Do you speak music?: Sima Cunningham at TEDxYerevan

Have you ever started to sing a song, and in moments everyone is singing along? (Humming a tune to "Imagine" by John Lennon) ♫ Da-ra-ra-ran-da-ra-ra ♫ ♫ Da-ra-ra-ra-ra ♫ Let me hear you, come on! ♫ Da-da-da-da-da-da ♫ ♫ Da-da-da-da-da ra-ra-ra ♫ ♫ Da-ran da-da-da ♫ (Audience cheering) (Laughter) SC: That comfort of hearing familiar notes, that friendliness, that vibration in all of our throats, our bodies are moving together. We're all lost and found on top of this planet. We study each other and try and can what we've learned all of this knowledge we've gained in short little phrases, so we can go home and say, "Here are these people and they think this way." I've been to places where my only relations with people came through formal translations. We talked about politics, economics and wars, and I'd say my thoughts and they'd say theirs. I was in Venezuela trying to understand, get a feel for the people, the lay of the land, because our Presidents have been calling each other names and cutting relations and playing games. But we were there to connect with them but it's hard when you only have words, and they are not even yours. So, I looked and I looked and I looked around, and, lo and behold, what a friend I found. His hair was kind of shaggy, and he looked really cool. So I decided to try out my bad español, "Musico?" I asked and he smiled so fast, and we talked and after some minutes had past, we decided to play some music that night, he brought all his friends and I brought mine, and we played and we jammed and we recorded and wrote and we didn't need words, we had plenty of notes, and I left Venezuela really feeling that I'd built a bridge and it carried true meaning. And that is the bridge that has taken me everywhere to Eastern Turkey and the DMZ in Korea, to Brazil and New Orleans and here to Armenia. 'Cause when I first got here I felt really alone and like I was out of place and this wasn't my home, but then one night I was put up on a stage with this fantastic musician, who is with me today. And when me and Sasha met, we didn't exchange a word. We just started to play, and this is what we heard. (Guitar music) ♫ Don't look away from the window ♫ ♫ See the man sit and stare ♫ ♫ Follow his head down to the pavement ♫ ♫ To find what is not there ♫ ♫ And you can be wrong and still bounce back from it ♫ ♫ And just move on down the road ♫ ♫ I've been wrong before I got over it ♫ ♫ But until those voices join you're missing the point ♫ ♫ Dare to think what you're saying ♫ ♫ Its probably not all that bad ♫ ♫ This ideology that you're obeying ♫ ♫ Will give more trouble than you've ever had ♫ ♫ And you can be wrong and still bounce back from it ♫ ♫ And just move on down the road ♫ ♫ I've been wrong before I got over it ♫ ♫ But until those voices join you're missing the point ♫ ♫ You can be wrong and still bounce back from it ♫ ♫ And just move on down the road ♫ ♫ I've been wrong before I got over it ♫ ♫ But until those voices join you're missing the point ♫ ♫ You can be wrong and still bounce back from it ♫ ♫ And just move on down the road ♫ ♫ I've been wrong before I got over it ♫ ♫ But until those voices... until those voices join you're missing the point ♫ (Applause) Impossible, is a nasty word to use when talking about people. It's a word we've heard so many times, a word we use to draw our lines and grow the space that's in between us 'cause game theory diplomacy would suggest that people aren't people, but people are pawns, and we are expected to act a certain way and so long as we let those, who only care fort he state, dictate the way we are allowed to relate with each other, we'll get nowehere, and we'll stay stuck inside fortified borders. Because sometimes words just can't break through the problems we have with each other. The histories, too bloody and complex to work out, and lose-lose scenarios all around, so what are we to do if peace is truly our aim? I think an important step is to get out of the game and try to describe a particular space where people can meet face-to-face, where social harmony isn't just "tested" but musical harmony is manifested. It's a moveable space and it can be found when any two people sit on the ground and push musical sequences towards one another, and they roll around and they create this ether of love and respect and they learn from each other. Because for too long people have crossed oceans to conquer, steal, buy and sell, but I am hoping no longer will this be the dominant reason, because today we live in a world of ideas, and the beautful thing about creativity, it was made to be shared. It's like fire, you give some and you lose nothing. So, let's think of being with each other as works of art, and by opening minds and opening hearts. We can start to take risks, like all true artists, and take those first steps, because those are the hardest, and ignore what is said about people by power, get out of their boxes, because this is the hour to try something new. (Guitar music) ♫ You can be my fire but don’t stand too close ♫ ♫ 'Cause the more you light it up the less I know ♫ ♫ I prefer the pieces of a puzzle in a box ♫ ♫ Cause the moment they lie solved ♫ ♫ I’ve got to walk and talk ♫ ♫ All at once ♫ ♫ Give away your fire and it only grows ♫ ♫ But if it's power that you want give up more ♫ ♫ Stepping forward all the while thinking back ♫ ♫ And when its moving like a dance ♫ ♫ It's time to set the fires ♫ ♫ All at once ♫ ♫ Ooooooooooh ♫ ♫ Cause when the heat death comes and ends our happy medium ♫ ♫ I hope you’re not the only one who turns towards what they know ♫ ♫ 'Cause when the heat death fries the irises within our eyes ♫ ♫ No monument can show the blind what they don’t already know ♫ ♫ 'Cause when the heat death comes and ends our happy medium ♫ ♫ I hope you’re not the only one who turns towards what they know ♫ ♫ 'Cause when the heat death fries the irises within our eyes ♫ ♫ No monument can show the blind what they don’t already know ♫ ♫ You can be my fire but don't stand too close ♫ ♫ 'Cause the more you light it up the less I know ♫ (Applause) Music is about letting go and finding a space inside of all of us for the polyphony and the harmony and the complexity and the simplicity and the possibility of peace to exist. Thank you! (Applause)