We had a special voice workshop last November, which we're used to support the work of the World Peace Flame, and some thoughts came to me recently about the role that musical harmony can play in promoting peace.
When a group of individuals gather at the workshops I've noticed that many are worried about their voices, assuming everyone else can sing and that they'll stand out as the 'groaner', some perhaps even thinking that everyone else won't like them on account of their voice. It can all begin with a feeling of unease and it can take great courage to turn up to one of these events. At this point I often hesitate to mention that the group is going to be singing in harmony - or when I do, people worry that they may be the ones to sing out of tune and ruin the whole.
And yet, this doesn't happen. Somewhere, out of this atmosphere of fear, a beautiful sound emerges. The harmonies are relatively simple, but as they come together, the disparate voices all suddenly sound as one, complementing each other and supporting one another. As the singers gain confidence and hear the beauty of the whole, they start to smile, enjoy the community and their own combined sounds.
Then it always seems to me that learning to sing in harmony together is such a wonderful symbol for the promotion of peace!
