Music has always held a unique kind of unifying power, bringing people together and forcing a moment of pure joy and genuine connection. When the pandemic threatened and altered human connection as we know it, Carpinterians turned to the power of music – whether virtual, in their homes, or in the community – to come together once again and cope with the challenges of the past year.

Lifelong musician and Carpinteria local Evan Silk grew up surrounded by sound. Influenced by his father, a talented drummer, and his mother, who also had an affinity for instruments and community drum circles, Silk’s creativity blossomed.

Music has been an integral part of the now 29-year-old’s life ever since, and so when Silk’s father, Kevin, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the father and son did what they do best – jam. “We’ve always played music together, me on guitar and him on drums,” Silk said. “I think playing music is a good stress outlet for both of us, not even just him and everything he’s dealing with, but for myself, too … Especially now, knowing how important it is for him to challenge himself and move and have that body-mind movement connection.”

Optimistic about the role of music in his father’s larger treatment plan, Silk alluded to the body of research that exists in support of music therapy for both mental and physical health. Neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania say that participating in music in your 60s and beyond can boost brain health, decrease memory loss, and improve cognitive function.¹ It’s also a workout for the peripheral nervous system. “There’s nothing more in the moment than when you’re jamming,” Evan says. “You’re not thinking of anything else at that time.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the case for music education and group musical activities for young kids is equally strong. Playing an instrument engages every major part of the central nervous system and helps to develop both fine and gross motor skills. According to a U.C. Berkeley publication, playing music together also impacts brain circuits that are crucial to developing empathy, trust, and cooperation.² In fact, people tend to think more kindly of others around them when they’re harmonizing or synchronizing in a group.

Kathy Hayden, owner and director of Kindermusik with Kathy, taps into all of these benefits and more in her weekly music classes with Carpinteria’s youngsters. Hayden started Kindermusik with Kathy, a local branch of the international Kindermusik music education program, 23 years ago. Serving the communities of Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez, the program invites parents and children to bond over the joys of music together as they participate in whimsical, interactive classes that feature singing, dancing, piano, percussion, and more.

“Music is one of the best ways to stimulate a child’s brain,” she says. “Music enhances the brain and opens it up for reading, for math, for every area of a child’s life … It hits the child in every area – cognitive, language, physical, social, heart, [and] joy.”

Beginning in March of 2020, Kindermusik with Kathy went fully virtual for nearly six months. Hayden, who spends half of each year in India teaching music and doing outreach work with local youth, found herself unable to return to California for months on end due to travel restrictions. But with the help of fellow staff music teacher Lily Akers, the Kindermusik program pushed forward on Zoom and became an instant success. “It’s not just sitting and staring at a screen … it’s almost exactly like our [in-person] program,” Hayden says of the Zoom classes. “It’s just as interactive and fun.”

Now safely back home, Hayden has resumed teaching outdoor, socially-distanced classes, but she’s continued offering virtual classes on Zoom all the while. Hayden says the families she works with in Carpinteria are notably dedicated. Classes take place on the lawn of the Carpinteria Community Church, which she praised for its hospitality. “My number one [priority] is the bond between the parent and the child, especially during pandemic time, just giving people a place to be outdoors or in and connecting with their child in a meaningful way,” Hayden says. “Whether you’re with them all day long or you’re a working parent, I find that we get distracted and busy doing other things when we’re a parent, so what I love about this is it’s one hour to focus on your child, to be present with them. No distractions, no phone calls.”

Long after their Kindermusik years have passed, music education remains at the forefront for Carpinteria youth. Music teacher Thomas Pavia has taught in Carpinteria schools since 2007, and now teaches grades 3-8 in Canalino, Aliso, Summerland, Family, and Carpinteria Middle schools, where he says that students have been especially grateful for their music classes within the past year.

“It was an adjustment for everyone at first but I think what I’m doing works, the kids are coming and they’re very engaged,” Pavia said. “I’m just grateful to be able to continue to provide this opportunity for students, and I know a lot of the students who are participating are very grateful for it as well … For a lot of students, music time is something that they really look forward to.”

Ahead of the switch to remote learning, Carpinteria schools provided each student with the instruments they needed to participate in music classes. Every third grader was provided a recorder, Pavia says, and for grades four through eight, all students who chose to sign up for music received an instrument. Pavia says he thinks of the school band as a microcosm of society – everyone has a part to play, and children learn to contribute to a larger goal. It’s also an apt way to describe how Carpinterians young and old have come together, supported one another, and shared in the joys of music.

Sources
1: Sapega, Sally. “Playing an Instrument: Better for Your Brain than Just Listening.” Penn Medicine News, 30 Jan. 2017.

2: Suttie, Jill. “Four Ways Music Strengthens Social Bonds.” Greater Good Magazine, The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, 15 Jan. 2015.