Fieldston musician wants to de-stigmatize mental health

Ariana Sidman, 17, started playing piano when she was five. She was composing at eight, and then got into songwriting.

When she has struggled with mental health, Sidman has consistently turned to music. That is why she and her band will perform at The Bitter End in Manhattan on Saturday, May 18, to connect with the audience through music while raising awareness for mental health.

“If you’re struggling or you’re looking for a spark of hope or inspiration, I really encourage you to show up because there’s some incredible musicians,” Sidman, who lives in Upper West Side said. “It’s a welcoming and 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, is in honor of May’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Sidman hopes the show will help de-stigmatize access to treatment and therapy. She and her band of six musicians between 13 and 17 year old will perform covers of 20 songs illustrating the themes of mental health, resilience and hope.

Though not yet finalized, that list has required careful selection. The band will open with “Today” by the Smashing Pumpkins, a song with upbeat instrumentals clashed with dark lyrics about a day in which songwriter Billy Corgan considered suicide.

Other planned covers include “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish, “Everybody Has the Blues” by James Taylor and “Keep Your Head Up, Princess” by Anson Seabra.

“These lyrics, I anticipate they’ll resonate with the audience,” Sidman said. “And then, toward the end, there’s a focus on growing up and how we’re all getting older but we’re in this together. We hope to end on a happy note.”

The concert is the second annual event. The first concert, at Sidman’s school, saw huge success, with Sidman singing five solo songs and another five with band members.

The concert also featured a panel discussion with teens and psychiatrists themed around mental health.

Sidman met and recruited band members from a program called Urban Garage, in which teen musicians gather once a month at The Bitter End to practice and hold open mics.

There, Sidman found Micah Katchen, 13, guitar and vocals; Merrick Brannigan, 16, vocals, guitar and bass; Raf Katchen, 17, drums; Cole Corper, 17, guitar, bass and vocals; and Odelia Abergel, 17, vocals and guitar.

All ticket profits for the May 18 concert will go to Creatives Care, a nonprofit providing free services to help artists access affordable, high-quality mental healthcare.

Last year’s concert saw $1,500 raised. Sidman has been volunteering with the organization since its inception, writing newsletters and grants, and doing public relations and event planning.

Mental health is something about which Sidman said she has always been passionate. She hopes to become a psychiatrist, just like her mom. She said she loves to listen to people’s stories. In the second grade, she played the role of mediator if there were any conflicts in the classroom.

“I’m very much passionate about helping others, helping them navigate their own narratives and changing lives,” Sidman said. “And I’ve had my own struggles with mental health, so teaching others there is a purpose in life and there’s a whole world to look forward to even if it might seem dark in the moment, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

When it comes to songwriting, jazz and music icons like Billy Joel and Elton John heavily influenced Sidman’s music. Her music incorporates both simple and complex experimental voices and chords, she said.

Before she got into playing jazz at school, Sidman said she wanted nothing to do with music or playing. When her parents started her on piano lessons at five, she did everything she could to get out of it.

“I hid the piano books in my underwear drawer when my teacher arrived,” she said.

“We’d spend half the lesson looking for the piano books.”

But Sidman was grateful the books were ultimately found.

“Truly, it’s been an incredible journey,” she said. “It’s like my coping mechanism, it’s been my outlet. Especially when I’ve had struggles with mental health in the past. It’s like escaping to a new world.”

Sidman is already collecting correspondence, emails and details in a document for future concerts, she said. What she is most proud of is the connections she has built and audiences she’s touched through her passion and joy for music.

“When I’m playing with musicians my age, there’s a sense of energy that fills the room, it’s so refreshing,” Sidman said.