Rick | Momentum Community

Rick Cannon

Composer/Musician

"BURN! The Rock Opera" A collection of modern songs and musical experiences that weave the common theme of human possibility and awakened consciousness. Collectively the songs symbolize a shedding or burning off of outdated social paradigms as we forge into the Aquarian Age.

As the Momentum year comes to an end and I prepare for our open house, my primary feelings are of gratitude and positive expectancy.

I feel I have accomplished much to realize my creative dream of producing Burn! The Rock Opera. First, I learned what it takes to truly manifest a dream. At the introductory meeting for Momentum I shared my project idea with Daniel, the co-organizer of Momentum. He felt this was an ambitious project and suggested that I possibly spend the year writing it and then later actually producing the rock opera. At that time I felt that I could write AND perform it, because I had a year to do it! Even after a glorious mid-year mini-performance of a medley from the rock opera, I still felt I could put on some type of performance of the entire work by the end of the year.

I learned that getting a dedicated group of musicians together, teaching them my songs and performing them was a much bigger task than my optimism and original dream called for. As I prepare for our end of year open house, one week away, I am comfortable with the reality that I still have a lot of work (and play) ahead of me to produce a quality rock opera. Should I have listened to Daniel? No, I had to learn that myself.

This project has changed me, for the better. I have written 13 songs for Burn! They live. I now have a band together to perform these, and other, songs. This in itself has been a dream for me since my teen years. During this year I have had moments of creative bliss as I have used my voice and body to sing and move to my own songs. I now feel the positive expectancy of expressing myself musically, with the rock opera songs, and in other ways. I look forward to the time when I can perform Burn! as well as deeper explorations into my musical expression.

Other benefits I’ve gained from the Momentum year are a marked improvement in all of these areas: songwriting technique, organization and presentation of my lyrics and songs, recording techniques, using equipment, singing and playing bass, guitar and tambourine. Also I’ve improved upon personal skills of self-reflection and reflecting other’s statements.

I am grateful to Daniel and Todd for forming the Momentum program and to the other 12 artists who joined for this life-changing year of self-discovery and community.