Photo Credit: Jeff Rothman

In my first Senza Sordino column, I outlined my journey to the ICSOM presidency. That journey, if you remember, was an unexpected one, borne from my experiences in the industry that ranged from little things that didn’t work optimally to others that became complete roadblocks. Onstage, we come together to turn silence into beautiful sounds. For two (or so) hours, we set aside our individual selves and the myriad experiences that make us different to become one organism (an ensemble) and make art—in solidarity, in harmony. Week in and week out, we change lives through the beauty we create. However, when so many things happen offstage that can create such pain points for so many of us, they affect who is visually represented on our stages, aurally represented in our repertoire, and who we show up as individually in our respective workplaces. 

Before jumping into the deep end of the leadership pool and expanding my frame of reference, I found myself frustrated with what I was seeing and experiencing in the various spaces I have been in. From my beginnings as a music student to my present as a gainfully employed musician, that frustration never seemed to evaporate, only grow —eventually growing into anger. Whenever I was treated poorly or unfairly, experienced untoward or unsavory behavior (and trust me, I have got some real doozies, as I am sure you do as well) or when I saw others experiencing those things, I always wondered who kept allowing these things to happen. When I first entered the workplace those questions expanded to the following:

• Why is no one saying or doing anything?
• How is this industry surviving in such chaos and dysfunction?
• Where is the committee/union?
• Where is management and why/how are they allowing this workplace to operate like this?

I felt that I was asking some good questions but wrongly assumed that other people were solely responsible for fixing the problems they addressed. After all (remember, we are thinking like me here), why was it my responsibility to fix it? I’ve been placed in these pre-existing environments (school by choice, work by necessity). I did not create them. While that was absolutely true, in hindsight and looking back on my mindset then, I can honestly say that part of me thought it was not my place to fix any of it. I mean, who am I after all?

However, I know I am not the only one who feels this way. I recognize many of you have felt, and perhaps still do, this way as well. “Who am I?” Being a part of an ensemble is fulfilling, but it can feel isolating in some ways. Being one amongst many. Second, it is easy to feel as though you are just one voice in a sea of them and to assume that no one will care what you—a musician/substitute/librarian/non-titled player (insert noun of choice here)—will think. Or, somewhere along the way the environment made you feel that your voice does not matter. That is far from the truth, though. Each voice, and each person matters, especially if we want things to change. 

It is customary to lean on our various orchestra committees to move change in our work environments. We elect a select few of our colleagues per committee to represent our collective interests to the best of their ability. And we trust them to address any violations, complaints, and grievances as they come up. Let’s call and spade a shovel here: committee work is arduous work. It takes up long hours, generates endless emails and texts, and comes with seemingly never-ending problems and challenges. And it is thankless. With the varying challenges that pop up in our day-to-day work environments, it can be a lot for those few people who volunteer their time to serve in such a capacity. 

But (and take it from someone who serves on many committees outside of this Presidency), you do not need others to vote for you to serve your colleagues and to make a difference. Showing up each day and taking part in the day-to-day culture of your workplace is equally as important as committee work. Committee work is most effective when they truly can represent all voices and perspectives in the body. Yes, the body will not always agree (that is healthy!), but we must create a space for everyone to express how they feel. This, in turn, then allows the committee to find the best pathway forward and to represent the interests of the collective. 

Participating in the day-to-day culture of our workplaces can be challenging, especially when we feel the culture or environment is not working for us. Sometimes, it feels healthier to tap out, step away, and let others deal with it. (I have been there and done that, too, so no judgement from me.) Other times, it feels healthy to step away and start your own things with others you feel care about the same things. (Again, been there and done that, too.) But we all still exist in the same ecosystem until we either retire or choose a different career path. So instead of tapping out, stepping away, starting other things, or letting others deal with it, I challenge each of you to step in and offer the unique perspectives and voices you bring to the table. 

Instead of thinking or assuming someone else should do something, recognize that you can be that someone who does something. There are tools out there that can help you, and we, your ICSOM Governing Board, are here in the trenches with and for you. Many hands make for lighter work.