This defining moment – how will students remember this time?

Every generation experiences moments that shape the way they see the world around them. Whether you’re a high school student or a Baby Boomer or somewhere in between, the current COVID-19 global pandemic has affected all of us.

It would fair to simply survive this season of quarantine and social distancing. But will we remember the intense emotion of this time when life returns to the busy pace that it surely will someday? The hope we see in brave medical professionals on the frontlines, the stillness of empty streets, the heartbreak of missing the end of the school year (we love you, Class of 2020). The emotions we’re feeling today will surely dull over time, so people all over the world are finding ways to capture them through the arts – music, writing, visual art and more.

As musicians and performers, all of us understand the power music has to inspire, encourage and heal. From balconies in Italian villages to living rooms in Los Angeles, we’re seeing artists share the music in their hearts because they know how much it means.

Encourage your students to do the same, to find their own ways to channel the thoughts and emotions of this time into whatever medium feels most personal to them. Here are a few ideas for inspiration:

Write

Have your students write themselves a letter or a journal entry that they can either save or send to you for safekeeping until next year, when you can mail them back. They can share their fears, frustrations, things they’re grateful for, disappointments or simply document what’s going on in their worlds.

Perform

This may be an inspiring time to create new music or simply the perfect time to play the music that feels best to them. Encourage your students to record themselves playing, just for posterity, as a reminder of the emotion that came through their music.

Create

Music students are so often artistic in other areas. If they’re inspired to create visual art, poetry, sculpture – anything – they can put their feelings into whatever medium moves them.

However they capture this time, encourage students to keep that record of what they’re feeling and thinking. Anything from this season will mean so much to them years from now, when the sharpness of this time begins to soften. If you need more inspiration for activities or lessons for your students during this time of distance learning, our team of veteran educators has created a series of at home lessons. We’re also providing links to resources we find on our Facebook page.