Music

For Grade Ten History class (done online at the beginning of the pandemic) the students were challenged to do a comparison of Covid to the Spanish Flu. They could use many different means to add up to 1000 points. Thea chose a poster (she was going to do a digital drawing) and wrote a song, each worth 500 points. The description was to write an original song. It did not clearly state to use an existing song and rewrite the lyrics, so we believed lyrics and music were to be original. Thankfully the teacher allowed her 1000 points for her efforts in the end. From that came the song “Six Feet”. She used her ukulele (self taught) and created a wonderful melody to go with her lyrics along the way. I did help some with the wording, but it was her vision for what she wanted said in the song. The teacher was so impressed she suggested we send it to Brock University to be a part of the ‘Covid Archives’. Soon after a Niagara This Week reporter reached out to us for an interview to be a part of the archives story. While talking with us he realized Thea was a story in herself and asked permission to go forth with it. Thea was featured in our area’s print copy of the newspaper. That article led to being contacted by a CBC radio producer asking if they could interview Thea for their back to school mental health segment, which aired the first day back to school. It was truly a wild ride that all began with a misunderstanding of a school assignment. The image is a quick self portrait playing the ukulele for the recording, to be used in a video for her art account of the song. Singing has been another artistic outlet for Thea. She was doing mini performances at eight years old, even taking part in Niagara’s Got Talent in 2012. At three years old she was singing karaoke on Clifton Hill in front of big crowds. Musicals are another passion for her. She has done performances in highschool loving every moment of it. Being a part of AChoired Taste and the musical 'Legally Blonde' in grade ten meant so much to her. Covid came crashing down hard on her in that aspect. Doing this song was kind of therapeutic for her. It helped her learn more about what was going on, and gave her the opportunity to perform again.