We know from history that people divided by their own moral or political views rarely succeed in achieving great things, but that hasn't stopped our politicians from clinging fiercely to their party line and refusing to work across the aisle. We also know that arguments rarely result in agreement, but that hasn't stopped many from using social media to spew vitriol and ridicule at anyone who doesn't share their viewpoint. Perhaps we could all learn something by spending a day in a band room.
Like people, band instruments are uniquely different from each other. The beautiful nasally quality of the oboe is unique to that instrument, as is the hollow sound of the clarinet and the soft timbre of the flute. No instrument besides the trombone can perform a glissando, and no other instrument besides the french horn requires the musician to affect the tone by placing their hand in the bell. Simply said, band instruments are extremely diverse.
If you hear the instruments alone, you would never think that they would blend together to make beautiful music. Shouldn't those unique tone qualities clash with each other? Wouldn't a band made up completely of clarinets be a better option? Obviously, since the band isn't made up of just clarinets, the answer to that question would be "no." In fact, it is the diverse sounds blending together that make a band sound beautiful. When diversity unites, the band creates beauty that reaches right to the heart of every human being. When musicians in the band follow the adage "listen louder than you play," the result is a blending of sound resulting in a tone quality unmatched by any group of musicians all playing the same instrument.
Yes, we are different. Yes, we often have opposing beliefs. But can we turn that diversity into a tool for good instead of a weapon of destruction? Perhaps we can, if we take these lessons from the band room:
*Listen louder than you play.
*Know who has the melody. If you don't, defer to those who do.
*Even the finest melody is empowered by beautiful harmony.
*Playing in tune requires give and take from every musician.
*Playing out of tune doesn't just sound awful, it also drives people away.
