The power of music: connecting in challenging times

In the strangest of times where the world seems to be in complete and utter turmoil, people across the world are just not able to comprehend what is happening and are having to socially distance themselves in a way they have never had to before. The things we have taken for granted like buying food and drink and basic household items are becoming more difficult as a result of panic buying and a shocking sheer lack of consideration for others in today's society. The usual frequenting of pubs, restaurants, concerts, events and socialising in general have all been put on hold for now with no idea of when we will be able to return to some kind of normality.

Having to remain in isolation is proving to be a real challenge for us all and is forcing us to adapt the way in which we carry out our daily lives. However, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, businesses can continue to operate. Individuals and groups are still able to communicate with each other via phone, video call, email and messaging, enabling us to maintain a connection with others - albeit in a different way that many are used to.

I have always appreciated the power of music to help connect people. Recent events in my own family life and what is currently happening across the world due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus have further reiterated how music can play such an important role in helping to connect and motivate people during extremely challenging times.

After my dad was left unable to communicate following a severe stroke 4 months ago, singing and playing music has really been the only way family and friends could connect with him and provide the necessary motivation and encouragement to try to work on regaining his speech and ability to communicate. The current situation with COVID-19 has brought further challenges for us as a family as unlike many people who are able to pick up a phone, video call or message someone, dad is not able to do this himself and relies solely on others to assist him with such basic tasks that we all take for granted. As our daily visits to see dad in the nursing home have been stopped for now due to potential risks to the health and safety of all the residents, with the help of carers we are still able to make a daily video call to dad and sing his favourite songs with him. Dad may be unable to sing the words but he responds making sounds and pitching to the music as my sister and I sing with him. Music along with modern technology is providing such a real lifeline for someone like my dad who otherwise may feel totally isolated from his family. Daily video calls and singing allows us to continue working with dad on his rehabilitation from a distance and helps him maintain some quality of life in extraordinary circumstances.

For all those in the outside world, music can play a vital role in providing the opportunity for individuals who are socially distanced to somehow connect with each other. As we hear iconic music festivals such as Glastonbury have had to be cancelled for 2020, we are still able to listen to the music of artists who would have been performing at these festivals. From impromptu performances of music artists being streamed from home studios via social media platforms to streaming services that allow us to listen to music and playlists of others, music is providing a way of potentially reducing the feeling of isolation imposed upon us by social distance. The power of music to motivate, lift spirits and connect people in such dark times is undeniable, as displayed recently by people confined to their homes in Italy singing in unison and playing music from their balconies.

At this point in time, with so much uncertainty we can only hope that we will work together to get through these tough times and that some good can come out of such a bad situation. As a consequence of having to protect ourselves and others from the deadly COVID-19 virus, we will no doubt be forced to press a kind of 'reset' button on the way we do things and interact with each other and hopefully, some sense of community spirit and consideration for others will be instilled again in the wider society.

In the meantime, music has real potential to keep a thread of togetherness amongst people across the world who find themselves socially distanced from each other. Music has the power to maintain a connection between us all and keep us motivated to continue our daily lives during extremely difficult and challenging times.