BOISE, Idaho — If you're feeling a little down right now and want to lift your spirits, there is a family that can help you do it through music.
Angie Marianthi is the co-owner of Boise Music Lessons with her husband, Marcus. The pair teaches music from home, a common place since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early March.
"We teach through a combination of one-on-one lessons and then also these group lessons called hoot-in-nannies," Marianthi said. "We teach a group to play a song together and it's just a really dynamic component to keep everyone motivated to play."
During the pandemic, Marianthi and her husband are also focusing on family lessons. They can be done on a lawn or through a virtual get together.
Marianthi says they teach all levels.
"We want to tell people you don't have to be really good, you just have to have fun, and you can bring people together through this tool," Marianthi said. "I think right now people are reconnecting to what is important to them and their families and so we've seen a lot of people use music to cope, lift their spirits, to connect with each other, reach out to other families and friends."
Marianthi says here and her husband are grateful that they still have a role where they can help people do that during challenging times.
In addition to lessons, Boise Music Lessons is giving 20% of their proceeds from group lessons to local musicians in need.
"We have donated to the Boise Hive, offering mental health to musicians, and Treefort Relief Fund to help musicians who lost work due to COVID," Marianthi said. "So it's like a trial by fire but in the best possible way where we're playing music and raising money and connecting with the community, so that's been really awesome."
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