Saskatchewan students learn about music to cure the isolation blues

Musicians are banding together to teach Saskatchewan students impacted by the COVID-19-driven school closures.

Saskatchewan Band Association (SBA) CEO Suzanne Gorman said they began late last fall looking into options for online delivery to band students and musicians in remote parts of the province.

“We were just in the beginning stages of planning for it and setting up things when COVID-19 hit and we just decided that there would be an obvious need for us to wrap up our work very, very quickly. So we did,” Gorman said.

“With the students out of school and looking for things to fill their daytime, we wanted them to fill that time as productively as possible. And students love to play.”

Gorman said she thinks music will help students deal with the mental aspects that come from social distancing due to the pandemic.

“Any arts program, but music education in particular, I think is really a good source of relaxation. It gives them a sense of being part of a larger group,” she said.

“I think any music, in general, keeps the spirits up, keeps them connected to each other, keeps them connected to a broader community… and all of that will keep them in a more positive mindframe. And we want to make sure they feel that connection.”

Musicians from both Regina and Saskatoon symphony orchestras as well as both cities’ universities are helping out, and have been creating the lessons.

The first set videos are warm-up exercises and applicable to almost any beginner musician.

“The next set that we’re working on are for intermediate students so students in Grade 8, 9, 10, where they’re looking for a little bit more skill development… And then our final set of videos will actually be for the Grade 11, 12 students,” Gorman said.

“If they think it’s a bit of a challenge. That’s OK. We want them to try the techniques that are being shown to them and try to improve as they have the opportunity to.”

After announcing the launch of the classes on Tuesday, Gorman said they’ve already closing in on 300 students that have signed up.

“We have over 100 that have already been viewing them and using them in the last 24 hours,” Gorman said.

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Regina band student Rachel Manzon said the virtual lessons are a good idea to help keep her skills up during the pandemic.

“I think that having an instrument to play definitely helps with the isolation because it gives you something to do.”

Her sister Samantha said her favourite thing about music is it allows her to express herself.

“It comes in so many different genres and so many different ways. There are so many different forms of music that you can play on your instrument. And it really helps you explore what your instrument can really do,” Samantha said.

“I think that’s really, really awesome.”

SBA is starting with a core set of instruments, including saxophone and oboe, and hope to build a catalogue of over 30 videos at about 15 minutes a piece.

“Once the videos are done, we may be able to host some online sessions, live sessions where there would be a musician doing a presentation or talking about something and the students could sign up for that as well,” Gorman said.

“That’ll be the next evolution we look at after the videos are out there.”

The online classes can be viewed by signing up the SBA website. There is no charge and it’s open to all Saskatchewan musicians.

3:50 Northern Saskatchewan teen discovers his outlet through music

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

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