The arts, good for the soul
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- Published on Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Photo submitted by Ron Nordstrom. Kevin Roy and Amie Peterson from Winnipeg performed a concert in the home of Ron and Diane Nordstrom on April 26 to a crowd of around 20. Kevin and Amie played a mix of fast paced bluegrass and soulful tunes.
Submitted by Ron Nordstrom
The Neepawa Press
Kurt Vonnegut was an author best known for his novel Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut believed that all people needed to be creative simply because it was good for the soul. One of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut quotes is:
Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow. - Kurt Vonnegut
I have dabbled in many areas of the arts including drawing and painting, photography, songwriting and acting. As well, I have a number of musical instruments that I continue to “play” with. Each experience is an exercise that brings me joy and makes me search deep inside myself. Each experience challenges me and helps me grow.
What value is there in the arts? Let me give you an example. Songwriting for me is a huge intellectual challenge. I need to be able to problem solve, make decisions, think critically and of course, think creatively. Aren’t these some of the qualities that everyone needs in order to be successful in today’s society?
The songs I write tend to be silly. Sometimes, that is my intention. Other times, I start out writing a serious song and it turns silly. The result is not near as important as the process. Let me describe my process of songwriting. There are many different ways to write a song, but this is what works for me.
The first thing I need to decide is “What do I want to say?” Will this song tell a story? Will it inform the listener about a crisis or cause like the ongoing civil war in Somalia? Will it teach a historic lesson like the role of Canadians in the underground railroad in the 19th century? Maybe the song will just try to evoke an emotional response like joy or sadness from the listener, like Trooper’s “We’re Here for a Good Time”. Try not tapping your toes or bopping your head during that song.
Once the general idea of the song’s purpose has been determined, the next step for me is deciding on a pace. A sad song about heartbreak would not be effective with a fast paced, bluegrass feel. Then, like a poet, decisions have to be made on the meter. How many beats per line will I use? How many lines per verse? What will the rhyming scheme be?
Once all these decisions have been made, I can start on the lyrics. For me, this usually takes three to four drafts before I say what I mean to say. Then I try out some chords and figure out a chord progression and melody to fit the mood of the song. At this point, some of the words do not flow smoothly when singing, so another draft or two of the lyrics occurs.
Finally, I am satisfied with the result and I start to learn my song.
I will never make money, become famous or benefit in any traditional sense. I may not have contributed anything valuable to society. However, the immense satisfaction of creating something gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment that is a huge boost for my soul and mental well being. The fact that the exercise was challenging and a lot of work only serves to heighten my joy at creating something out of nothing. The act of creating truly is chicken soup for the soul.
The only way to truly believe that art is good for the soul is to create something. Kurt Vonnegut challenged a group of high school students to write a poem. Make it the best they could. Write, revise and make it perfect and something to be proud of. Then tear it up and let no one else see it. Even then, those students felt immense joy in knowing that they created something.
Follow Kurt’s advice. Go create something.
