Canadian Musician - September/October 2020 | Page 54

PHOTO: GRAHAM LACDAO
musicians often use to describe
moments of consequence in
their development. Just as we’ve
adapted to life without live music
during the pandemic, at each
point in our journey as players, we
take in often unwieldy chunks of
information – be it music theory,
technique, or the workflow and
quirks of a given keyboard instrument
– and adapt accordingly.
However, if we don’t put that
information to practical use – get
it into our hands and fingers so
completely that it becomes a
natural, instinctive part of our
practice, performance, and composition
– we won’t progress, or at
the very least, we’ll progress much
Rachel Mahon
more slowly.
There is no shortage
of instances in
recent history where
we, as a society, have
been provided with ample
and clear evidence
that some of us have a
certain innate degree
of privilege and others
don’t – a situation that
is just as prevalent in
the arts as it is in other
areas of society.
The murder of
George Floyd on May
25 th in Minneapolis,
MN, is only the latest of
similarly tragic incidents
that provoked
widespread outrage
and pleas for real,
comprehensive, and
lasting change. Many
people have said that
“this time, it’s different; this time,
we’re going to do something.” And
so we should. As musicians and
artists, we should take responsibility
and use the platform and skills
we have to educate, inspire, and
motivate others to take action as
well.
For Ruth B., that need to do
something manifested itself, in
part, in the form of “If I Have a
Son,” a song written in support of
the Black Lives Matter movement
that, for her, was a means of processing
the events taking place in
the wake of Floyd’s death.
Much like the song that
launched her career in 2014, “Lost
Boys,” Ruth B. says: “It just kind of
happened. It’s a reflection of how I
was feeling in the moment. For me,
it was derived from experiences
I’ve been through and my friends
have been through. And I want to
be part of the change – to make
sure that no one feels this way. I
think that’s the power of music –
being able to touch people … so
people listen and have empathy
and understanding of what others
go through.
“I think it’s such an important
time to use your platform and your
voice in whatever way you can to
raise awareness,” she continues,
“doing what you can, in whatever
way you can, whether that’s
making music, donating, or going
to a protest. Now, more than ever,”
she sums up, “people are really
wanting to see change.”
In order to see that change,
however, we – all of us who are
willing – need to take responsibility
and actively, constantly, take part
in generating it any way we can.
As for how to do that: “Among
my circle of friends that’s a big
question right now,” Grunwald
says. “Everybody’s got to take
that on right now, especially people
with privilege. It’s our responsibility
to stand up and say, ‘We
“Ask yourself if you’re doing
all you can to really enact
change.”
-Mike Boguski
54 CANADIAN MUSICIAN