Stay Tuned

Universal Language Inspires Unity

The year 2017 seemed to be plagued by natural disasters and man-made tragedies. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria caused widespread damage, as did a series of devastating wildfires, while mass shootings and terror attacks inflicted horrific tolls.

It is a truism that when facing such difficult and challenging times it becomes especially crucial to come together and seek out meaningful ways to support one another and to strengthen our communities. A step toward achieving these goals is made possible through the universal language of music, as demonstrated by a number of concerts that took place last year—both large and small.

One of the most high-profile of such events was the hurricane relief benefit concert “Deep from the Heart: The One America Appeal,” on Oct. 21 at Texas A&M University in College Station. It featured appearances by all living former U.S. presidents and performances by Lady Gaga, Lyle Lovett and others.

Political divisions at this event became refreshingly irrelevant as the past presidents took to the stage with a unifying message of hope and resolve. As Lady Gaga tweeted, “Nothing more beautiful than everyone putting their differences aside to help humanity in the face of catastrophe.”

Here in Florida, citizens also stepped up with remarkable generosity to help those in need. In the capital of Tallahassee, tickets to the hurricane relief benefit concert “Trying to Reason…,” featuring Jimmy Buffett among other artists, sold out within 11 minutes, a new record for the Civic Center there.

Closer to home, there were numerous other musical offerings with the common goal of bringing relief to victims in the aftermath of the storms. By way of example, I would like to mention two of these: The Gulf Coast Symphony and Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers offered a concert of patriotic songs, tunes from Broadway, light classics and a finale featuring the uplifting and inspirational “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Members of the Southwest Florida Symphony also offered a benefit concert titled “Music Heals,” which raised more than $7,000 for the United Way of Lee County’s Hurricane Irma Relief Fund.

These wonderful acts of charity in the realm of music ought to provide us with far more than a passing note of encouragement. As a gathering force, live music of course has the ability to entertain, but can go a critical step further to create a common, communal experience that can not only raise money for good causes, but also foster greater awareness and compassion. One might dare say that it can even break down barriers and heal divisions.

Shortly after the mass shooting during the Jason Alde an concert at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, Aldean appeared on

Saturday Night Live’s cold open, and before performing offered these words: “… You can be sure we’re going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way, because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit, it’s unbreakable.” Pianist, instructor and musicologist Erik Entwistle received an undergraduate degree in music from Dartmouth College. He earned a post-graduate degree in piano performance at Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his doctorate in musicology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He teaches on Sanibel.

Nothing more beautiful than everyone putting their differences aside to help humanity in the face of catastrophe.” —Tweet by Lady Gaga