We've all heard stories about band kids doing wild things at band camp. And in a sense, the stories are right(?) A place of refuge of sorts for me was always my summer band camp. 2 weeks long. Nothing but playing wonderful music with wonderful people from all over the province. It was a home away from home for many of us Alberta band geeks. My fellow bandies were always so much more open at camp than I think they were in other settings. What admittedly shocked me a little at first was how open many of the campers were about their sexuality - a large portion of our band identified as homosexual or bisexual. No one judged. Music knows no gender... Why would it matter?
What I'm getting at here is that some of this kids *did* come from Rocky Mountain House, like Darrin Hagen, and some kids *did* come from other small towns in Alberta where differences in sexuality still aren't embraced. MusiCamp Alberta at Red Deer College, for 2 weeks, permitted and promoted the true Self. Aside from the overall environment and the accepting people, I have a silly notion in my head that the music itself coaxed people out into the open - you put yourself into your music, you fill it with your emotions and expressions and your very essence in many ways. Everyone was putting themselves out there on display for everyone to hear, and we all loved to listen.
I've since observed that many music- and art-oriented scenes and gatherings boast many more people who are open with their sexuality and their sexuality differences than other groups I've encountered. I've always pondered why that is... Art is often thought to require an open-mind, so perhaps artistic people are more open-minded in many other aspects of their lives, including their sexuality. Maybe it's because artists put themselves into their work and are more comfortable with the inner and true Self and don't try to cover it up. Maybe I just haven't opened my eyes up enough to other groups. Thoughts, anyone?
[Peterkin Symphonic Band performs summer 2007 <--- I'm in the front row on the far left!
Another clip from summer 2007 - Clarinet Escapade <--- I'm on the far right!
If you want a sense of what the camp was like, this link will send you to a video they made one of the years I was there, mostly to promote the camp, but I think it captures some of the atmosphere]
I think the comment you made about needing to be open-minded to do art could have some validity; I've seen that same effect as well with the university setting.
ReplyDeleteAnother possibility: two weeks of absolute freedom from the regular pressures of life, and you can make any impression you want, then go back to "normal", whatever that may be. There's freedom in those two things as well, whic may enable freedom for someone to be themselves, possibly.
I love the bit here about listening. I think that's an undervalued sense - well, in society generally (to indulge in a totalization!) and I wonder how it works to make people feel like they can say things. (I also agree with you, OneArrow, that there's something about being away from the regular routine that frees you up.)
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