Family & Kids - Music during Corona Lockdown

This segment is all about music - music of all kinds.

Spending so much time at home, and trying to avoid too much screen-time, of course my family ended up listening to a lot of music, and we expanded our horizons as we did so.

This led to interesting conversations with my 3-year-old, like:

“Hey, listen, this is a great jazz tune!”

“Mum, how do you know this is jazz?"

Good question.

This is how we started from scratch and listened to all kinds of instruments and genres and classified classical music, rock 'n' roll, jazz, reggae, salsa, and so on.

We listened to Gounod’s “Ave Maria” by La Callas while eating our home-made pizzas; then compared it with “Maria Maria” from the musical “West Side Story”, then with “Maria Maria” by Santana. We ended up acting and dancing in the living room - which was also a great way to exercise indoors.

While trying desperately to catch up on private and professional emails, I randomly found an email from music streaming service Deezer that listed special playlists while you're at home: a home office playlist, a happy kids playlist, and a karaoke hits list, to name but a few.

So I have now mastered “If You Are Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands”. And I finally learnt the lyrics of “Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry. I know, that wasn't a must-know, but still, as a non-native English speaker, it was good practice.

Honestly, after a day of babysitting and working from home, some karaoke with a glass of something does the trick to release any tension.

Over the last few weeks, I have received many, many tips about what to do during this lockdown, via many channels. But it's almost too much. Yes, of course I would love to watch all the films shortlisted by Nyon’s International Film Festival “Vision du Reel” as well as free operas and ballets from the Opéra de Paris, and finally read Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”. But when exactly do I do that?

What works best (at least for me!) is to keep my eyes and ears open, to occasionally let dreaded boredom enter my life, and to create my own entertainment.

And, instead of listening to Morissey’s gloomy (though beautiful) “Everyday Is Like Sunday”, you might want to feel happier and listen to R.E.M.’s “Shiny Happy People”.

And after all the kids’ songs you listened to so far, you might just melt like I did when your child tells you at the end of the day: “J’adore le rock’n'roll!” [I love rock'n'roll]!

- Laure Audidière