“To Her Nurses”: A Timeless Collaboration With A Powerful Message

Words by Caitlyn McGonigal

Graphic by Vic Maltese

          In a time where we’re relying on our healthcare workers more than ever, it’s only natural to want to extend thanks to those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. To honor the nurses at the forefront of this fight, New York-based composer and songwriter, Angela Sclafani, has teamed up with Broadway’s Hannah Corneau (Wicked) to release “Katherine Hannan: To Her Nurses.”

          The song is the latest installment in Sclafani’s Passion Project, and is sung from the perspective of Katherine Hannan, a World War I chief nurse who cared for the wounded and sick during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Sclafani explains that Passion Project “is both timely and timeless in its efforts to reach back into past lives in order to bring more power to women today.” 

          This is especially evident as seen through the lyrics in the song. Though sung through Hannan’s perspective, the strength and determination to continue “battling a thing we can’t see” parallels the current experiences and emotions around the COVID-19 pandemic. 

          Released at the beginning of National Nurses Week, “Katherine Hannan: To Her Nurses” was written and recorded during quarantine by an all-female music team. A soft melody builds bit by bit as it guides Hannah Corneau’s powerful vocals throughout the verses. As Corneau’s vocals and the instrumental meet each other at the song’s most passionate parts, the buildup hits its peak, and is followed by the return of the comforting, simple melody. 

          The video itself features Corneau enveloped in rich blue and pink light, looking out into the city as she sings on a balcony. Clips and photos of nurses working are featured halfway through, and remind the audience that this is more than just a song or a reflection on the past; it’s real, and it’s happening right now. 

          It can be easy to forget that those who “lose their day to save a life” are real people, but the video humanizes them again, and showcases not what, but who, is pulling us through.

          “Katherine Hannan: To Her Nurses” offers an important opportunity to reflect on the experiences of the past, and see how we can learn and improve. Released at the perfect time, and focused on a more than worthy subject, the song reminds us to appreciate those who are sacrificing their health and safety to protect our own.