We all know who he is and what he’s about. Last time, I was terrified. The day after the 2016 election was called, I was teaching a grantwriting workshop. (It was surprising that we all showed up, to tell you the truth.) It was hard to focus, harder when one of the participants started to cry, whispering, “What happens when the NEA is abolished?” The room went into a collective funk, grantwriting flew out the window. We spent the rest of the time talking about being artists at a “time like this.”
Well, this time I’m mad. No funk. No fear. Action.
This is a guy who bragged about punching his music teacher in the face because “I didn’t think he knew anything about music.” (The Art of the Deal) A guy who skipped out on four years of Kennedy Center Honors. A guy who persisted in playing recordings by Luciano Pavarotti at his rallies despite a request from Nicoletta Mantovani (Pavarotti’s widow) to desist because the candidate’s values were “incompatible” with her late husband’s. (OperaWire) So, we have a philistine coming to power (again). And I do mean philistine, in the more recent definition: “a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them.” (Oxford) or “a person who is guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values.” (Merriam-Webster)
What now? We carry on and do our work.
That means making more music, making new music, teaching more kids, going to more concerts, supporting our artists and arts organizations. This is what makes us and keeps us human (and humane), what keeps us connected and engaged with one another one-on-one and with our local, regional and global clan. We can’t not do art.
We aren’t going to punch our teachers. We’re going to move forward, practicing, rehearsing, creating, performing. We’re going to go on and stay real and alive through art and music.
Let’s not despair. Let’s make music. Buy tickets, donate to arts organizations, support public school music programs, sing really loudly, go to your grandchild’s piano recital. There are a million things we can do. Let’s do them. The clown car won’t be here forever.
“We have art so that we don’t die of reality.” (Neitzsche)
Thank you, that gives me ideas.
That was inspiring- thank you! ❤️