Ideas About Music

I want to tell you about Ideas about Music. It’s me doing what I love best with music – sharing it with anyone else that loves music. You’ll see and hear a lot of me talking from my office, and playing in the sanctuary here at Rosedale Presbyterian Church in downtown Toronto, Canada – and I’ll also sometimes take you on the road, to the places and people wherever my musical work takes me.

But Ideas about Music is about more than this.

Whether you’re religious or not, “Sacred” means something to you, and a lot of us can attach that meaning to the music we love. “Sacred” is a way of saying how important something is – how it can intrigue, grab and touch us – can refresh, enrage, or redeem us.

- Your 'desert island' album or playlist; the music you want at your wedding - or your funeral;
- The music you hear motivating hateful ideas and corrupt politics;
- The one piece of music others might be surprised means something special to you.
- Maybe that song that takes you back to the best - or worst time of your life.
- Or a piece that, from the first time you heard it, gave you goosebumps just from its sound or spoke powerfully to you, or something you truly believe?

These are just some of music’s Sacred roles in our lives.

We can love music while knowing little or nothing about it.  But, like anything, or anyone we love, it’s worth getting to know a bit better – THAT’s Ideas about Music.  Together we’ll look at a wide range of music, its sound, its culture and history – and I’m excited, when you tip me off, to learn about and look into your “sacred music,” – not just mine.

I-A-M or “I AM” is one name people attach to God.  Ideas about Music is a way to consider the sacred power of music to thrill, to heal, to unite, and to transform our hearts, minds and societies. .

– A way for us to recognise it as a vital piece of our humanity.
– An answer to those who see it mostly as a tool to manipulate us, or sell us things.
– A reminder to appreciate just how awesome and interesting it is.
– And maybe if we’re all lucky, an occasional bridge to the divine, however YOU might define that.

The Ideas about Music video podcast arrives in May, 2025. You can find and subscribe to Ideas about Music wherever you get podcasts, and you can watch and subscribe to the video version, which will be especially great in performance, interview and on-location episodes.

Its 20-30 minutes will drop on Tuesdays: follow the show on its YouTube channel and Facebook page, and on my personal Instagram and Bluesky accounts.  All of that information is at ideasaboutmusic.ca, where you can see more information about every episode, sign up for a weekly email taking you to the latest episode, and tell me what music is sacred in your life, and why it matters.  If you’re watching the video version of IAM right now (or ever) you can scan a QR code, which will take you right there.

During my 40-year career as a professional musician I’ve played, written and talked a lot about music – but I want to invite you to join me in thinking more about music at a time when we can use a boost of our spirits, a bit of fascination with a thing we love and may take for granted – and every week, a reminder of how IT MATTERS.

I’m Chris Dawes: join me to get a bit deeper into something we both love in just 20 or 30 minutes of your week: join me for Ideas about Music.