PEI Beach Glass

Woman, musician, Acadian, beach-wanderer, creator.

Welcome

Here is the first blog post: You can find others on the “Blog” page.

On musicians…

Vulnerability goes hand in hand with music. As a student, learning in itself can be a humbling experience. We want to better ourselves, admitting we still have much to learn. We want to please our teacher, prove ourselves. We recognize that others have lessons to teach us and expertise to share. If we are good students, we try to get to know the teacher, what makes them tick, what led them along on their musical path, and what inspires them.

Sharing music with others, be it on a stage or in a jam, is an act of vulnerability. Have I chosen the right piece to play? Will people like what I do? Am I good enough to be here? There aren’t too many musicians I know that don’t think about these things. Not good ones anyway. 

You become your music. Your identity becomes wrapped in that music. Music is a light that draws people in. Like-minded people. People who feel a connection to what you share. I can’t separate the “music from the person.” The two are one. 

Our small Island musical community has suffered many losses in the last few months. No one would argue this. Some of these people were very close friends. Their music is on regular rotation in my playlists. I no longer take for granted the beautiful sounds that they created. In the prime of their lives, young people who were still making music, sharing, and doing good. Doing good because that’s what musicians do. They feed our souls. They bring us joy; they lift us. They give us space to feel, be sad, and grieve. 

Now, we grieve them. We see the giant hole left behind. We think back on the times when these people were the reason we felt good. They made us feel like we belonged and that we shared something. That is what musicians do.

We will create music and art in their memory. We will keep them alive in our hearts and our lives. We will talk about them and share stories. We’ll play the music they composed and tell you why we learned it. We’ll play their music for ourselves to help us heal. We’ll let you know what they meant to us because that is what musicians do.

Talk about them with us. Remember them, honour them. Play their music, support their bandmates. Hold their families and loved ones in your heart. They need that right now. 

Réal Pelletier, Ellen MacPhee, Koady Chaisson, Pastelle LeBlanc. Our lives won’t be the same without you, but we are better people for having known and loved you. You have given us the greatest of gifts with your music. 

April 2022

Read more on the Blog page: peibeachglass.com/blog