疫情时期的音乐故事：在不幸中坚守
Editor'Note: Concert halls, theaters and cinemas have remained closed since the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 in the beginning of 2020. Although it may seem that people are quick to treat art and art venues as dispensable during a pandemic, music and musicians always find a way to stick around.
2020年，意外暴发的新冠疫情改变了一切。由于世界上很大一部分人口被迫呆在家里或保持社交距离，娱乐业成为受疫情影响最大的产业之一。
随着剧场的关闭和演唱会的取消，乐迷们只能坐在电脑屏幕前怀念现场音乐会带来的快乐。然而，即使如此，我们也已经感受到了，音乐从未远离。
从阳台音乐会到线上演唱会，世界各地的音乐家都在尽他们所能为疫情中的人们送去音符与旋律。
The unexpected outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has changed everything. With a large portion of the world's population forced to stay at home or to social distance, the entertainment industry has become one of the most shattered sectors of the world economy.
With concert halls closed and live events canceled, music fans could only sit in front of a computer screen and ruminate about the enjoyment of immersing themselves in a live concert. However, as we've come to realize, music never went away even during the pandemic's peak.
From Italy's balcony concerts to the "One World: Together At Home" live aid in the U.S., musicians around the world have been contributing in every way they can.
音乐之声：为所有人唱响
The sound of music: be there for all
截至6月初，中国著名歌手林萍已经录制了5首新歌，表达了对赶来帮助武汉人民的医护人员的感谢，对在疫情中受难的人们的慰问，以及对一切恢复正常的未来的期待。
林萍的家乡在此次疫情的中心，湖北。一月底，隔离措施刚刚开始施行的时候，林萍开始了她的音乐工作。
As of early June, renown Chinese singer Lin Ping had already recorded five new songs, all of which express gratitude towards the medical workers who ran to help the people of Wuhan, consoling people's suffering during the pandemic, and looking forward to a future when everything goes back to normal.
Lin's hometown is in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. She started working on her music in late January, when the shutdown measures were first put into place.
"I started to contact my composers and lyricist almost immediately, and it did give me some trouble, because many studios were shut down as well. I managed to find an available studio in the end and have my song recorded," Lin said.
A man flies a kite along the river in Wuhan amid the citywide lockdown on February 5, 2020. /CFP
"It is the first time I pushed forward a song so actively. In fact, I'm usually the one that needs to be hasted."
Lin said she was deeply touched that everyone she contacted was so willing to help, and yet not one of them ever mentioned a word about payment, from the composer, lyricist, singer to the audio mixing engineers, even when some of them were also facing unprecedented challenges.
她并不是唯一一个站出来，努力为每个需要鼓励的人写歌的中国音乐人。包括李荣浩、张艺兴、邓紫棋、华晨宇等在内的一大批音乐人，都为抗击疫情创作了大量音乐作品。这些鼓舞人心的节奏每次发布都触动了数百万人，在微博上广为传播。
Lin was not the only Chinese musician who stood out and tried their best to write a song for everyone who needs encouragement to face the pandemic. Chinese pop singers including Li Ronghao, Zhang Yixing, G.E.M, and Hua Chenyu are among those musicians who also rose to the occasion. The encouraging, soothing rhythms have touched millions of people and trended on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo every time they were released.
"Faced with the disaster, I've never seen the people so united together. Because everyone believes that music has the power to encourage, to sooth and to unite," Lin added, noting that's where the magic of music lies.
互联网+：是出路，但绝不是替代品
Internet plus: a way out for music, but never the substitution
然而，许多音乐家都面临着极端的困难。中国表演艺术协会发布的一份报告显示，2020年第一季度，至少有2万场现场音乐会被取消或推迟，造成直接票房损失20亿元(约2.8亿美元)。
与此同时，音乐产业智库《音乐商业中国》(Music Business China)发布的一份关于第一季度音乐公司状况的报告显示，唱片公司、现场活动场地运营商和赞助商都遭遇亏损，其中一些公司可能只能再生存一到两个月。
演唱会的取消迫使许多组织和公司通过互联网寻求出路。
However, many musicians have been faced with extreme difficulties. According to a report released by the China Association of Performing Arts, during the first quarter of 2020, at least 20,000 live musical events were either canceled or postponed, causing a direct box office loss of two billion yuan (280 million U.S. dollars).
Meanwhile, a report on the condition of musical companies in Q1 conducted by musical industry think tank Music Business China shows that the record labels, live event venue operators and sponsors have all suffered losses, forecasting that some of them may only survive for one to two more months.
The cancellation of live concerts forced many organizations and companies to resort to the internet for a way out.
He Yi, a Chinese soprano and Guqin artist, said that many musicians have had to take to the internet for musical performances and expressions in recent months, as it is nearly the only feasible way during the lockdown. She believes that the pandemic has, to some extent, promoted the development of online musical events that were not getting much attention in the past.
She also had several music-themed lectures moved from campus to the internet.
"When you get used to it, you'll find that online music has its advantages, for instance, it has no space or time limit, which means it is not only available for those who can walk into the concert halls," said He. She added that online platforms have attracted more international audiences to her music, mostly Chinese traditional genres.
"As you can see, it can spread across the border. And also, it brings the audience closer to me; we are only within one meter from each other – the distance from our phone screens. They interact with me like I'm one of their friends," said He.
Tools to make and publish music online. /CFP
诚然，疫情推动了线上音乐产业的发展，但还是有很多人坚信，线下的音乐会不会因此被取代。
But He doesn't believe live concert events can be replaced. Song Xinxin, a renowned Guzheng artist in China, shares the same point of view. Song's live performances in concert halls over the weekend have been canceled as well.
"The live events can never be replaced, no matter the performers or the audience. Certain magnificent energies exist between the performers onstage and the audience that could only be experienced while face to face," said Song. "And there is the problem of loss of sound without the facilities in the concert halls."
我们为什么需要音乐和音乐家？
Why do we need music and musicians?
Stock image of a concert hall. /CFP
当病毒在全球肆虐的时候，我们为什么需要音乐和音乐家？
我们都知道音乐有抚慰人心的力量，而对于音乐家们来说，疫情期间不仅是他们用自己的专业为人们带去希望的时候，也是他们自省与成长的机会。
Why do we need music and musicians during the pandemic?
"Music definitely has the power of soothing and relieving, especially during such a time, when people feel depressed and isolated," said He. "While listening to music, people can feel that they are not alone. Listening to music brings us the aesthetic enjoyment, and that refills us with new energy."
Song believes that during times of disaster, art can boom. It is also a time for self-reflection for musicians.
"In recent years before the pandemic, I sometimes felt that music has been over-commercialized. But while staying at home alone in the past several months, musicians have been able to look deeper internally, and their music can get a chance to renew and elevate itself," said Song.
Playing or singing during the pandemic is a process of contribution while at the same time absorbing, the musicians said.
回归现场
Way back to the concert hall
Stock image of a concert hall. /CFP
如今，随着疫情在中国基本得到了控制，许多地区的酒吧、音乐厅和剧院也逐渐重新开放，但仍有限制。每一场现场演出的门票只能销售不超过整个场馆容量的30%，观众必须坐在彼此间隔的座位上。
然而，对音乐家来说，这意味着希望。在我们的采访中，三位音乐家都表示，他们已经在为接下来半年的演出安排做准备。
Now with the pandemic generally brought under control in China, pubs, concert halls and theaters are also gradually reopening in many areas, though still with limitations. Each live event can only sell tickets no more than 30 percent of the whole venue's capacity, and audience members need to be seated with gaps between each other.
However, for the musicians, it means hope. During our interview, all three musicians said they have been working on performance arrangements in the next half year, saying they miss the stages and the concert halls.
"The stage is one of the two types of spaces which makes me feel free, and the other is in the mountains," said He.
也许过不了多久，我们都可以回到音乐厅里观看现场表演，并收获全新的观演体验。
Maybe it won't be too long before everyone can walk into the concert halls for live performances, and with a completely new experience, too.