La Carlota City, Negros Occidental–It’s been almost seven months since the community quarantine and lockdowns were issued throughout the country due to the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
By this time, some people may have already figured out what they can do to cope with the anxiety and stress that comes with the health crisis.
But there may still be others who are struggling and looking for ways to learn new skills and to be productive during this pandemic.
For these individuals, one option is to learn how to play a musical instrument.
Read: Still bored? Try learning how to play a musical instrument online
Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra and String Edition’s singer-guitarist Jan Repeso tells CDN Digital that one way to keep our sanity in check in a time of a pandemic is to try to learn how to play musical instruments.
“Learning music is no rocket science. Like a famous philosophical dictum ‘No one gives what he does not have.’ In music, you give more than you receive. Just continue the fire burning and follow where your heart tells you. You will never go wrong.”
During his live acoustic session in CDN Digital’s Lockdown: A break from the outbreak, Repeso serenaded the netizens with his amazing voice and skills in playing the guitar.
Raised by a musically inclined family, Repeso, from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, learned to love music at a very young age. But ultimately, it’s his love for the local bands like Parokya ni Edgar and Eraserheads that inspired him to explore his talent in singing and in playing various musical instruments.
Because of his passion for writing songs and his drive to connect and inspire people through his music, he became a music director during his college years in a school in Baguio. That was the start of his musical career.
When asked as to why he chose the guitar as his choice of instrument, Repeso stated that apart from it being the most common six-stringed instrument, he considers the guitar as his best friend that gives him comfort when he feels tired and lonely.
Sweet escape
In this time of worry and uncertainty, Repeso suggests for everyone to try and to play the guitar. Learning to play the stringed instrument, or other musical instruments for that matter, can provide a sweet escape from reality and can keep one’s sanity in check.
While learning how to play instruments can be difficult for some, Repeso’s advice is to just keep practicing and to have the heart to learn and love music.
His message for aspiring musicians:
“Learning music is no rocket science. Like a famous philosophical dictum ‘No one gives what he does not have.’ In music, you give more than you receive. Just continue the fire burning and follow where your heart tells you. You will never go wrong.”
/bmjo
