Lyndal Chambers and Brian ‘Strat’ Strating lead the virtual street band parade. By Laura Brearley
SOMETHING wonderful and ridiculous took place a few weeks ago during the depths of the first COVID lockdown. Community music leaders from Inverloch, Lyndal Chambers and Brian ‘Strat’ Strating, brought people together from far and wide and led a virtual street band parade. It was colourful, joyful and totally absurd.
Normally, at the end of May, Community Music Victoria hosts a music camp at Grantville. People of all ages and levels of musical ability come together for a weekend of music-sharing, workshops and performances. The music camp always culminates in a street band parade in which people dress up, play music and parade their way around the camping ground.
SOMETHING wonderful and ridiculous took place a few weeks ago during the depths of the first COVID lockdown. Community music leaders from Inverloch, Lyndal Chambers and Brian ‘Strat’ Strating, brought people together from far and wide and led a virtual street band parade. It was colourful, joyful and totally absurd.
Normally, at the end of May, Community Music Victoria hosts a music camp at Grantville. People of all ages and levels of musical ability come together for a weekend of music-sharing, workshops and performances. The music camp always culminates in a street band parade in which people dress up, play music and parade their way around the camping ground.
 Watch Terry Melvin’s short film ‘The Extraordinary Virtual Street Band Parade’ on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/437745509 on YouTube https://youtu.be/_L1AZw6HYn | The times we live in are far from normal, so this year the music camp was conducted on-line. Up for the challenge, Lyndal and Strat led the street band parade in front of a computer screen in their lounge room. The experience broke through the two-dimensions of Zoom with its small boxes of seemingly disembodied faces. That they were able to pull it off was testament to their years of experience leading street bands down real roads. It also revealed the sense of fun in the community and their willingness to experiment playfully in the virtual world. Most of all, it demonstrated the power of music to bring people together. |
Lyndal and Strat have long understood this. Generosity and warmth have been underpinning principles of their community music practice throughout their lives. “Music is the universal language,” Strat says. “Music touches us in the heart and so then we connect. It’s about the access and welcome, the inclusivity of making music together.”
Lyndal also believes music is a unifying force. “Music ties people together,” she says. “Music brings a sense of joy and life and connection.”
Even against the backdrop of the suffering and sorrow of the pandemic, an experience like this reminds us of our resilience and our capacity for joy. At a time when many people are feeling isolated and disconnected, it is an important reminder that we are going through this experience together. There are many ways we can be here for each other and connect, even across distance.
In the words of the nineteenth century English novelist George Eliot “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”
Lyndal also believes music is a unifying force. “Music ties people together,” she says. “Music brings a sense of joy and life and connection.”
Even against the backdrop of the suffering and sorrow of the pandemic, an experience like this reminds us of our resilience and our capacity for joy. At a time when many people are feeling isolated and disconnected, it is an important reminder that we are going through this experience together. There are many ways we can be here for each other and connect, even across distance.
In the words of the nineteenth century English novelist George Eliot “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”
