MURMusic is this elusive thing that is to be taught and learned and practiced.
Right?
Well, what if we get rid of that assumption and say maybe music is for everyone.
Let me tell you a story of my own team’s journey from chaos to synchrony via music.
In preparing for a recent program, my team and I were going over our program details and execution plan, as per usual. But, this was a music program, specifically one of our newer offerings, the Boom Chicka Boom Challenge on a large scale. Since that was the case, I wanted to spend time with my team, helping them understand the finer nuisances of the activity.
We went from full-scale chaos (not keeping the beat, not listening to one another, etc.) to enjoying the music we were co-creating in a matter of 30 minutes.
It. Was. Incredible.
Just imagine a group made up of individuals that claim very little musical ability all put together. That was our situation. We struggled to gel, to groove, to make anything close to music at the start. But not only that, it was a blame game. “Hey, you’re not playing the right thing!” “Stop messing up!” Then the feeling in the room started to change. Instead of finger pointing, an attitude of helpfulness and attention to quality and playing as one started to emerge. We had turned the corner. Now, the attitude was a ‘can-do’ attitude, with everyone realizing the importance of their own part, but being acutely aware that their part was but one part of the whole and it was as equally important for them to play correctly as it was for the others to do well.
Suddenly we became a unit. Each member was playing their respective part, with nothing but the harmonious sounds of success permeating the room. No longer was there any discontent in the group when a member erred. Instead, there was a desire to help, to course-correct for the success of the whole. The satisfaction was palpable.
Needless to say, we went on to execute an extremely satisfying and in-sync program. Of course, we are still humans and there were mistakes, but the unit created earlier didn’t sway or falter in the face of difficulties, nor was there anger or frustration in the mistakes. Instead, there was a natural flow that allowed for the small mistakes to be seamlessly covered up by the rest of the group.
Music is in fact for everyone, and it has the ability to bring out the best in us. Music permeates every part of our lives – from birthdays, to car rides, to festivals, and more. So why not harness the power of music and take your own team on a journey from chaos to beautiful music?
