Podcast Episode Details

e178 podium 2024 - what more can we sing and do?

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Season 5 Episode 178

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• It is taking far too long for us to acknowledge the damage we have done to the world's water and to indigenous people and to take action : truth, reconciliation, change. Scientists have discovered that some whale songs actually evolve over time. It is my hope that the choirs who perform this work with me and all those who hear it will refuse to let what the whales are saying be lost in the ocean and will join their song in calling for respect and reciprocity. (Deantha Edmunds, May 19, 2024, Podium 2024)
• Stay humble, keep listening and keep learning. That is how we will use choral music as a way to advocate and change the environmental crisis that we're facing (Elise Naccarato, May 19, 2024, Podium 2024)

Note: a transcript of this show and a translation of episode é157 podium 2024 - que pouvons-nous chanter et faire de plus ? can be found in the 'Transcript' tab.

Welcome to a special episode of the conscient podcast featuring a bilingual panel that I facilitate called ‘Voicing the ecological crisis: what more can we sing and do? It recorded on Sunday, May 19, 2024, as part of Podium 2024, the Open Voices, Open Minds choral conference and festival organized by Choral Canada and l’Alliance chorale du Québec in Tiohtià:ke on the unceded traditional territory of the Kanien'keha:kaé (Montreal).

I had the honor of selecting the panelists and moderating this important conversation. 

You will hear the presentations of Deantha Edmunds and Elise Naccarato in English in this episode. I invite you to listen to é157 of balado conscient to hear the French language presentations from this panel by Megan Chartrand and Sarah Fioravanti. You’ll find a transcription of their presentations in the ‘transcript’ section of this episode. 

I have to admit that the subject of our conversation that Sunday afternoon was extremely serious, complex and I'd even say existential, but I reminded the assembly that I had promised in the program that we would ‘leave the conversation with a practical reality check while humming with hope’.

But how does one ‘hum with hope’ when we are facing imminent societal collapse due to ? I asked the group and I asked myself how choral music or collective singing can help?

I also reminded delegates that the ecological crisis, be it climate change, loss of biodiversity, the ravages of extractive capitalism, etc is deepening at a frightening pace, leaving many, including artists, feeling disempowered, demoralized and sometimes in denial.

So when Meghan Hila, the Executive Director of Choral Canada, asked me to help out with this  panel, I was very pleased to facilitate conversations about climate change specifically and how commissioning new works on ecological themes, strategies to decrease the carbon footprint of choral music activities and how to engage in increased collective political action as a community of artists and singers.  I admire the leadership of Choral Canada and learned a lot from listening to their artistic work and innovative strategies. 

The congress itself was quite fabulous and it was good to remember that the Canadian choral community has a long history of engagement and foresight with environmental issues.

For example, during Podium 2024, Nicholas Fairbank talked about Environmental Topics in Canadian Choral Music and the long list of choral music that are already in circulation on environmental themes.

I also attended

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Published on 1 year, 6 months ago