Under Pressure

Stock image via Unsplash: @terminath0r

Here at AbstracTO Montier, we kicked off Pride Month with Singing Out’s Pride Concert “Under Pressure”, performed at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio.

               The program was a wonderful array of colour and shimmering gemstones, with music that made you dance in your seat one moment, then ponder the deeper lyrical pieces the next. Lead by artistic director Jody Malone and assistant artistic director Jackie Falconer, accompanied by collaborative pianist Beth Hanson, this choir made up of over 100 non-auditioned voices really showed their chops with some ambitious arrangements. Difficult harmonies, highly rhythmic part writing, and at times also dancing while singing, the artistic team and choristers displayed the dedication, time investment, and the passion it takes to put on such a performance.

               The theme “Under Pressure”, while being the title of the iconic rock anthem by Queen and David Bowie, spoke to the larger context of the time in which we all live. 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and their allies continue to strive to create an inclusive and welcoming world for all peoples, while confronting all the challenges that come with it. This can manifest in pressure from all sides, but Singing Out is an example of how collaboration and community prevail in the mire of the modern world; understanding the power of art for positive change. Their determined dedication to their craft and joy in authenticity clearly fortifies their resolve to stand together and do their part.

               The concert reminded us of a quote from Brandon Sanderon’s novel The Well of Ascension. Spoken by characters sharing a meal in the context of an impending siege, one reminds the other who used to be an artist now turned general: “You must live as a soldier… But you can still dream like an artist.” (Sanderson, 2019)

               2SLGBTQQIA+ people often face battles directly or indirectly, to dim their shine, to mute their shimmer from the light of their authentic selves. But groups like Singing Out remind us that art can be used for the proliferation of positive social change. They prove that when you face the world together, donning one’s armor may feel that much easier. The armour of community, the joy in authenticity, helps us all withstand the pressures we feel, and find the diamonds made therein.

Bibliography

Sanderson, B. (2019). The Well of Ascension: Book Two of Mistborn. Tor Books.