How have you chosen to express your idea of HOPE?

I have chosen to express my idea of hope through the use of quiet, calming piano, coupled with other brass and woodwind instruments. In the beginning, the only instrument that can be heard is the piano. It is quiet and mellow, representing the emotions of despair and loneliness some might be feeling in this time of tragedy.

Then, the violin joins in. After a while, the clarinets, the tubas, and other brass/woodwinds join in. This louder section is supposed to represent the collective emotions of sadness that society as a whole is feeling.

The song then goes back to the piano and the tuba plays its own melancholy melody along with it. This section acts as a sort of verse in between the two main choruses, tying the sad beginning to the happier end. The solitary piano plays for two measures before all the other instruments join in. The piano signifies the lowest point a person can go, or their “breaking point”, when their despair and sadness feels the worst. The other instruments joining in represents everyone working together to overcome this pandemic.

This is where the idea of HOPE comes in. Just as all hope seems lost (as shown by the solitary piano), everyone joins in to lift each other up and keep everyone in good spirits. This is what we are (emotionally) currently trying to do and what we must keep doing if we want to defeat this pandemic.

Finally, the ending is quiet but happy. The instruments play together quietly but play a long, sustained harmony. This represents HOPE for the future and that hopefully someday soon, everything will be alright again. In conclusion, this is how I have chosen to express my idea of hope.

Why is this an important message for you?

This is an important message for me because I feel it is very important that we all keep our chins up and our heads held high during this time of crisis. We should all try our hardest to prevent the spread of this virus and we should also try our hardest to keep our mental health in check as well. Staying cooped up inside all day and not being able to see friends can take its toll on your mind and affect your feelings. This is why it is so essential that we keep communicating with each other using other methods, such as through video calls or email. I agree that phone calls, texts, and Zoom meets with family and friends during this time of social distancing is very helpful to keep our spirit up. This way, we can manage to socialize and have fun with each other during this time of hardship and not let the virus get us down. I feel that things are starting to look much more promising now that more shops are going to open. It really is important that we have HOPE and only we can give it to each other. In conclusion, this is why this is an important message for me.