In two days, three friends composed and recorded a song: two of them in one city, another 300 kilometers away. This is how Vinicius Leal, musician and composer, deals with the stress of being trapped in one place for almost a month due to the new coronavirus crisis.
The Brazilian normally lives in Nice, France, where he is part of The Troubadours band, which plays parties and events around the world. Last year they had 198 performances in more than 30 countries. He came to Brazil on holidays and was in Bagé, on the border with Uruguay, when the local authorities decided to completely close down the town, with people only allowed to come and go in emergencies.
Separated from family and facing water shortages due to lack of rain, Vinicius found the music to be a good way to deal with the stress.
“It keeps me busy, besides I concentrate on good things and don’t have time to think of the pandemic or fake news”, he told the United Nations Information Centre in Brazil (UNIC Rio).
This week he’ll perform in an online birthday party for a client in England, while his band has cancelled 27 live shows for March and April.
Vinicius Leal and friends perform Raining on the border, a song recorded through online collaboration during the pandemic. Video courtesy Vinicius Leal
“Chovendo na fronteira” (Raining on the border) was composed in two days. Vinicius recorded the initial idea. His father-in-law, Júlio Pimentel, musician and composer, adjusted the rhythm. The material was sent to Sandro Cartier, a percussion teacher at the Federal University of Santa Maria, 300 km away, who added instruments and vocals, and sent the recording back to Vinicius. The composition includes drums, percussion, bass, guitar, electric guitar, piano and vocals.
Now, musicians in Portugal and France want to join the project. “Now is the perfect time to finally end pending projects”, says Vinicius. “We have the time and it reduces the frustration of unfinished ideas”.
Health specialists advise to invest time in personal projects that give pleasure but are challenging enough to motivate. Playing an instrument, for example, as Vinicius is doing, helps with the well-being and reduces stress levels. The UN Country Team stress counsellor in Brazil also advises staff to find healthy ways to help them relax, as they continue to carry out their duties during the pandemic.
