I’m grateful to have my instrument to express and connect. I’m happy to play music that resonates with people and brings peace.
And yet, there is a part of me that has been screaming and running for years. That part of me that had sheltered in place has cracked open and seeped throughout my entire being. We know what has happened to black and brown people in this country before our time here, into the present day, though here we are in this newly awakened re-evalution. I'm ashamed and engraged, holding on to hope wherever I can find it. I’m finding a new way to proceed. I’d like to think that I can still be a bridge, and I will still be kind - and also be free to express uncomfortable ideas. It can be difficult to let go of the stories we’ve been told that are not true. It can be difficult to figure out how to divest from privilege. I know that my cello friends and listeners come from a wide range of life experiences, and I appreciate that you're taking time to read this.
We know that the violence we see is one branch of a tree. I hope we can trace these branches to their roots, and grow anew.
I'm grateful that incredible musicians joined with me to collaborate on this new piece. You can see the original video post on my Gretchen Yanover, Cello Facebook page. I had titled the piece The Sons and Brothers Taken From Us. Click here to view.
Let’s keep using our voices—in music, in conversation, and in our votes.