Life is beautiful and messy and humbling.

Some days are wonderful, and some days are not, and some days I wonder… what on earth is any of this about?

And some days, I strike a certain chord on the piano and my whole body fills with goosebumps.

That’s music. 

It lights me up. It’s magic. It’s what life is all about. 

Music can speak to anybody, anywhere, in any language, and any circumstance. It’s universal. It can change the whole fabric of culture and community. It has the power to affect your entire life.

It’s certainly shaped my life from the very beginning.

When I was little, there was always music in our house. My dad played guitar, and my mom taught choir at the church. My grandpa would always get me and my sister to sing harmonies for him. I’ll never forget traveling from our home in Saltcoats to Yorkton to watch Saskatchewan Express. I was in absolute awe of those young performers who were sharing their gift with us.  

I remember saying to myself, I want to do that one day.

Now here I am, a grown woman in my forties, married with four children of my own, and I’ve been blessed to live inside that musical dream all my life. From eventually joining Saskatchewan Express myself, to traveling the world and singing on cruise ships, to composing my own music on the piano, and performing right here in Saskatoon with our Symphony Orchestra…

Some days, I still can’t believe I’m doing it – yet here I am, and what a place to be!

Saskatoon is a wonderful place for an artist to call home. We have such a rich creative community. Organisations like the Symphony are a huge part of creating that culture. They bring people together and give artists a place to connect and thrive.

What an amazing gift! To have so many brilliant artists, musicians, and creators come together to create such memorable experiences, right here in Saskatoon – right here at home. 

Music lights me up like nothing else can.

And I bet if you’re reading this, it lights you up, too.