By Praise Lam, Hammer Band Teacher
As a result of the pandemic, I’ve met countless people who either picked up an instrument that they had once played as a child or got the ball rolling on learning the instrument they have always wanted to learn. All were fostered by a love of music that was undoubtedly planted in them early on in their lives and all turned to music as a way of dealing with the negative effects of the lock-downs and mandates during the pandemic.
Whether consciously or subconsciously, we as human beings have always turned to music during hard times. I have always been an advocate for music education, but it was through the experiences of the pandemic lock-downs that made me realize how undeniably important it was to make sure children from all walks of life experience the joy of making music.
In 2008, when I first started out teaching in the Hammer Band Program, I remember Moshe Hammer explaining to me that the program would be intentionally focused on teaching life skills. Violin skills, he added, were obviously going to be taught – but the real focus was going to be on life skills: show up to class, bring your instrument, try your best, listen well. He was right. Most of the kids who enter our program may not become symphony musicians or soloists, but they will have to go on to live lives that require them to show up, listen well, and try their best.
Online violin classes during the pandemic were not easy, but we managed. I discovered that these lockdowns were causing children to suffer in their own way as much as adults were suffering. Violin classes soon became music therapy. It was obvious after a few sessions that a bit of music and a bit of laughter were all these kids needed to get through the day. I tried my best to teach musical concepts digitally in a fun and engaging way. This whole experience cemented my philosophy on life: show up, try your best, laugh a little.
Isn’t that what we all need as we emerge from the pandemic and continue on with life? Show up, try your best, laugh a little. This is the advice we can give to our Hammer Band students as they begin to heal and navigate their way through school and community life once more. Seasons of life go up and down and we all need to be reminded to show up, try our best, and laugh a little.
I am grateful to have had students who were patient and willing to navigate the new world of Google Classroom and Zoom with me in the last couple of years. I am grateful to Moshe Hammer for allowing us the flexibility to teach in our own way. I am grateful for all the donors and sponsors that continued to support our program during these difficult times. For all the kids and families that stayed with The Hammer Band program during these last two years – I commend you for your dedication and perseverance.
For the rest of our Hammer Band families who were unable to remain with the program for various reasons, you are with us in spirit and we hope that the musical mark we have left on your families will ultimately bring you back to music-making in the future. Now that we’ve fully emerged and the last of the safety protocols have be ‘turned off’, I am happy to see many many of you online and in-person. Let’s show up, try our best and laugh a little!
Praise Lam has been a violin instructor with the Hammer Band program since 2008 and has loved every minute of it. Her journey as a musician has taken her all over the world but her heart remains with the next generation of children in her hometown of Toronto. For more information about Praise Lam, visit www.praiselam.com.