MOORHEAD — Horizon Middle School eighth grade band students are preparing for a unique performance with an important message.
The Unbroken Project is a musical movement focused on mental health. The band is scheduled to perform at a concert within a month.
There are four or five songs that the eighth-grade band performs at the concert, including “Fragile,” a slow-paced but hopeful song about overcoming good days and bad.
Another uplifting song from the project is “Blue Sky Horizon,” a song of relief for recovery.
“It’s like when you get help, whether it’s medication or therapy or whatever, you get through that depression or anxiety episode and come out the other side really elated.” said an eighth-grader at Horizon Middle School. Tim Pipinich, grade band director;
In contrast, “Scream”, which is about channeling negative emotions in a healthy way, features a scream and a unique instrument called the Aztec death whistle.
“Scream” is one of two songs to be performed for the first time in concert in the region, and the program is funded through a consortium by composer Randall Standridge of the Unbroken Project.
The band will perform for the school’s seventh and eighth graders the week before the concert, and there will also be art projects for the students.
Although the band students were a little hesitant at first, they became receptive to the idea of the project.
“‘Fragile’ was my first song and I thought, ‘This is really cool.’ I love the sound of it, and honestly, I feel like playing an instrument makes me feel a little bit more at ease. And you can see how it responds to mental illness,” said Gabriel Nedrebo, who plays alto saxophone.
“Once I actually started working on the song, I really liked it. Also, I’ve struggled with mental health before, so I thought this was a really good idea and just to bring awareness to it.” said flutist Zoe Martin.
For Pipinich, students living in a post-COVID-19 world and growing political divides made it so important to find a way to promote mental health and break down stigma through music. It’s just a small part of it.
“More and more students of all ages are being affected by these things, whether it be themselves or their families. More and more students are giving up easily, feeling helpless, and closing their minds. . . . And it was just like, ‘That was the moment,’ Pipinich said.
The free concert is open to the public. It will be held at Horizon Performing Arts Center in Moorhead on May 22 at 8 p.m.
