Beautiful Notes

Musicians share unique perspective on festival

Heather Chappell and Vince Peets tell a beautiful and complex story that intertwines their romantic partnership, their musical collaborations, and their shared experiences living with epilepsy. But it’s the sheer sense of wonder they have about Scotiabank BuskerFest that really shines through. “Just get a lemonade, walk around, and be amazed,” offers Vince to any firsttime Scotiabank BuskerFest spectators. The married duo have a unique perspective on the festival, experiencing it first as attendees and now as veteran performers (this will be their third year performing their lively mix of folk and traditional music at the fest). On top of that, they’ve both experienced firsthand the incredible support offered by Epilepsy Toronto, made possible by donations received at Scotiabank BuskerFest’s gates. Vince has lived with epilepsy since childhood, and has been part of the Epilepsy Toronto community his entire life. Heather experienced her first seizure in her thirties. Like many people, when first diagnosed with epilepsy, she was worried and frightened. Fortunately, Vince was able to draw on his own experiences and guide Heather to the kind of help she needed. They made an appointment with a counsellor at Epilepsy Toronto where they were provided with information and assistance to help manage Heather’s condition and the support she needed to come to terms with it. “Initially, it was really hard for me to talk about my diagnosis, but over the years it’s become easier to be more open about it,” says Heather. “Epilepsy is not something I want to be defined by, but it’s a part of who I am, so why hide it?” It’s that kind of acceptance of epilepsy that can be challenging not only for the person living with epilepsy but for the people around them. For Heather and Vince, it’s something they’ve adjusted to. They are a source of support for one another, both in their in their musical lives and in their respective day-jobs, as an educational writer, and a story board artist and film-maker. As working musicians, epilepsy presents particular challenges that Heather and Vince have had to adapt to. A long day spent in a recording studio amongst microphones and instruments, playing songs over and over can be tiring and stressful – both potential seizure triggers – so they have learned to pace themselves. Anti-seizure medication can affect the memory, so Heather always keeps a song-book on hand. Driving can be an issue so Heather and Vince don’t roll into a gig in a van. Instead, they regularly pack their gear and instruments (including accordion, guitar, a collection of penny whistles and a rather large crinoline skirt) onto a TTC bus. But despite these challenges, they’ve managed to draw inspiration and awareness into their music, from their experience with epilepsy. Instead of simply relying on things like dexterity and memorization that can be affected by medication, Vince describes it as developing “an overall sense of musicality.” It’s their combined experiences as performers and individuals living with epilepsy that shines through when they talk about Scotiabank BuskerFest. The excitement they have about performing again this year is palpable. Not only are they blown away by the talent they have witnessed at the festival, they also have a deep understanding of why the festival is so important to the epilepsy community in Toronto. Donations to Scotiabank BuskerFest “make that community possible,” says Vince. “The resources, the counselling, are a real, substantive way to help people live their lives. Epilepsy Toronto is making a difference.” Clearly that’s the case for Heather and Vince. “1 in 100 people in Canada are living with epilepsy, and yet there is still a lot of misunderstanding and social stigma around it.” says Heather. “We hope that by sharing our story, we are able to help reduce this stigma and help bring epilepsy ‘out of the shadows’. The more people learn about it and talk about it, the less they will fear it.” To hear Heather and Vince’s musical collaborations visit www.heatherchappell.ca or head down to the festival on Yonge Street and see them live, August 22 to 25. For more information about the services available at Epilepsy Toronto visit www. epilepsytoronto.org or call 416-9649095.