Swings and roundabouts
If you’ve been around the block enough times, you start to recognise the swings and roundabouts of human behaviour, both from others and yourself (hopefully). Noticing these patterns can be an interesting thing in itself, but if there is a sense of diminishing returns in doing so, there is a danger of cynicism setting in. I regard this as a deadly consequence, because it means that life can become dull, when it is looked at from particular angles.
Can the company we keep make a difference in the way we experience these recurring cycles? I’m inclined to think so. Thankfully, we have access to so much information nowadays via the internet, so we are privileged enough to be able to learn from other people’s perceptions, in ways that were unimaginable for previous generations.
The dynamic flow between the energies of the past, present and future is probably the most interesting thing to observe and immerse one’s self in. Nowadays, I don’t like to be a party pooper who sees the lack of inspiration in the expressive ranges of the icons of today’s young people. I can’t say that I was a dedicated follower of fashion and trends when I was in that age bracket, so it’s likely that I have been more interested in engaging with timelessness, most of the time.
Did I step off the conveyor belt for a while? Yes, I wanted to avoid being bored and boring to others as a result. Does it feel worthwhile to step onto the belt once more? Yes, but I have a different role to play this time around, so there are new things to discover.
Stay tuned for new developments, including performances of excerpts from a new opera that I’m composing in collaboration with Moji Kareem of Utopia Theatre(director) and Olusola Oyeleye (librettist). The Pied Piper of Chibok is going to feature in the Grimeborn Opera Festival at The Arcola Theatre on the 16th and 17th August, under the auspices of Mosaic Opera Collective.
