In the midst of this pandemic, when every waking moment of our lives is plagued by news concerning COVID-19, music can provide solace and offer an escape from reality. Over the course of the quarantine, I’ve been listening to a lot of classical repertoire that I haven’t touched in a long time, and the reasons for that are two-fold.
The first is what I’ve just detailed above: as a classical musician, these pieces help me break free from the monotony that comes with quarantine. The second reason, however, lies in the effects that COVID-19 is having on the global economy. Concert halls are all closing as large gatherings are prohibited worldwide, thus, putting an end to many major classical music events and cutting off the source of income for classical musicians. Furthermore, most of these musicians don’t have a safety net for this type of income drop, leaving them stranded without a way to make ends meet.
Short of donating to a state-or national-level emergency funds, established for musicians, or even directly to individuals, the next easiest way to support them is to stream their music. As such, I’ve provided links to some of the pieces that have stuck out to me the most.
Jazzy, Uplifting, Cheerful:
Reminiscent, Gentle, Melancholic:
