Getting a diverse group of people to work together literally created beautiful music – a custom-written piece by a young singer/songwriter that was presented at Barrie City Hall last week, with the support of a choir of people with special needs and their advocates.
The prelude to the song began almost a year ago, when Simcoe Community Services’ public awareness committee began brainstorming about creating a DVD that highlights how the agency – a Community Living agency – helps to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families.
SCS provides a variety of services, from infant development through nursery school programs, from family advocacy to teen recreation and day supports for adults, as well as a variety of respite and accommodation services.
“The DVD really shows how people can come together and create something powerful,” said Reet Skelton, SCS’s public awareness co-ordinator.
“Someone on our committee started with suggesting a young videographer, Mitchell Wilson, from Innisdale Secondary School. Rogers TV producer Steve McEown said he’d help us, and B101 morning show host Jamie Hall said he could make statistical information sound interesting. He provided the voice.
“I met with Mitchell and, within 20 seconds, he told me the song I picked was copyrighted. My bubble burst. But Mitchell said, ‘I know someone who writes songs.’”
Tyler Firestone agreed to tackle the project. He took on the challenge of writing something someone needed, rather than something he needed to write.
“I knew it would be a challenge to write something someone told me to write. It was one of my greatest accomplishments when I finished that song,” the young Wasaga Beach folk-rock singer said.
Firestone explained songs demand to be written. When inspired, he will retreat to his room to write and emerge hours later with lyrics and music. In this instance, he couldn’t get to sleep because of a performance earlier that evening. He got up and sang the chorus into his digital recorder. Over the next two days, he wrote the verses and put the final touches on the song, I Will Succeed.
He understands some of the challenges people with special needs face, as his mother worked with them when he was younger. He also admires Jeff Healey who, despite being blind all his life, wrote and performed numerous most-insightful and inspiring songs.
But Firestone’s I Will Succeed is proving to be inspiring locally, as it’s caught on with people with special needs.
It was performed publicly for the first time at Simcoe Community Services’ annual general meeting, as well as at a celebration of the agency’s accreditation at City Hall Nov. 12.
“I really like writing about issues,” said Firestone. “I feel music speaks better to people because it gets stuck in your head.”
With his debut CD last November, All in Good Time, Firestone focuses on world issues, while paying tribute to the style of Neil Young and Cat Stevens. He is considering getting into audio engineering or pursuing a career in music therapy.
“My music’s my dream – to be a singer/songwriter. I want to pursue my music. It’s my love, my main passion in life.”
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