Come Together, Right Now
by Shannon Price
We all know that music has a way of bringing people together and bringing out the best in each person. The power that music has is perhaps most clearly shown when people of different ages, backgrounds, skill levels, and musical tastes find common ground in the bands I coach in West Music’s Weekend Warrior recreational music sessions.
It’s not uncommon for the ages of the participants to range from 16 to 65. Of course, at the “meet and greet” session the teens and adults usually split off and start discussing music they’d like to try as a band, but I usually end up mixing the groups to spread out the experience.
This mixing of ages and skill levels has become a staple part of our program, and it has given us all a fantastic ride. Making up our own rules as to who can play with whom has taught us all life lessons. We’ve found that everyone really does care about everyone else. We’ve also discovered that teens love some of the same music as their parents and that adults will play Green Day songs.
The participants in the fall 2006 adventure ranged from ages 10 to 64, including a 40-something, plus two sisters in their mid-30s, some teens, and two 11-year-olds who are really good multi-instrumentalists.
We created two bands. One was the “kids band.” It consists of Adam (17), Kody (14), Amanda (16), Sam (11), AJ (11), and the Narvaez brothers (16, 13, and 10). Joining them were vocalist Kelli (a 30-something) and Lucy (age 64). (Read about Lucy’s passion for percussion and love of making music at www.makingmusicmag.com/columns/06sept03.html).
The “adult band” consists of Phil (40-something), sisters Kandi and Kelli, Lucy, as well as Adam, Amanda, and the Narvaez brothers from the “kid’s band.”
I can’t tell you how incredible it is to see all these musicians working together and helping each other learn and grow, not only musically but also socially.
The kids genuinely care what Phil, who is Adam’s father, has to say about playing drums and arranging songs, and they appreciate his never-ending patience. The younger kids watch 17-year-old Adam intently because they want to be like him. They also sincerely want 64-year-old Lucy to be in the group. They see how much fun she is having, and when she has fun, everyone else lights up.
On the other hand, the adults were floored the first time they heard 11-year-old Sam on drums and saw how the Narvaez brothers can turn to a guitar, bass, or keyboards and play any song by ear.
Every practice went long. Time passed quickly because each person was so motivated. I saw everyone helping everyone else and ideas flying around the room. Laughter was abundant, but more importantly, mutual respect filled the space and time of each practice. The participants became more than just Weekend Warrior bandmates—they started to get together to rehearse during the week.
I began to mix age groups in the bands a while back out of necessity. A band sometimes needs a bass player or vocalist, so a person from a different band would be thrust into the spotlight of another to fill that gap. Age makes no difference, and no one ever thinks twice about a member being too old or too young. They only care that the band works and that playing is a ton of fun.
From this mixing, a respect for each age group and what it has to offer becomes apparent. Now, when people sign up and play in Weekend Warrior bands, they never know what to expect—and that’s part of the fun. Frequently, I receive phone calls and e-mails just before a session begins to see if regulars Phil, Adam, Lucy, Kelli, or the Narvaez brothers will be playing. There are always repeat Warriors, as well as new participants, but experience doesn’t cause problems—once the practice CDs are passed out and rehearsals begin, everyone is in the same boat again.
Finding musical common ground can be about willingness to discover and explore. Kids discover that they like playing oldies, and adults discover that they can have unexpected fun with a little metal mixed into their set lists. For these Warriors, variety truly is the spice of life.
When the goal of playing is not fame or fortune, other factors unite a group. All the Warriors want to play and to get better. Playing well with others is easy when you have a common goal of forging a common bond.
I see respect and a positive attitudes carrying over into the Warriors’ lives, especially for the kids. I don’t think we have anything to worry about for the future. If these Warrior kids are anything to go by, the next generation can and will take care of other people, the planet, and the music.
I remember the ’60s and ’70s and how my friends and I looked and acted back then. Did all the adults think we’d never amount to anything? Did we really not trust anyone older than 30? I think we turned out just fine. Of course, I also think our music is still the best—just look who’s playing it now!
