Times have been growing increasingly restless.
The global sweep of a pandemic has left many stitched up in questions. Questions for today, questions for tomorrow, and questions for what the entire future may hold. And while this crisis saturates us with apprehension, still many are seeking to rise above the dismal daily news.
In fact, during these tense times, humanity has never been so evident.
Stories continue to flood in about the unique ways that communities and people are enduring the ravages of the pandemic.
Collectively, people realize that there is strength when we unite—in acts both big and small. And with these efforts, we’re actively redefining what it means to bond.
Take a page from Italy.
When the pandemic first started, it moved devastatingly fast through its streets and towns.
All of a sudden, Italy was reporting thousands of new cases daily and maintained the highest death toll in the entire world. A lockdown was imminent and happened swiftly. Life as they knew it was halted in its tracks.
Quickly, Italy faced a new fate: the silence of seclusion.
A new life had to be navigated as citizens were placed beneath strict quarantine measures.
Old forms of entertainment ceased to exist. Popular music halls echoed in silence. But this didn’t stop communities from joining together. Conversely, it set the stage for some very creative brainstorming.
In a heartwarming act of humanity, Italians took to their balconies and rooftops to bond through beloved music.
Opera composer, Gioachino Rossini, once stated:
“The language of music is common to all generations and nations. It is understood by everybody, since it is understood with the heart.”
So it is, and so it was. Italians quickly resolved to transcend their pandemic anxieties by joining together in open-air, at-home concerts.
Music became the answer to a brand-new set of woes, fueled by uncertainty and disillusion.
So, citizens young and old used their voices and instruments to navigate the restlessness. From Bologna to Rome, they organized and engaged in what they called a “Flash Mob Sonoro,” or a sound flash mob.
All skill levels and all ages were invited to participate.
Competency was not a requirement, nor was the use of a traditional instrument.
The thought? To validate community through the language of music. A wooden spoon is to a guitar is to a cooking pot is to a violin. Anything and everything was welcomed, so long as you worked to create a unified voice.
In today’s video, citizens all around Italy were interviewed to share their experience of coming together against all odds.
Despite the strange and uncertain times, you get a strong sense of togetherness.
On balconies, overlooking gardens and squares, people gather with their voices and instruments.
One man bellows deep opera, as another softly strums a giant harp.
The music flash mobs are a way to help people feel closer to one another.
In such sensitive times, the music is a way for neighbors to embrace each other.
In the video, one woman reveals:
“Music transports us to a world of its own and allows us to forget this awful situation, helping us confront it.”
Enthusiastically, people take to their rooftops to share the glory of music, proving that nothing can stand in the way of finding connection.
Check out this heartwarming tale of humanity and perseverance in the video below!
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