Program Notes:
Becoming More (Failing Forward) is a bossa nova tune written in collaboration with my mom and founding teacher, Jeri Swatosh, to honor 30 years of the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics (VSAA). At VSAA, they have a class called interdisciplinary core where students combine academic learning with art. One of the frameworks that is central to this process is a set of questions from Debra Meier’s The Power of Their Ideas that evolved into the fundamental questions, or FQs.
- (EVIDENCE) What do you know and how do you know it?
- (PERSPECTIVE) From whose viewpoint is this being presented?
- (CONNECTIONS) What else is this connected to?
- (SUPPOSITION) What if things were different?
- (RELEVANCE) Why is this important?
- (TRANSITION) What’s next?
These questions inform the verses and guide the story. The chorus is anchored by an idea by VSAA teacher Jim Jeffers that we are “failing forward,” and embracing process, learning from the mess. The bridge is the living history being created as they continue to build this school and community. With all 3 parts being symbiotic, we then hear how they all collaborate together to keep VSAA failing forward and becoming more.
Recording:
This version was orchestrated by Jake Siberon and features
Jeri Swatosh – Lead Vocals
Drew Swatosh – Piano
Jake Siberon – Conga, Percussion, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass
Harry B. – Trumpet
Members of the 2025 – 2026 VSAA Staff and VSAA Alumni – Background Vocals
Member of the 2025 – 2026 VSAA Vocal Repertory Ensemble, Director Joel Thoreson – Background Vocals
Text:
What do I know and how do I know it?
What evidence do I have that it’s true?
I seek perspectives to learn from others
and honor my own to learn from it too
Chorus:
Failing Forward
Embracing process,
growing through it all
Failing Forward
Embracing process
Learning from the mess
How can I find enduring connections
across time and space and people?
I dig to consider who and what got me here
and what if things were different
Chorus
Why is this important and why should I care?
What about this is relevant to me now?
I know how the past has led me to my present
and wonder where it will lead me next
Chorus
We’re forever a part of this place we built
Better because of the give and take
we think and we feel and become more together
making something new
We built this place together
We think we feel becoming more
We built this place together
We think we feel becoming more
We built this place together
We think we feel becoming more
We built this place together
We think we feel becoming more
We built this place together
We think we feel becoming more
