
As it turns out, communication matters. A lot. When you work in collaborative settings, toggling between duties, negotiating with other leaders, what you say must be clearly communicated, and often. Our current collaboration between Opera Laurier and the Vox Ensemble is a case in point. It is so vitally important to me personally, and for our music program more generally, that we are open to and embracing of other genres, styles and ways of doing things. And in doing this collaboration, I know our “long game” (as my colleague Amanda Kind puts it) is for it to be the first of what we hope will be many fruitful joint ventures. But collaboration is never straightforward and must always be undertaken with the utmost care.
As far as this one goes, it’s pretty simple–at least on the surface. We thought we’d start small and easy: just two numbers. One classic grand opera opera chorus (Carmen) and one contemporary music theatre (Lion King). Easy, right? Added to the mix: our visiting scholar from Ghana, Kwashie Kuwor, to work with the students on African drumming and dance. A stage director. A music director. Student pianists. Stage crew, costume coordination. The list goes on. Oh: and 75+ students in two very different musical ensembles.
Having this many cooks in the kitchen is always a risky endeavour–who’s leading whom? Who has the ultimate deciding authority when things go awry? This is where our work encountered snags. We were trying to be so respectful of one another that, at the risk of stepping on another’s toes, we stopped saying what was on our minds. We made assumptions about who was doing what, and in the interest of not sending too many emails, neglected to inform one another of changes, developments and decisions.
This might seem like a bit of a tangential post for a blog about voice and identity, but what is voice if not to communicate, and do so effectively? So I simply write this week to reflect on what we learned on the journey thus far: 1. That good communication can never be taken for granted. 2. Never think you have read someone’s mind, always ask for clarity and comprehension. 3. Endeavour not to react emotionally, but take a breath and choose your words well. 4. Ensure that everyone feels seen and heard. 5. Use your voice and your tone with compassion. And above all: breathe again and remember that everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle, so be kind.