Written by Eric Harvey
Ariana Sidman, 17, started playing the piano when she was five years old. She began her compositions at the age of eight, and later she began songwriting.
Sidman has consistently turned to music when he has struggled with his mental health. That’s why she and her band will be performing at Manhattan’s The Bitter End on Saturday, May 18th, to connect with audiences through music while raising mental health awareness.
“If you’re struggling, if you’re looking for a spark of hope or inspiration, I encourage you to come, because there are some great musicians,” said Sidman, who lives on the Upper West Side. Told. “This is a welcoming, warm environment and supportive community, and we’re just trying to make this world a better place.”
The concert, titled “In Tune with Mental Health,” commemorates May’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Sidman hopes the show will help destigmatize access to treatment and therapy. She and her band of six musicians, ranging in age from 13 to 17, will perform 20 cover songs that explore themes of mental health, resilience and hope.
Although not yet finalized, that list should be chosen carefully. The band opens with “Today” by Smashing Pumpkins. In this song, dark lyrics about the day songwriter Billy Corgan considered suicide collide with upbeat instrumentals.
Other songs scheduled to be covered include “What Was I Made For?” Billie Eilish’s “Everybody Has the Blues,” James Taylor’s “Keep Your Head Up, Princess,” and Anson Seabra’s “Keep Your Head Up, Princess.”
“I think these lyrics will resonate with the audience,” Sidman said. “And towards the end, the focus is on growing up and how we’re all going to get older, but we’re all in this together. A happy outcome.” I hope it ends.”
This concert is the second annual event. The first concert, held at Sidman’s school, was a great success, with Sidman singing five songs solo and five more with his band members.
The concert also featured a panel discussion with teens and psychiatrists on the topic of mental health.
Sidman met and recruited band members through a program called Urban Garage, where teenage musicians gather once a month at The Bitter End to practice and hold open mics.
There, Sidman found 13-year-old guitarist and vocalist Mika Katchen. Merrick Brannigan, 16, vocals, guitar, bass. Raf Katchen, 17, drums. Cole Koper, 17, guitar, bass, vocals. and Odelia Abergel, 17, vocals and guitar.
All ticket proceeds from the May 18th concert will be donated to Creatives Care, a nonprofit organization that provides free services to artists to ensure they have access to affordable, quality mental health care.
Last year’s concert raised $1,500. Sidman has volunteered with the organization since its inception, writing newsletters and grants, and planning public relations and events.
Sidman said she has always been passionate about mental health. She hopes to become a psychiatrist like her mother. She loves listening to people’s stories, she said. In her second year, she served as a mediator when there were conflicts in the classroom.
“I have a huge passion for helping others and helping them navigate their own stories and change their lives,” Sidman said. “And, having been through my own struggles with mental health, teaching others that life has a purpose and there’s a world to look forward to, even if it seems bleak in the moment. , there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
When it comes to songwriting, jazz and music icons like Billy Joel and Elton John were major influences on Sidman’s music. She said her music incorporates both simple and complex experimental voices and chords.
Until he started playing jazz at school, Sidman said he wanted nothing to do with music or performing. When her parents started giving her piano lessons when she was five years old, she did everything she could to get out of there.
“When the teacher came, I hid the piano book in my underwear drawer,” she said.
“Half of the lesson was spent looking for piano books.”
But Sidman was thankful the book was finally found.
“It’s really been an amazing journey,” she said. “It’s been like my coping mechanism and my outlet, especially when I’ve struggled with mental health in the past. It feels like I’m escaping into a new world.”
Sidman said he is already documenting correspondence, emails and details for future concerts. What she is most proud of is her audience and the connections she has built through her passion for music and her joy.
“When you’re playing with musicians your age, you can feel the energy filling the room, which is very refreshing,” Sidman said.
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