Do you know the phrase, “Fake it until you make it”? I often feel like that is what our life is all about. The music industry, the classical music industry in particular, is full of highs and lows, breathe taking allegros followed by minor dissonance. A beautiful melisma showing off all of your flexibility, strength and range can be followed by the most tragic diminished seventh. And while on its own it sounds awkward, out of place and sour, within the score diminished chords are a very useful tool for adding flavor and building tension leaving you on the edge or your seat waiting for resolution. From the outside looking in, our life looks very romantic. Ben has coffee dates with some of the most talented musicians in the city, he wears a tuxedo on a regular basis, we attend Operas, concerts, the symphony, the list goes on. I have multiple places to show off the perfectblack clutch and yet, because Ben is a musician (and I failed to get the memo that I, in turn needed to earn a six figure salary), there is no way I can afford said clutch. The truth is, musicians are slaves to their passion. They are either forced to live a life of poverty, working half their waking hours (or more) for nothing or they sell their souls to life insurance and live a dual life, moonlighting in whatever gig fits around their day job. But here is where the tension mounts. It seems that to succeed in the music industry in Vancouver, it is all about who you know. Naturally, this goes hand in hand with making a good impression, presenting yourself as a professional: knowledgeable, poised and mannered, I can’t imagine that a tattered tux and unruly hair would be looked highly upon, then again, what do I know – I saw some guy last year at the Opera wearing sweat pants.
Cambridge was all about faking it until you made it. There were expectations and nothing less was accepted. You didn’t dare show up at high table without white tie dress, a Master’s length gown, good conversation and the knowledge of how to use the over 10 pieces of silver set before you. Nobody goes to Cambridge knowing enough and even if you think you do, it isn’t long before you discover that you don’t. But it doesn’t matter, and you don’t admit this to anyone, you just keep going. You fake it until you make it. So, is this how we need to continue on, in life after Cambridge?
Maybe this is all in my head. Maybe I have Vancouver all wrong, but how else will we manage to get through with our sanity and an ounce of dignity. Ben is above me. He doesn’t think this way – he just does it because he loves it. He loves choral music and how it brings voices together to create one unified sound, he loves sacred music and the depth it brings to worship. He loves building cathedrals of sound. We’d love it if you had a chance to check out and support what he is doing to revitalize Choral music in Vancouver so (shameless plug) head over to www.ucchildrenschoir.ca, www.oculuschoir.ca and become a fan on facebook.
Thus endeth my rant on the lack of appreciation or compensation for the arts in Canada.
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