Addressing the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis is a complex and pressing issue that affects every aspect of our lives, including our health and wellbeing. At OPUS Music CIC, we believe in the power of music to bring people together, inspire change, and promote healing. That’s why our Artistic Team recently embarked on an exploration of the climate crisis with the guidance of our environmental mentor, Dave McKenny.

A Day of Reflection and Creativity

On a freezing January morning, our team gathered at The Land near Little Eaton, Derbyshire – a remote and inspiring location perfect for deep reflection and creative exploration. With Dave McKenny’s guidance, we delved into the intricacies of climate change through Joanna Macy’s “The Work That Reconnects.”

Dave led us through a spiral process of gratitude, mourning, and moving onwards. This process helped us to understand the deeper concept of gratitude and its implications for self-awareness, compassion towards others, and our relationship with the world around us.

Integrating Climate Consciousness into Music in Health Practice

As Healthcare Musicians, we recognise the importance of caring for others through our music-making and the need for self-care within that practice. The themes explored during our day with Dave will shape our approach to diversity, training, daily practice, and broaden our awareness of ourselves, our community, and our world.

Our goal is to develop a musical response to the climate crisis that will become part of OPUS’ musical offerings. This creative response aims to raise awareness and continue the important discussion about caring for ourselves, others, and the world we live in.

Personal Reflections on the Day

Oli, shared his thoughts on the day’s inspiration:

“I found the day really inspiring… The cyclic diagram of gratitude could be a great stimulus for a piece of music—a kind of thankful piece. ‘Change’ had great importance and provoked musical ideas in me, maybe more as a reflective piece rather than a piece of repertoire.”

Sarah also reflected on her experience:

“Many aspects of the training day have really endured for me… The Spiral model was really useful in finding positive outcomes without feeling overwhelmed. The day’s delivery was just great—sensitive, stimulating, and perfectly contextualised in relation to our practice.”

Looking Ahead

We are incredibly grateful to Dave McKenny for guiding us through this transformative day of personal and professional learning. As we integrate these insights into our practice, we look forward to sharing our musical response to the climate crisis with our community.

Stay tuned for updates on our journey as we continue to explore the intersection of music, health, and environmental consciousness.

Together, we can make a difference and inspire positive change through meaningful creativity. We invite you to join us on this journey towards a healthier, more sustainable future.