The extraordinary importance of music in extraordinary times

What has music meant to you at times of crisis in your life? What piece of music gives you strength? What has it been like to play music during the coronavirus pandemic? We asked musicians to share their thoughts for this Special Feature. We also explored the importance of music at transition points in life from the perspective of music psychology and examined what statistics on music listening look like in these troubled times.

Violinist Maria Puusaari writes to the FMQ readers about music that is significant for her, and about the role of music in her life during important turning points and times of crisis.

Trumpeter Verneri Pohjola has spent this weird spring pretty much the same way as all professional musicians worldwide: Taking part in streamed concerts and honing his chops and working on new music at home. A recent highlight amidst the trying times was the whopping Down Beat review of his current album The Dead Don’t Dream. At FMQ‘s request, Verneri spoke to Petri Silas about the music that gives him solace and strength when the going gets tough.

“When the quarantine was in full force, I couldn’t think of a day without music. We were listening to different types of music for maybe five or six hours a day,” says conductor Klaus Mäkelä. He spoke to Andrew Mellor about how and what kind of music has been sustaining him through the period of Covid-19, and what the connection with the audience means to him as a chief conductor.

”During the turning points of my life, music has helped me so that when faced with difficulties, I have been able to direct my thoughts elsewhere through playing. It is not so much about the musical genre or instrument, but about concentrating on the activity”, says violinist and educator Alina Järvelä who specialises in folk and early music.

When Finnish symphony orchestras whipped up series of chamber music recitals to fill the vacuum amidst coronavirus restrictions, claims of the inflexibility of these publicly funded institutions were thoroughly debunked. Online concerts have proved a godsend for musicians for keeping up their skills and for maintaining contact with audiences. The crisis has also demonstrated that a safe job provides a foundation for creativity. How have musicians experienced working in these extraordinary circumstances?

In the Spring of 2020, Finland was dragged into a state of emergency by the coronavirus pandemic. While some struggled with the combination of working from home and supervising their children’s distance learning and home care, others carried on living and working like usual. All of a sudden, there were lots of people who had more time on their hands than before. How did the COVID-19 blight effect the consumption of music and what kind of music did Finns turn to in these trying times?

Why does music prompt such a powerful emotional response? How does music reach our emotions and play on them? Music psychology researcher Suvi Saarikallio discusses the meaning of music for individuals and communities at turning points.