article I want to share my experience with being a part of communities, putting together groups, and perhaps some ideas for you to join or create something for yourself!

The Benefits of Building Community and Being of Service

Let’s first talk about the benefits of community and belonging. Do a quick search on the web and you’ll find many studies and articles connecting mental and physical health to being in a community with other folks. Some examples are volunteering, religion, sports, music, food,  neighborhood, etc. A few benefits that often show up for folks include reduced stress and anxiety, a sense of safety, friendship, support, accountability, and of course JOY. Engaging in a community allows you to find help for yourself and also provide these things for other people. It’s a cycle that continues and feeds into itself. 

I have 3 examples of community that feed into my well-being, purpose, and joy:

1. I meet with friends online every week where we sing for each other while giving and receiving positive feedback, play trivia, and chat about what’s going on in our lives. This ramped up during the height of the COVID pandemic and proved a real lifesaver for all of us. It was an opportunity to enjoy friendship, sing, and commiserate. This group still meets today. 
2. I volunteer with a mutual aid space in my neighborhood. Some folks are friends and some are folks who share a purpose. The most time I spend there is as part of the Astoria Food Pantry where I get to meet our neighbors, hand out groceries, and create connections with volunteers and also my neighborhood. This type of work leads to other cool opportunities for connection (Pie-A-Thons, Concerts, and Pop-Ups). 
3. I started a monthly music salon series that gives folks a chance to perform in front of people in a loving, celebratory and low-stakes setting. I created this to build a community for singers who want (and need!) a space to connect with folks in a musical way. It gives people a chance to sing and make music AND it gives people a chance to show love and appreciation to other singers who are brave and vulnerable! 

If community is so important and life-giving, why do we struggle with it?

It takes work. It’s vulnerable. We are busy. We are tired. We are overworked. Speaking from personal experience, it can be hard! Admittedly, I fall into all of those categories and it’s something I continue to practice. What I’ve realized is that although it’s scary, it’s been IMPORTANT to me. 

Music is all about connection. Connection to ourselves, our emotions, the world, our people, our faith, the earth. The more I allow myself to be open to community the stronger every one of those connections becomes; I’m happier, more fulfilled, and grounded. For the past handful of years, I’ve tried to surround myself with like-minded people. That doesn’t mean I agree with everyone all the time, or that they are my best friends, but it does mean we have a shared connection and purpose to music, friendships, and community. 

I want to leave you with this - you don’t need to ask permission to be a part of a community nor do you need to ask permission to start a community. There are MANY people in the world, in your city, in your neighborhood who are looking for something, who want something, who need something. If this is something that rings true for you let this be the impetus to be brave and start connecting.