March is Music in Our Schools month. In past years, people have celebrated this month with special concerts and events in their schools. COVID-19 has made making and listening to music trickier. Singing and playing instruments near other people could spread the virus. And it’s not yet safe for a large group of people to sit or stand close together to watch a concert.
COVID-19 has not stopped music, though. At the beginning of the pandemic, many cities asked people to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus. This didn’t stop them from making music, though. People started singing together from their balconies or yards. Policemen in Spain played guitar while they were on patrol. Some people played instruments right outside their homes. At a safe distance from neighbors, they could still make music together.
Many musicians started holding concerts to raise money for important causes, like feeding hungry people. And some groups had concerts just for fun! But instead of having people come to concerts and risk getting sick, the concerts were livestreamed. You could watch a concert on any device with the internet
People have gone online to make music together and even to take music lessons. A virtual choir can join people from around the world to sing together. Sometimes, they sing together “live,” but other times, choir members record themselves singing. Then someone puts all the voices together to make a choir. Bands and orchestras can play together the same way.
Researchers believe that music can make people calm and happy—it’s good for our health! During a stressful time, it’s more important than ever to have music in our lives.
What Do You Think? Why do you think people want to make music together, even when they can’t be in the same room?
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