Sooke children serenade their music teacher in isolation

A music teacher who is self-isolating at home in Sooke, B.C. — just outside Victoria — is getting help from some of her students. 

Lorna Bjorklund, who lives on her own in a secluded area five kilometres from a main road, says she has had to stay home because she is a senior, "even though I don't want to admit it." 

But every day for the past two weeks, four of her students have come to her house, rain or shine, to drop off homemade food and occasionally serenade her with a string piece they have been rehearsing. 

"I'm overwhelmed, I just think it's an amazing thing," Bjorklund said. "I feel quite spoiled." 

The homemade goods include soups, breads and cookies. They also dropped off daffodils. And although the children are mostly practising music at home, the other day they dropped by to perform for her.

Nightly performances

The children, two boys and two sisters in middle school, also perform from their front porch every night at 7 p.m. to recognize health workers, she says. 

Bjorklund says she thinks the daily routine of dropping off food for her and performing in the evening has helped provide some structure to the children's days. 

As for herself, Bjorklund is still employed by the school district to work from home — something she admits is a learning process for her. She's also learning to "enjoy things at home," like cleaning and practising piano. 

So far, she has been encouraging all her students to practise a piece of music they're excited to learn, and to send her a video of them performing it. 

Bjorklund says the daily visits from her students are a "bright spot" in her day that help her feel "optimistic and positive about life."

She took a video of them performing, and shared it with her friends and family in hopes it may inspire other children to fill up their time by doing good deeds.