Music students stay in tune during COVID-19 pandemic with webcam lessons

When COVID-19 was starting to isolate Devon Hansen from his music students, he switched on his webcam to connect with them.

"I'm so happy that a lot of parents have been really excited and really just willing to try this new thing," he said.

Hansen runs the Chatham Music Academy which has approximately 250 students learninga variety of musical instruments. More than a dozen instructors at the academy have made a nearly seamless transition to video lessons, with the majority of them being individual lessons, he said.

"It's been really interesting. You know once that first video pops up and [the students] get to see their teacher because at this point you know many probably haven't seen anyone it's that familiar face."

The connections between the students and their teachers have grown, he said. And most students are also appreciating the transition including his piano student Laurel Johnston from Blenheim.

"I was happy that we were still having lessons. I'm kind of glad that they weren't just stopped because I love lessons. But at the same time, I love going to the actual academy and playing," said Johnston.

Listen more: CBC Windsor went online to meet up with Hansen as he was giving a piano lesson to Laurel Johnston over Zoom

Using music for comfort

While music has always been part of Johnston's life, she said it is becoming more and more important during this unusual time.

"I'm always listening [to music] and I'm practicing a lot more like two hours a day now. Yeah, it's nice to have [piano] during this time," said Johnston.

Johnston isn't alone. Hansen said her sentiment is something he is hearing often during his online lessons.

"It totally is. It's that kind of stress reliever," he said. "Not all of our students want to become professional musicians but we want to teach them to know that when they're stressed out, when things are crazy, they can just pick up the violin, sit down at the piano, pick up the guitar and just take a load off," he said.