Music heals; how music has helped students during a global pandemic

By Lucy Wing, Reporter

Earbuds, airpods, and headphones are a common sight at high schools in the 21st century. Music is more accessible than ever and teenagers are more than happy to take advantage of the countless streaming services offered. But what is it about music that is so engaging? And how has a global pandemic fueled that engagement?

When schools went online, students gained a huge amount of free time, and many have used that time to dive deeper into the world of music to listen, play, and create.

“[Music] is like an escape for me, like being transported into a new world,” VHS senior Isaiah Dziko said.
The extra free time allowed Dziko to explore new genres and form connections with smaller artists.

“Over the past year, I’ve found smaller artists and explored different genres. It’s cool to be able to see your artists grow, especially throughout COVID where you have this big timeline. It really feels like you’re a part of it.” he said.

Alex Piccio, a junior at Bellarmine Preparatory School, is aiming to become one of those smaller artists, and has spent her free time writing and recording.

“I write music, and it’s a way for me to be creative and express myself in ways that I’m not usually comfortable with.” she said.
“[During COVID-19] I’ve had all this time to reflect on my life, and I’ve turned to artists, turned to music because there’s nothing else to do.” she said.

VHS freshman Ferdie Escovedo also fell back onto music, spending his free time playing instruments and perfecting the art of improvising.

“Learning improvisation is fun. It’s scary and new, [and] it’s an amazing thing to play and to hear.” he said.

Escovedo finds meaning in music through genres such jazz and classical, where the melody and sound is more important than lyrics.

No matter the genre, the connection between the listener and the music is always there; whether it is through the artist, the lyrics, or the melody, music transcends any individual culture.

In the words of Elton John; “Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.”

For millions of people around the world during this pandemic, music has given them an escape from reality and an outlet to release emotions, allowing a deeper understanding of oneself and each other.