El Paso music studio offers students virtual music lessons during self-isolation

EL PASO, Texas-- For many people, music can sometimes be an escape during stressful times like right now.

For the music instructors at Sound Stage 9, a music production studio in east El Paso, having to close their doors to their students was a tough decision.

"When we first found out we were going to have to close our doors we were devastated you know because Sound Stage 9 is our second home," said Roger Argenis, owner of Sound Stage 9.

Argenis and the rest of his team knew they had to close their doors for the safety of their students, but they didn't want that to be the reason the music stopped.

"Music is fundamental. Music is therapeutic. Music heal," said Argenis.

Sound Stage 9 instructors explored options that allowed them to continue giving music lessons to their students from home.

"We continued classes online because the most important thing for us was for our students to have some normalcy, and so we wanted to make sure that they continued seeing their instructors even virtually," said Argenis.

Students were able to continue using their creative side through online video chats with instructors who provided lessons in piano, drum and singing.

"We do this for them we do this for our community," said Argenis, "We're a community of musicians. Music is our common denominator and right now times are changing and music is definitely bringing us together."