The idea of making music may seem somewhat pointless right now. Doing anything can feel pointless right now, actually. Live music isn’t happening, collaborative music-making is a huge risk, and life in general just feels…bleak. But we at Music Lab would like to offer this counterpoint: life’s darkest moments are the times we need music the most. A perfect example, though tragic, is the story of the orchestra aboard the Titanic continuing to play as the mighty ship sank. Not even mentioning the bravery of those musicians, just think about the comfort they must have provided as the passengers faced their final moments. Only music can do something that profound. Now…to get us back to our current, less hopeless situation – we as music-makers have the power to bring the world out of our darkest circumstances, if only for a moment. Some would call that a responsibility, but “responsibility” implies that making music is a burden. While the less fun aspects of being a musician (like practicing, booking shows, all the non-music things we have to do) are just that – less-than-fun – the actual act of making music is (or at least should be) a joy that we are privileged to share with others. Sure, the life of a musician won’t always be easy, but we have the distinct pleasure and privilege of bringing people together even when they’re apart, of uniting nations, of bringing light and joy to seemingly hopeless times. So please, whatever you do, don’t lose your spark. It’s so important for the world right now that we have musicians, especially young musicians with fresh ideas and diverse outlooks on the world. At a time when we are most divided, through physical distance or ideological differences, the world needs us as musicians to keep fighting the good fight. There will always be good in the world, there will always be hope, as long as there is music. So to all our students, but especially to our youngest: keep going. You can make a real, tangible difference in the world with your art. Times are tough, but please don’t give up on that. We love you. We would like to invite you to share your experiences with music during the pandemic. How has music-making changed for you since last year? What have you learned that’s helped you improve your craft? Has music sounded different to you lately? Reach out to our Instagram (@musiclabgranitebay) if you have a story you’d like to tell; we’d love to hear it and share it with the rest of our community. Your stories really can make a difference for people just as much as your music can, and we’d love to hear from you. Jean Paul Friedrich Richter once said that “music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” That statement is true now more than ever. Let music and it’s creation feed your mind, body, and soul. Musicians provide the world with a very special gift, and we here at Music Lab are honored to help foster that in musicians young and old.
Why Music Making Matters So Much (Especially During a Pandemic)
