Music has been a way for coping in isolation for many BV students during the pandemic.
Magazine Psychology Today stated various ways music has a positive impact on individuals emotions. From their report, personal occurrences can also be related to someone's selection of music sparking the emotions that reflect those memories as well as listening to music can also give you an improvement on someone mental health. ("Music Therapy," Psychology Today)
Take Freshman Maya Caldera. She has a history with music that leads back to her grandfather, a former band member; and her father, who had a hobby of rapping. Throughout the pandemic, she clings to the German rock band Milky Chance and pop singer Jack Stauber.
For Maya, music has been a way of helping with homework and provides a calm mood when she spends time on her art. Most of all, music has helped her manage stressful times. “Without it I don’t think I could get through the pandemic…[Without it] I would lose my mind.” (Maya Caldera, Freshman)
Without being able to play in person with the school band, senior Olivia Malone has lost her “main hobby.” Losing the opportunity to practice with the band also created “much free time.” Malone favors Indie pop trio AJR and German film composer Hans Zimmer. While always bonding with music she first joined her school band in third grade. When too many thoughts overcome her or she feels a wave of sadness, Malone performs with her instruments: tuba, trombone, clarinet, and cymbals. “I’ll go into the other room... and practice it 'til it sounds perfect. Focusing just on that one piece of music at a time helps,” she explains. (Olivia Malone, Junior)
Choir member Brian Tyler Espinosa has become more comfortable singing in the pandemic. When in choir he serves as a bass singer. He explains that he has experienced more genres of music at home and now listens to musicals. Espinosa says that music “fills that space that other people used to.” (Brian Tyler Espinosa, Senior) He chooses to sing when he feels alone and enjoys music from the musical Heathers and sea shanties [a song that was once sung by sailors when working] from the British folk musical group The Longest Johns.
Senior Aaron Kim resonates with modern rock bands on Spotify, including Indie pop band Saint Motel and British pop singer-songwriter and activist Declan McKenna. In the pandemic music is a source for comfort while feeling lonely and could be something to “lean on,” Kim says. “It’s like music is always gonna’ be there. It can basically be a part of every part of your life.” (Aaron Kim, Senior) For instance, creating playlists for personal workouts and runs.
New research from the Centers for Disease Control reported that schools are safe during the pandemic while school administrations take careful measures, leading to teachers planning to strike across the nation as a result of reopening plans. In time, possibly, students will soon be together, enjoying choir/band sessions and playing music on their phones while socializing with peers.